Social media is one of the most fast-paced areas in the advertising and marketing world. From the big personalities running the platforms to the rapid adoption of new tech and formats to the constant flow of hot takes and lively discussions, there's never a dull moment.

We chatted with our own social butterflies at NERD: Viktoriia, our PR Manager, and Margaux, our Social Media Manager. These talented ladies are the ones behind everything you see from NERD Productions online. Whether it’s a big PR feature, a daily story, or a fun get-together reel, they’ve got it covered. We caught up with them to talk about their expertise, what inspires them, and the essential tips you need to thrive in this industry.

What’s the most significant development or trend shaping the social space right now?

M: Short-form videos and community building are essential. Platforms themselves are the ones pushing creators to post more short-form videos by adding features such as templates, trends, transitions, and audio syncing to make short-form videos easy and fun to edit. On the other hand, community building has become an important channel for brands that want to stand out and stay authentic. A good example would be Rhode and their NYC Summer Pop-up Event, which many fans flocked to because of pop-up exclusive products and a themed event.

Rhode NYC Pop-up - Community, Events, Short-form videos

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSYpqbBHv/

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSYpqEeEC/

V: One trend that I feel is quite new this year is the even greater focus on community. With Threads launching last year and community channels on Instagram, brands and influencers can now connect with their audiences on a deeper level. You can never expect all your followers to be there, but those who are, are highly engaged. Just by looking at how REFY or WE ARE TALA do it, you can feel like a part of the brand with their feedback sessions, community trips, events, and more!

Every platform functions so differently - and the way they function evolves there’s a lot of fun to be had on social, from shoppable live streams to AI filters - so where are you finding the most satisfying or exciting creative opportunities right now (and can you give an example of a campaign that demonstrates that)?

M: I love how Instagram’s stickers have evolved, especially the ones used for Instagram Stories. You have many creative possibilities not just through aesthetics but also through functionality such as being able to add a link, a location, share a profile, add music, and so much more. There isn’t exactly a specific campaign to demonstrate it but I see brands and people using it every day on Instagram. That being said, watch out for our latest film for Instagram that is coming to you in September!

V: I totally echo what Margaux just said. A strong community focus is where you can tap into your audience and boost creativity. I'm a big fan (or victim) of the TikTok shop and how it seamlessly integrates with content. They have created a smooth shopping experience and customer journey from a TikTok video to a purchase. It’s not only effective for marketing but also a great creative outlet for marketers and social media creatives to capture attention.

What does ‘craft’ mean to you in a social context?

M: To me, it means to continuously experiment and to strengthen specific skills. Social media is ever-changing, the algorithm is always changing, the platforms, and the trends. There’s always something new to learn — the learning never stops.

V: 'Craft' in social media, for me, means the art of creating engaging and meaningful content that resonates with our audience. It is about all parts in one - visual content, captions, stories, comment interactions and ALSO how your content strategy flows between different platforms.

Social media has been accused of driving polarisation and spreading misinformation, while others call it the marketplace of ideas. Whether or not that’s the whole truth, it is certainly shaping discourse and is one of the key venues for culture war-ish behaviour. What’s your take on the role of social media in society and what responsibilities do brands and individuals working in social have?

M: As brands, it is our responsibility to uphold the philosophies the brand believes in. AtNERD, for example we support under-represented talent, so LGBTQIA+ community, female talent, minorities and more. We are always consistent with our support towards them may it be online or offline, on set, in production, in post production etc. It goes the same way for any cause or advocacy we choose to support. Whether you are a production company or agency, it is our responsibility to spark!

V: That’s why it’s called Social Media! I firmly believe that once you post something on social media, you accept that it will receive public reactions, both positive and negative. It is up to you how you react to it. If someone wants to protect their views, they should use private accounts or close friends' stories. It's unrealistic to expect only positive feedback. I personally use social media for inspiration, new fitness and travel content, and to see what my friends are up to. I curate my feed and follow only those who inspire me, avoiding politics. From a brand perspective, a brand should stick to its core values and prioritise customer well-being. As Social Media Managers, we nurture our community but can’t control what everyone else does on social media.

How do you balance traditional PR efforts with social media strategies, and can you share an example of a campaign where both elements were successfully integrated to amplify the overall impact?

M: I think PR and social media go hand in hand. Both channels are crucial for gaining or receiving information about a brand. For example, I might see a social media post about a project and be led to its website, where I find more content to explore. Another example is receiving a newsletter and clicking on their social media links. It’s always a good sign when a social media account is consistent with newsletter content and is regularly active.

V: At NERD, our marketing strategy is based on storytelling and collaboration. Everything we do in PR has its voice on social media and usually, it continues the story. Whenever we do a PR feature, you will always find it on our socials and all of our PR will always link back to social. As a production company, all of our work is visual and it is only fair to use all of our media outlets to show it off harmonically.

Inevitable AI question! How are you applying AI in your day-to-day role and what have been your key insights/observations about the best way to approach it in the campaigns you’ve worked on (feel free to share examples)?

M: At NERD we embrace all new tools that can help us achieve our best work, however we pride ourselves in our authentic voice and creations so we use AI to do the heavy lifting where needed and leave the creative, juicy part for our talent . For example, I usually use AI as a research tool. If I want to know about why a certain trend is trending etc. Sometimes, I use it to learn what are good hashtags to use for a certain topic in the week. It makes my work faster because I feel like it assists me a lot when it comes to brainstorming and thinking of how to strategize my content more effectively. It's like a booster that helps me think faster and therefore I can use my time to put the pieces together much easier.

V: I am not too clued up on all things MidJourney etc, but I am a big fan of AI when it comes to checking my punctuation and grammar. I also use AI for concept generation with prompts sometimes. It is great for helping me brainstorm and pushing me into things I might’ve missed, although it is all about prompts and how you talk to AI.

When you’re not working, what social platforms and content do you personally enjoy engaging with and why? What creators, influencers and social communities do you love?

M: I'm always on Pinterest and Instagram, and I’m also on X and Reddit a lot. I love looking at aesthetic photos on Pinterest, it calms me so much. On Instagram, I interact with the same content that I do on Pinterest. I'm mostly in the vintage fashion, beauty, crochet, and pottery communities so it's very coquette. I love creators like Garbo Zhu because she's both a fashion and pottery girl.

V: I have a few personal accounts, travel, fitness and photography, and on each of them I get different content. I like creating content in my free time and I can say I live and breathe social media and digital space in general. Right now, my TikTok feed is full of Wimbledon and Mallorca because I am going on holiday and tennis has just been on ! My Instagram is always full of castles and Scotland content because that's the kind of content I create as well as more lifestyle bits and bobs like outfits and coffee. Honestly, I love it!

What advice would you give to people who are looking to get into social, whether as creatives, strategists or producers?

M: Experiment with your accounts, and you'll start having an analytical approach towards social media. It's about what cover image or thumbnail works, it's about what clips reel people in, it's about what time you're posting, it's about how often you're sharing, and so many more. Then you'll learn that even if there are so many different businesses out there, we're following algorithms set by the makers of the platform. That's the time you'll learn that hey, I can do this to pretty much every account I'll handle - you just have to make a few tweaks here and there like curating content to a certain audience or community. It's fun to look at it with an analytical approach like it's an experiment you're trying to improve over and over again.

V: I got into social media organically, starting by sharing my photography on Instagram. This led to opportunities in PR, social media, and photography. I ended up at NERD thanks to Billelis, who introduced me to Milana (NERD founder and EP), and I met Bill through social media too!

My advice is to start your social media account in a specific niche, whether it’s fitness, cooking, comedy, or something else close to your heart. You'll find your community. Treat social media like your favourite game, tracking views and likes. Discover what content works and why.

Follow your favourite brands to learn their strategies. Personal experience is crucial for landing your first role or internship. For producers, social media is great for inspiration and industry connections. As a creative, sharing your work on social media is essential—many of our talent at NERD have strong social media presences, which helps attract clients. I firmly believe social media will help you if done right.