In Conversation With... Aaron Cawood

Describe a day in the life of a Digital Coordinator (Social Media).

Because Social Media is so changeable, I try to maintain structure day-to-day. The main one being that I start by checking our interactions from the night before. Since our venues mostly hold events in the evening, I tend to come back on a morning to tags to reply to, and the odd message or two. Once I’m caught up with that, most of my time is spent building and scheduling posts. That varies from designing graphics and editing images to writing and proofing captions.  Throw in the odd photo call, press night or filming session and you’ve got my average day.

What three skills do you think are most important in your role?

Multi-tasking is the most important. When I started this job, I said it was like ‘learning to spin plates’, and it’s held true. I manage eleven of Leeds Heritage Theatres’ fourteen accounts, so it’s important to be able to keep an eye on everything at once. I’d also say time management, and adaptability. I try to schedule everything a few days in advance so I’m never struggling to get something out last minute, and so I have more time to edit posts before they go out if changes crop up.

What has been the highlight (to date) of your time at Leeds Heritage Theatres?

On my second day at LHT, we took two cast members from Sister Act out into Leeds for a photo call. Photographing two nuns on the streets of Leeds was a hilarious way to dive right into the deep end at a new job, and I’ll never forget it.

What is the most challenging thing about your role?

I think I’d say staying creative. When you’re building so many posts per week, and trying to produce video content, it’s hard not to feel repetitive or uninspired. I’ve found making changes constantly to challenge myself has made all the difference – what if I change the editing style for this post? Why don’t I try making a TikTok that isn’t a trend, but something more niche? That sort of thing.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about working in a similar role?

Social media management, in general, is more complex than it might seem. Having come from the generation that grew up with social media, it might feel like every part of it will come naturally. But in a professional environment, social media takes on a whole new life, so the best advice I could give would be to not rest on your laurels and to always remember there’s more to learn.