Social media marketing is evolving faster than any other area of the communications landscape. Social media marketing is evolving faster than any other area of the communications landscape. Platforms rise and fall in relevance, audience behaviours continue to shift, and the balance between professionally produced brand content (BGC) and user-generated content (UGC) is reshaping how trust, influence, and authenticity are created online.
Younger audiences are increasingly drawn to content that feels personal, immediate, and creator-led, while other segments still value polished brand storytelling for reliability and clarity. For marketers, this creates both opportunity and challenge. Decisions about voice, platform, ethics, community, measurement, and creative approach now matter more than ever and require constant adaptation.
This 90-minute hybrid event brings together Lancaster University’s Marketers in Residence and academic specialists to explore what works, why it works, and how organisations can stay ahead in a shifting digital environment. The session will begin with a 45-minute live panel discussion, followed by 45 minutes of audience questions and open dialogue.
Panellists Include:
Vinny Wong – Global Social Strategy Lead, TikTok; Marketer in Residence Sharing practitioner insights on platform strategy, creator partnerships, and audience engagement.
Simon Jamieson – Managing Director, MLP Agency; Marketer in Residence Offering perspectives on digital and social media marketing for brands, with a focus on consumer behaviour.
Darren Savage – Freelance Marketing Strategist; Marketer in Residence Offering perspectives on how current social media landscape has created a paradox of connectivity and isolation, and how we should address this challenge as citizens, businesses and marketers.
Sarah Wiggins – Natural Trust and Lancaster University Drawing on her practitioner experience and research to discuss platform decay, AI-driven personalisation, and their impact on consumer identity and online engagement.
Dr Mike Ryder – Lecturer in Marketing, Lancaster University Management School Bringing interdisciplinary perspectives on digital marketing, reflective practice, and the impact of emerging technologies on human behaviour and work.
Together, the panel will connect lived industry experience with the latest academic research and data. The session will explore: *UGC and BGC: strengths, risks, and best practice *How different audience segments and communities respond to online content *Changing ideas of authenticity, trust, and influence *Future skills and capabilities for social media marketers *Platform thinking: short-form video, personalisation, and community building
Why Attend? This interactive and forward-looking session is designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students, alumni working in marketing, and SMEs and regional partners with an interest in digital and social media strategy. Attendees will gain practical insight into in-demand skills, emerging platform trends, and effective UGC and BGC approaches, hear directly from industry and academic experts, and explore how research and practice intersect in real-world settings. The event supports knowledge exchange across teaching, research, and industry, while creating opportunities for professional development, collaboration, and lasting connections beyond the session.
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