Q: What initially got you interested in social media marketing, and how can students follow a similar path?
A: I studied Fashion Business and Promotion at uni, and always leaned toward the marketing side of things. After interning at a few brands, I fell in love with the visibility and reach you can get with social media marketing. I’d advise being active on all relevant platforms, and understanding which ones are relevant for which brands and products.
“Have you ever visited a website, left, and then seen an ad for that brand on IG? That’s paid social!“
Q: Can you give us a paid social 101, and also explain the difference between paid and organic social?
A: The day to day always varies, from audience building to creating campaigns to developing assets to going live on Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat. Unlike organic, paid social can target specific people, markets, and locations with tailored content.
Q: How do you make sure your paid campaigns resonate with Gen Z?
A: We focus on being present on every platform where Gen Z are, ensuring our content is trend-driven yet true to what Lounge stands for as a brand. We also have Gen Z team members at Lounge who share ideas and provide feedback on what resonates with their peers. Collaboration is key.
Q: How do you balance creativity with the analytics of paid social? And what should students do to excel in this field?
A: Students should focus on understanding key marketing metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators) to see how campaigns perform. I’d also really recommend doing a digital marketing course—Google has a really good one—and upskilling on ad platforms via YouTube tutorials.
“It’s what I love the most about paid social—being able to combine the creative and analytical sides of my brain.”
Q: Social media is always evolving. How do you keep up with the latest trends?
A: Being on all the platforms is definitely key! Tools like Ad Library let you see what other brands are doing and TikTok’s creator search insights can help track market trends too. But honestly, being an active user is the best way to stay in the loop.
Q: What are the main metrics for measuring and tracking the success of a paid social campaign?
A: It depends on the campaign. Click-through-rates, return on ad spend, conversion rate, cost per acquisition, thumbstop rate, engagement rate, reach, and video views… the list could go on! Google courses and digital marketing webinars are great resources for students wanting to understand these metrics.
“Understanding how platforms work from an algorithm and creative POV is key.”
Q: What’s your advice for working with designers and content creators?
A: Effective collaboration is one of the best parts of working in a company like Lounge. You learn so much from other team members, so don’t shy away from it. My advice? Be vocal, be as clear as possible in your briefs, and be open to feedback.
Q: Any final tips for students looking to enter social media marketing?
A: Get as much hands-on experience as you can. Intern, learn through online courses, and stay active on all major platforms. The more you try, the more you’ll know which path suits you best!
