Categories
Please see the following descriptions for information on each category.
For more information on how to enter, hints and tips and entry fees, please click here.
CAMPAIGN AWARDS
In each of the sector-based categories, we’ll be looking for the thinking and approach specific to the needs of that sector and the client’s goals. Quality content campaigns can drive real results, engagement, and sales. Judges are looking to recognise and reward an exemplary social media strategy which will include identifying the target audience, defining objectives, establishing appropriate creative, implementation and distribution, selection of channels, effective delivery and monitoring and evaluation of results.
BEST USE OF X
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140 characters? 280 characters? Who’s counting when you’ve a knack for trending? This category celebrates the X pros who know how to serve bite-sized brilliance.
BEST USE OF FACEBOOK
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If your Facebook game is top-notch, with posts that bring all the engagement and a community that can’t stop commenting, this award’s got your name written all over it.
BEST USE OF INSTAGRAM
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This award goes to the team or individual that truly knows how to own the ‘gram. Whether it's clever captions, perfect pics, or stories that stop you mid-scroll, we’re looking for content that made followers hit that heart!
BEST USE OF YOUTUBE
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For those who know how to create binge-worthy content that keeps viewers glued to their screens and hitting that subscribe button. Whether it's vlogs, tutorials, or campaigns that went viral, we’re looking for creators who have achieved thumbs up, comments, and all!
BEST USE OF SNAPCHAT
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If your Snaps have people watching on repeat, laughing out loud, or rushing to screenshot, this one’s for you. We’re after creators who’ve excelled at storytelling in 10 seconds or less, using filters, lenses, and a bit of Snap-savvy to keep audiences hooked!
BEST USE OF TIKTOK
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If you’ve mastered the art of viral disruption, clever trends, or had people re-posting your brand, this one’s for you! Show us how you took TikTok by storm, whether it’s with outstanding creativity or an endless stream of engagement.
BEST USE OF LINKEDIN
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Whether you’re sharing knowledge, driving meaningful engagement, or crafting posts that have the wider audience hitting “like,” this award is for those who’ve mastered LinkedIn and made professional networking work.
BEST AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN
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For the campaign that got people talking, sharing, and reacting. If you sparked conversations, built a community, or had followers glued to your content, this is your time to shine. We’re looking for a campaign that took engagement to a whole new level!
BEST SOCIAL INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN
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This one’s for the affiliates and dream team collabs! If your influencer partnership felt like a match made in social media heaven and got followers buzzing, this is your category.
BEST USE COLLABORATION WITH A CONTENT CREATOR
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For partnerships that went beyond the usual shout-outs and created something truly special. Whether it was a killer video series, an unforgettable takeover, or content that felt effortlessly authentic, we’re celebrating the collabs that delivered on investment!
BEST COLLABORATION WITH AN INFLUENCER
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For the influencer partnerships that made waves and left the audience asking for more. We’re talking collabs that feel so natural, it’s like you’ve been together forever—just with a million followers watching.
BEST USE OF RESEARCH & EVALUATION
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Behind every great campaign is solid research and smart evaluation! This award is for the teams who dived deep into the data, understood their audience inside out, and used insights to drive social media success.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN A CRISIS
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Let’s be real: crisis moments happen. But this award is for the teams who kept their cool and turned chaos into clarity. When things went sideways, you showed social media at its best.
MOST IMPACTFUL SOCIAL MEDIA INNOVATION
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This one’s for the rule breakers and trendsetters, innovators and disruptors. If you’ve done something new and so out-of-the-box, that the rest are still playing catch-up, we want to hear about it. Let’s celebrate the creative geniuses pushing social media boundaries.
MOST INNOVATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
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Judges are looking for something NEW. It might be a new channel, it might be a new way to use social media, it might be a new way to increase view. This award is for the innovations of the year.
BEST LOW BUDGET CAMPAIGN
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This award goes to the campaign that worked magic on a shoestring budget, using creativity, clever tactics, and a dash of resourcefulness to deliver impressive results. Because sometimes, less really is more! (maximum overall campaign budget of £10k, including agency fees and media spend).
BEST USE OF UGC
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For the brands that know their biggest fans make the best creators! This award is all about campaigns that harnessed the power of user-generated content to tell authentic stories, spark engagement, and build trust. If you turned likes and shares into brand loyalty, this category is for you!
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ENTERTAINMENT
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From behind the scenes sneak peaks, to gaming tips and reveals, social media is integral to the Entertainment industry. This award recognises use of engaging social media that has promoted movies, music, gaming and more.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FINANCE
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This award celebrates the financial institutions or individuals who've turned social media into a financial playground. Whether it's a witty explainer video, a relatable personal finance tip, or a community-driven investment forum, we're looking for the content that's making money matters more accessible and engaging.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR RETAIL
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From online shopping sprees to influencer collaborations, social media has become the retail industry's digital storefront. This award recognises the brands that have mastered the art of using social media to engage customers, drive sales, and create a memorable shopping experience.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FMCG
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From food trends to beauty hacks, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands are constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it's a viral product demo, a user-generated content campaign, or a social-first marketing initiative, we're looking for the FMCG brands that are making an impact on social media.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FASHION
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From runway shows to street style, social media has become the fashion industry's digital catwalk. Whether it's a groundbreaking campaign, a viral fashion trend, or a community-driven style movement, we're looking for the content that's setting the pace for fashion on social media.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HEALTH & BEAUTY
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From skincare routines to fitness challenges, social media has become the go-to platform for health and beauty inspiration. This award recognises the use of social media to promote wellness, educate consumers, and create a supportive community.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
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Whether it's a breathtaking travel photography series, a helpful travel guide, or a community-driven travel forum, we're looking for the content that's making the world a smaller, more accessible place.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FOOD & DRINK
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This award recognises content creators who have used social media to inspire, inform, and entertain food and drink enthusiasts. Whether it's a viral food trend, a mouthwatering recipe demonstration, or a community-driven foodie forum, we're looking for the content that's making our taste buds tingle.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HOSPITALITY
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Whether it's a viral travel destination, a personalized guest service interaction, or a must do holiday experience, we're looking for the campaigns that are setting the bar for social media excellence in the hospitality industry.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPORTS & FITNESS
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From epic sports highlights to behind-the-scenes action to training videos, and sporting top tips, this award recognises social media use to inspire, motivate and engage sports and fitness fans.
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR HOME & GARDEN
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From DIY tutorials to garden transformations, social media is a home and garden enthusiasts go to for inspiration and shopping. This award recognises the brands, influencers, or individuals who have used social media to inspire, educate, and engage to capture the attention of this audience.
BEST CHARITY / NOT-FOR-PROFIT CAMPAIGN
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Social media is a powerful tool for charitable organisations to raise awareness, call to action and drive donations. Whether it\'s a viral fundraising challenge, a thought-provoking documentary series, or a community-driven volunteer initiative, we\'re looking for the campaign that has made a real difference in the world.
BEST LONG-TERM STRATEGIC USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
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This award recognises brands and agencies that have consistently and effectively used social media to achieve long-term business goals. We're looking for companies that have developed a comprehensive social media strategy, built a strong online community, and demonstrated sustained success over time.
BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN
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For the social media marketers who know that social media works best when it’s all connected! This award celebrates campaigns that seamlessly combined multiple platforms—whether it's Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, or beyond—to create a unified, powerful message.
BEST REAL TIME RESPONSE CAMPAIGN
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Quick fire reactions are everything when it comes to real time response campaigns. Judges are looking for campaigns that have demonstrated ingenuity and creativity in a fast turnaround to achieve connection with a wider audience. Whether it's a timely meme, a heartfelt apology, or a witty response to a viral moment, this award celebrates the brands that have used real-time engagement to build relationships and drive positive outcomes.
BEST USE OF PAID SOCIAL
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Running ads that felt less like “ads” and more like must-click content? You’re in the right place! This category celebrates paid social media campaigns that hit the right audience —creativity, targeting, and, of course, conversions.
BEST USE OF AI IN SOCIAL MEDIA
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This award celebrates the smart use of artificial intelligence to optimize social media strategies, from chatbots and content recommendations to predictive analytics and personalized experiences. If you’ve harnessed the power of AI to make your social campaigns sharper and more efficient, we want to hear all about it!
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL AWARDS
The judges will be looking for a clear description of an outstanding social media tool, with an indication of budget. Judges will be looking for new features/tools added in the last 12 months.
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL
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For the tool that makes social media pros wonder how they ever lived without it! Whether it’s scheduling posts, analysing data, or helping craft the perfect tweet, this award is for the platform or app that’s changing the social media game and making every campaign smoother, smarter, and more successful.
COMPANY / AGENCY / TEAM / INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
The judges will be looking at client wins, client retention, financial results, growth, margin, team retention, development and training in these team and agency awards. Innovative approaches to development, delivery or cost-saving will also be scored highly. The overall quality of campaigns, apps or websites delivered on behalf of clients will also be considered.
EMERGING TALENT AWARD
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This one’s for the new kids on the block—if you’ve burst onto the social media scene and already have people asking, "Who runs this account?", then step right up! We’re looking for up-and-coming talent who are ready to shine brighter than a ring light.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETER OF THE YEAR
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If you can craft the perfect post, handle crises without breaking a sweat, and know how to turn followers into fans, then this award is for you. This is for the Social Media Marketer who juggle hashtags, comments, and algorithms like a pro.
BEST IN-HOUSE TEAM
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This award recognises the exceptional in-house social media teams that have demonstrated outstanding creativity, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of their brand. We're looking for teams that have consistently delivered high-quality content, built strong online communities, and driven measurable results.
BEST IN-AGENCY TEAM
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This award recognises the exceptional in-agency social media teams that have demonstrated outstanding creativity, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of their brand. We're looking for teams that have consistently delivered high-quality content, built strong online communities, and driven measurable results.
BEST START-UP AGENCY (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD)
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Are you a new agency showing you mean business? We're looking for agencies that have quickly established themselves as industry leaders, demonstrated exceptional creativity and strategic thinking, and delivered impressive results for their clients.
BEST SMALL AGENCY
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Is your agency the one everyone’s buzzing about? Do you live and breathe social strategy while delivering campaigns that your exceed your clients expectations? If you’re a small team with big ideas this award is for you.
BEST LARGE AGENCY
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Is you agency creating noise and dominating the buzz. If you live and breathe social strategy and exceed your clients’ expectations when it comes to creativity and results you are the Agency we are looking for!
Our Event Sponsors & Partners
Testimonials
"We’re thrilled to be finalists because the UK Social Media Awards are an amazing way to celebrate the creativity and innovation that is involved in achieving outstanding social media campaigns, judged by an esteemed panel of industry leaders and experts. It’s incredible to be finalists alongside some incredible campaigns. It means a lot to be recognised for our hard work."
Naturally Social
“We are thrilled to have won this award for the second consecutive year! This is a great recognition of our growth, the quality of work achieved and the wonderful team we’ve built in the last six years. We are all so proud and can’t wait to see what we achieve next.”
Zoe Stephenson, Co-Founder & Managing Director The Social Shepherd
"This award fuels our determination to continue building our reputation for developing strong and impactful products. We’re excited about the journey ahead and remain committed to delivering excellence in the ever-evolving world of social media. Thank you for this achievement!"
Performics
"Being recognised at the UK Social Media Awards is particularly special to us, considering the high calibre of competition that extends across the country and many different industries. We are proud to be a shining example of the high quality work that can be produced as a public sector organisation."
Manchester City Council
"To have our successes recognised nationally by UK Socia Media Awards, both in paid social and as an agency, after a period of challenge and change is a wonderful testament to our dedication to our clients and passion for social media."
Oh So Social
"The UK Social Media Awards not only honour remarkable achievements and innovations in social media marketing but also serve as a launchpad for future triumphs for all the winners."
Alex Blomfield
Motive Agency
Motive Agency
Super Early Bird Deadline
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