In our latest 'In The Spotlight' series, we spoke with Kayleigh Wingate, Digital Marketing Manager of Woodgreen Pets Charity, about her career, the future of social media and digital marketing and how her role is evolving to be future of work ready.
Tell us a bit about your role. Is there a “typical” day?
While social is a reactive place to be and things can change suddenly, a ‘typical’ day comprises of community management – responding to comments from supporters across our social channels, weekly social schedule planning, content creation, social reporting, and reaching out to Woodgreen pet owners so we can share heart-warming stories about the pets in their new homes! We’re also keeping our ear to the ground on each channel to spot opportunities for joining discussions and trends.
A fun perk of the job is being involved in filming pets at our Godmanchester centre for social content. We get to meet so many adorable dogs, cats and small pets!
What have been your career highlights? Are there any projects you’re particularly proud of?
I’ve been at Woodgreen since 2018, and in that time, we’ve seen a lot of change on our social media channels. I saw our Instagram page hit our first 10,000 followers, in the days where you needed 10k in order to ‘swipe up’ on an Instagram Story - and we’ve grown considerably since then! Seeing Woodgreen become the face of Channel 4 and Five Mile Films’ ‘The Dog House’ and the growth and impact this has had on our social media presence has been overwhelming.
We’ve always been a very small social media team at Woodgreen. Over the past six years, I’ve seen our channels grow considerably and attract an increase in engagement, and our content has really elevated too – I’m so proud of all that we’ve achieved.
We also had our most successful post to date last year, a story about a beautiful staffie called Nellie, who was sadly dropped at the gates of Woodgreen in the dark. Our video shared her journey from the moment she was discovered by our security team on CCTV, through to her finding a loving home. It has done exceptionally well for us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on our website, and via press interest too. You can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1365615957697063
Social media aside, having the opportunity to come into a beautiful workplace and meet plenty of cats, dogs, and small pets either in passing or during periods of content creation has been a particular highlight for me! Also, working with some truly dedicated, kind-hearted people at Woodgreen who are doing all they can for pets and their people makes this role even more rewarding.
You’ve had an inspiring career to date, what advice would you give to those entering the industry?
My advice would be to give yourself the time to learn and grow! I originally started social media management when it was offered as part of a copywriting role I had back in 2013. From here, it inspired me to take copywriting and social media management on a freelance basis, before I ended up at Spotify in their @spotifycares team. This then eventually led to my current role at Woodgreen Pets Charity, where I have been for the past six years. By having a varied history of social media, it has allowed me to pick up the skills and learnings I needed to elevate social here at Woodgreen.
I am always on the look out for new webinars, courses, conferences and networking opportunities – being inspired by others, picking up new tips and discovering ideas is a great way of ensuring you are making the most of your opportunity in the world of social media. Don’t be afraid to test and learn!
What does it take to be successful in your field?
Stay relevant and stay aware! Social is an ever-changing landscape – no two days are the same, and the channels themselves are forever changing. We see constant algorithm changes, features come and go, and social media channels arrive and disappear.
The best piece of advice I’d give is to keep an eye on the world on social. Look out for trending topics, common talking points, and what are others doing – how can you do this, but better? Or are there any areas that people haven’t quite cracked yet that you think you could elevate your social presence in?
Take time to know your audiences on each channel and develop content for each channel that you know (with plenty of testing and learning thrown in) your audience are most receptive to. But, do come with some expectations too. Know that not every post on social will land. That video you spend an age crafting only has a small handful of views? Not to worry, the next one could be the one! It’s impossible to make every post ‘go viral’, but when it does happen, it does feel good. 😊
Oh and…be kind to yourself. It can often be quite a mentally draining place in the world of social media. Take regular breaks, get outside and away from social for a little bit. It’s still there waiting for you when you come back. Being on social constantly for eight hours a day (more than that for most of us, who then pop onto their personal accounts outside of work hours too) can be just as tiring as it can be enjoyable and inspiring.
Is there a person who has been particularly influential or inspirational in your career journey? How so?
Professionally, I genuinely am inspired by my colleagues around me, particularly at Woodgreen. I’m thankful to be working alongside so many talented, dedicated and kind people who bring a whole host of ideas to the table.
Personally, surrounding yourself with people who advocate for you and celebrate your successes really works wonders. For instance, my husband Casey (a fellow Woodgreen employee who you may have spotted on The Dog House) has always been my biggest advocate. He is enthusiastic, and has been there to give me that bit of encouragement to take each step in my career. That’s been a really big boost for me!
In what ways do you think your role or industry will evolve over the next few years?
Social media is the forefront of a brand’s presence – an increasing amount of people turn to social media to find out more about a brand, charity, celebrity, etc, or to reach out for their support.
While the use of AI in the industry has noticeably increased, I don’t think it’s a major cause for concern – the social media manager is here to stay, and is not being replaced by a robot just yet! I think social media will become an even bigger player for many companies as there’s this shift to depending on it more areas such as customer service, search engine results, etc.
I see social ever-growing, and the algorithms and services continuing to evolve to match the demands. It’s certainly an interesting place to be right now, and here at Woodgreen, our social media presence will remain a crucial area that we’ll continue to grow, develop and improve in line with trends, social media changes and contributing lifestyle factors.
What emerging trends do you believe will have the most significant impact on your industry in the near future?
AI has really evolved in recent times, and I am seeing more and more conversations on places such as LinkedIn where AI is being utilised in the world of social. I do see the use of this growing digitally, but I think we must remain wary that AI does not always provide a reliable replacement for a human being.
There’s a lot of changes coming up on social this year that will make a difference in a number of ways. For instance, shares are predicted to now have more weight on results than measuring by likes, comments and followers. Social media has also become ‘the new Google’ – more people are taking to platforms such as TikTok to search for the answers they’re looking for, and in that respect, organisations may need to take a shift on their content to see that they’re serving in this way too. For instance, at Woodgreen, we have started to move our TikTok into a pet advice hub, where people can find the answers to pet ownership that they’re looking for. This has been a success for us, allowing us to reach new audiences and support more pet owners than ever before.
How is technology shaping the future of your field?
Digital really is at the forefront, and obviously plays a significant role on social, and a lot of our services work hand-in-hand together. We’re seeing more events, webinars and support being taken digitally now than we did previously, and both social and our website offer options for self-help pet advice for pet owners. We’ve got some exciting new digital projects in the pipeline which we can’t wait to share more details of when the time comes!
From a social point of view, we are looking to see how we can continue to encourage pet owners to get in touch when they need support for their pets. It’s also an excellent way for us to expand our brand awareness, increase our dedicated supporter base, and showcase the great work we are doing across the charity.
For social in general, we should all be looking to remain as inclusive as possible. Whether that’s improving your accessibility across your content (adding ALT text to your social content if you aren’t already is a great first step!), or ensuring that nobody feels left behind or not included. For Woodgreen’s social presence, we are really trying to remain inclusive, accessible, and approachable, and provide a safe, positive space for pet owners and pet lovers alike to share their support, and join us in celebrating pets in loving homes.
Can you identify any challenges your industry faces that it must overcome to progress?
The charity sector is always a crowded, competitive place. There are a lot of charities that are all doing the same, or similar, brilliant things as each other. It’s about finding your voice in the crowd, working on refining and strengthening your brand presence and brand awareness, and showing how you’re a good choice – both for people wanting to support, or for those looking for support.
Social media is similar – it’s competitive and crowded, but it’s also a constantly moving space that can often feel overwhelming to navigate…but it’s a great place to be, too! Finding your voice, really learning your audience and channel personas, and nailing the types of content per channel is a challenge for many of us (especially in a landscape of constant algorithm changes!), but in order to continue growing your social media presence, it’s one that must always be revisited.
Do you have any websites, books, or resources you would recommend?
I get a lot of my inspiration from browsing LinkedIn, but I also recommend signing up for the Marketing Meetup’s newsletter and join their webinars. Richard Cook’s ‘The Social Roast’ newsletter is also a great read, and is really useful, too! https://cookywook.substack.com/. Charity Digital gets my vote, too https://charitydigital.org.uk/.
I would also recommend if you’re looking to get into social media management, or are currently already in it, to keep an eye on social channels for any accounts you are inspired by. I find TikTok is currently a great place for that. As someone in the charity sector, it is great to see how other charities are utilising this space.
Can you recommend any industry-specific forums, groups, or associations young professionals should join?
I find Facebook Groups are useful! Here’s some recommendations:
The Social Media Geekout - https://www.facebook.com/groups/socialgeekout
Third Sector, PR & Comms Network - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thirdsectorcomms
I’m also part of a Whatsapp group with fellow social media managers from other pet charities, and it’s been a great source of inspiration and support! We also met up for the first time in person a few months ago, and are planning the next one. I would recommend doing something similar in your field if you have the opportunity to network and touch base with other social media managers.
