Social media has fundamentally changed the modern business landscape. It has given brands more than just a platform to reach out and engage with their customers.

A strong Instagram Reel, TikTok, LinkedIn post or a creator campaign can put a brand in front of thousands sometimes millions of new customers within hours.

However, being present on social media is one thing, being successful at it is another.

That is where social media agencies come in. The best social media agencies do not simply plan and post content, they understand audience behaviours, have an eye for culture and creativity, are able to produce tailored platform-specific content, utilise influencers and creators, manage communities and ensure that everything aligns with commercial targets.

The UK has a thriving social media and creative agency sector, spanning international networks to independent studios. The following list highlights 10 social media agencies which stand out in terms of creativity, strategic thinking, influencer capability, social-first approach and record. This is not an official ‘league table’ of the industry, but rather an editorial choice based on a mixture of factors.

However, recent UK social media agency round-ups and industry listings have seen several of these agencies feature as the UK’s leading social agencies.

The Social Shepherd

Field	Details
Founded	2018
Headquarters	London (also Bath)
Services	Social media strategy, content creation, paid social, influencer marketing, creative production, community management, TikTok Shop and social commerce
Key figures	Jack Shepherd (Co-Founder & CCO), Zoe Stephenson (Co-Founder)
Recognition	Best Large Social Media Agency in the UK (2023, 2024, 2025)

Founded in 2018 by Jack Shepherd and Zoe Stephenson, the social media agency started as small team and has since grown into a multi-office social agency with hubs in London, Bath, New York and Miami. The Social Shepherd describes itself as a social agency built around growth, with social, creative, paid, influencer marketing and TikTok Shop.

What makes The Social Shepherd stand out is a balance between creativity and performance. Their work is not only entertaining enough to get shares, but it also has a clear commercial purpose.

The Social Shepherd has worked with brands such as UNIQLO, Lavazza, ASICS, Passenger and Premier Inn and has been voted Best Large Social Media Agency in the UK at the UK Social Media Awards for three straight years, 2023, 2024, 2025.

Their services include organic social, social strategy, content production, paid social, influencer and TikTok Shop.

Best for: Growth, e-commerce and those looking for solid social media performance.

We Are Social

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Founded	2008
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, creative campaigns, content creation, influencer marketing, community management, paid social, digital strategy and research
Key figures	Nathan McDonald (Co-Founder & Group CEO), Robin Grant (Co-Founder)
Clients	adidas, Netflix, Samsung, Google
Recognition	Internationally recognised for social-first creative campaigns and cultural marketing

Few agencies boast the global reach of We Are Social. As a global socially-led creative agency with approximately 1,200 people across four continents, We Are Social UK combines social media expertise with creative thinking, influencer marketing, cultural and strategic insight.

We Are Social believes in understanding people, rather than platforms. That can be vital in an ever-changing social media environment, where what works on one channel may not work on another.

We Are Social has experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands, having created campaigns which have gone on to fuel conversations with consumers. Their work for adidas, for example, demonstrates how a social campaign can incorporate a sports focus with creative storytelling rather than simply selling a product.

For international brands, We Are Social’s presence across multiple markets can be a useful tool. A campaign can be planned with a global outlook in mind, while also considering local requirements.

Best for: Global brands, big ideas and those looking for culture-led approaches to social media marketing.

Social Chain

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Founded	2014
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, creative campaigns, content creation, influencer marketing, community management, paid social, brand strategy, creator marketing
Key figures	Steven Bartlett (Co-Founder), Dominic McGregor (Co-Founder)
Clients	McDonald’s, Disney, BBC
Recognition	Social-first campaigns, community building and culture-led marketing

Social Chain has been a key name in the evolution of social-first marketing since it was founded in 2014. The agency has been at the forefront of social media marketing when many traditional advertisers were still discovering the space.

Social Chain is now part of Brave Bison and focuses on connecting brands with people through social strategy, creative, creators and communities.

While many brands simply wish to communicate, Social Chain understands the gap between what brands want to say and what people are willing to listen to. That is one of their main strengths – the ability to understand the social space in a way few agencies can.

Social Chain has worked with some major names, including McDonald’s, Disney and the BBC. Its work currently spans brand building, creator marketing, community development and performance.

One of the agency’s main strengths is its awareness of internet culture. Rather than simply taking an established advertisement and posting it on Instagram or TikTok, they aim to develop ideas around the way people consume content.

Best for: Brands looking for culturally aware and socially-first campaigns.

The Goat Agency

Field	Details
Founded	2013
Headquarters	London
Services	Influencer marketing, creator partnerships, social media strategy, campaign management, content creation, talent management, brand consultancy
Key figures	Tom Bracklehurst (Founder & CEO)
Global presence	London, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore
Clients	Coca-Cola, Netflix, Samsung, Dior, L’Oréal
Recognition	One of the leading global influencer marketing agencies

If influencer marketing is at the heart of a brand’s strategy, The Goat Agency is an agency worth considering.

Founded in 2015, Goat was created around the rise of online creators. It was one of the early agencies to embrace the potential of influencers rather than simply viewing them as celebrities endorsing products.

As such, The Goat Agency has subsequently built a reputation as a specialist influencer marketing agency. However, their offering goes well beyond influencer marketing, covering strategy, creator campaigns, content, paid and commerce. The Goat Agency states that they have more than 650 social and influencer specialists across 37 markets and are part of the WPP network.

One of the interesting things about The Goat Agency is that they view the combination of creator content and media as vital to a campaign. In other words, the influencer post is not the end – it can be complemented by additional paid media to get the campaign in front of a bigger or more relevant audience.

The Goat Agency has worked with a range of brands, including Dell, Unilever, Nivea and Minor Figures. Their campaigns cross multiple sectors and markets.

Best for: Influencer marketing and international creator reach.

Born Social

Field	Details
Founded	2012
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, content creation, influencer marketing, paid social, community management, creative campaigns, digital strategy
Key figures	Andy Cullum (Founder & CEO), Rebecca Shepherd (Co-Founder & MD)
Clients	ASOS, Unilever, Tesco, Argos, eBay
Recognition	Award-winning social media agency

Born Social adopts a slightly different approach which focuses on balancing brand-building and performance marketing.

This London and New York-based agency describes itself as a global social media agency which provides a full-service offering across strategy, creative, media, social management and influencer marketing.

They offer an extensive range of services, from strategy (audience insight, measurement) to creative (photography, video, copy, illustration, motion graphics) and media (paid social & social commerce). Their management offering covers community management, reporting and social listening, which can be essential for brands which want their creative and paid social teams to be working in harmony.

Born Social has worked with a range of brands, from Guinness, Ford and Barclays to Nando’s and Uber. Their work for Nando’s, for example, has included TikTok content which has been developed around Gen Z and internet culture.

Best for: Agencies for a combination of social strategy, creative, media, influencer marketing.

Socially Powerful

Field	Details
Founded	2017
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, paid social, community management, creative campaigns, brand strategy
Key figures	David Masters (Founder & CEO)
Clients	TikTok, Google, Amazon, Sony, Samsung
Recognition	One of the leading influencer marketing agencies

Socially Powerful has carved out a reputation for themselves in the space between social media, influencers, technology and performance.

Founded in 2017, the agency grew from a creator-focused space to a global influencer marketing agency with over 100 employees and a presence across the UK, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

They offer a wide-ranging but specialist offering across influencer marketing, social strategy, paid media, content production and social media management. Their focus is on culture, audience insight and commercial performance, rather than simply choosing someone with a large audience.

That is increasingly important in the space of influencer marketing, where a creator with 500,000 followers may be significantly more relevant to a niche audience than someone with 50,000 highly engaged followers.

Socially Powerful uses technology and data to support influencer marketing, audience insight, trend identification and measurement.

Best for: Influencer marketing with a strategic and technology-driven edge.

SPIN

Field	Details
Founded	1997
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, campaign management, paid social, digital strategy
Key figures	Luke Langenberg (Founder & CEO)
Clients	Coca-Cola, Samsung, Amazon, eBay, Aldi
Recognition	One of the leading global influencer marketing agencies

Spin is a London-based independent agency which prides itself on its creative offering. Founded in 2016, the agency has more than 100 social specialists and works with global brands including Google, Five Guys, Fortnum & Mason, Paramount and Channel 5.

They describe their offering as being about social relevance rather than simply activity. They believe in understanding what people want to talk about, what conversations are taking place and how a brand can join them.

Spin offers a wide range of services, from social strategy, creative and content, to paid media, influencer and creator marketing, organic social, community management and measurement.

Social media is more than just a channel for content, and Spin recognises this by treating community management as something much broader than simply looking after an audience. They view it as the heartbeat of a brand’s social presence, where conversations and reactions are vital to the growth of a social media following.

Best for: Brands which want creative campaigns powered by community management and social strategy.

OOB (Our Own Brand)

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Founded	2017
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, campaign management, paid social, brand partnerships, digital strategy
Key figures	Toby Dunkin (Founder & CEO)
Clients	Gymshark, PrettyLittleThing, eBay, JD Sports
Recognition	Innovative influencer campaigns and strong brand storytelling

Our Own Brand, or OOB for short, is a London-based independent agency which was founded in 2018 by Sarah and Richard Fulford-Williams. They describe themselves as a culturally led social agency which focuses on creating work which earns attention, rather than simply filling up a content calendar.

They offer a specialist mix of social media, creative, paid media, influencer marketing and content. Their website highlights that they have worked with more than 200 brands across over 40 countries, and have won more than 30 awards.

One of the strongest aspects of OOB is their willingness to treat social content like social content. Rather than simply squeezing a television ad into a vertical video, they think about how to make content which fits the way feeds work.

Their work for Ann Summers is a great example of this, with the campaign reportedly driving a 1,700% increase in shares and a 201% increase of website clicks compared to the previous year.

Best for: Brands which want bold creative, cultural insight and a distinctive social media identity.

Truffle Social

Field	Details
Founded	2016
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, paid social, influencer talent management, brand campaigns
Key figures	Jade van Driel (Founder & CEO)
Clients	Google, Amazon, PrettyLittleThing, Disney, JD Sports
Recognition	Award-winning influencer marketing agency

Truffle Social has been focusing on the field of social media for more than a decade, since its founding in 2010. The London-based agency describes itself as a full-service social media agency with a social-first mindset.

They offer a range of services, including social media management, strategy, content creation and influencer campaigns, as well as paid social and events. They use AI-assisted content production while retaining a creative strategy and human review process.

What makes Truffle stand out is their approach to agility. Social media rarely has long lead times, and a trend which appears on Monday can be completely irrelevant by Friday. Agencies which specialise in this kind of space need to be able to react without losing their brand voice.

Truffle has worked with big names, including Coca-Cola HBC, where their approach to social strategy, design processes and operations has been highlighted.

Giraffe Social

Field	Details
Founded	2020
Headquarters	London
Services	Social media strategy, influencer marketing, content creation, paid social, community management, brand campaigns
Key figures	Mark Rob (Founder & CEO)
Clients	Samsung, Uber, Deliveroo, ASOS, Google
Recognition	Innovative influencer marketing campaigns and strong industry reputation

Giraffe Social takes a slightly different approach. They believe in putting people at the heart of a social media strategy.

Founded in 2012 and based in Portsmouth, the agency has worked with more than 500 brands in the UK and internationally. Their services span social media management, creative, paid social and influencer marketing.

Their human-first approach suits brands which have something to say, but need the expertise to make it interesting. Instead of simply looking at a social media channel as a series of posts, Giraffe considers what the brand wants to do and gives every channel and piece of content a purpose.

They offer a broad range of services, from thought leadership and community management to video, photography, UGC, influencer marketing and paid social. They have also had recognition at an industry level, with the UK Digital Excellence Awards Social Media Agency of the Year in 2024 and subsequent shortlistings for 2025 and 2026.

Best for: Established businesses which want a more human, strategic and relationship-focused social media presence.

How to Choose the Right Social Media Agency

There is no one social media agency which fits every brand.

A fashion or beauty brand may suit an agency with a strong creator and visual content offering better than one with a focus on e-commerce. An e-commerce brand, meanwhile, may be looking for specific expertise around paid social, TikTok shop and conversion rates. A global business may also be looking for an agency which has experience in multiple territories.

It is also worth looking beyond the number of followers.

Before committing to an agency, businesses should ask the following questions:

• Do they have an understanding of my industry?
• Do they have relevant case studies?
• Who will be managing my account?
• Do they understand organic and paid social?
• How do they measure results?
• Can they create content which is tailored to each platform?
• How responsive are they?
• Do they understand my target audience rather than just my demographics?

The cheapest agency is not always the best fit, and an agency with the largest client list may not always be right for a business. Some smaller agencies may be able to offer more specialist support, while a bigger network may have the resources and international reach a business needs.

Conclusion

The UK’s social media agency market is competitive, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It means businesses have more choice than ever before.

The agencies listed highlight some of the key differences in the modern social media marketing space. The Social Shepherd is strong in growth, We Are Social has global reach and cultural creativity, Social Chain has experience in social-first marketing, and The Goat Agency in influencer marketing. Born Social balances brand and performance, and Socially Powerful blends creators, technology and performance. Spin, Our Own Brand, Truffle Social and Giraffe Social demonstrate the value of specialist agencies who understand the intricacies of how social media works.

Ultimately, choosing the right agency depends on the requirements of the business. Social media is no longer about pretty pictures and hoping people will engage. The best agencies understand the audience, the platform, the culture and the commercial target – and how to combine the four.

That is what differentiates a social media agency which simply keeps a brand active from one which can grow it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does a social media agency do?

A social media agency helps businesses build and maintain their presence on social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and X. Their services can include strategy, content creation, community management, influencer marketing, paid advertising and performance analysis.

2. Why should a business hire a social media agency?

A social media agency can provide specialist insight, creativity and experience which can be difficult for an in-house team to achieve. Agencies can also offer time-saving benefits while providing a more strategic and consistent social media presence.

3. How much do social media agencies in the UK charge?

Agencies can vary significantly in their pricing, which depends on a range of factors, including the scope of the brief, the use of multiple platforms and the size of the campaign.

4. Which UK social media agency is best for influencer marketing?

The Goat Agency is known for its expertise in influencer and creator marketing, as well as the wider sector. Other agencies on this list also have significant influencer marketing expertise.

5. Which social media agency is best for e-commerce brands?

The Social Shepherd is a strong option for e-commerce as the agency has expertise in a mix of content, paid social, performance marketing and social commerce.

6. Do social media agencies create content?

Yes, many social media agencies create videos, Reels, TikToks, photographs, graphics, captions and other platform-specific content. Some agencies also offer photography and professional video production as a service.

7. Can a social media agency manage paid advertising?

Yes, many full-service social media agencies can manage paid campaigns on platforms such as Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn and other networks. They can also monitor and optimise performance.

8. How long does it take to see results from social media marketing?

There is no set timeframe for social media marketing, but certain tactics are typically quicker in driving engagement. However, building a solid audience and boosting sales typically takes more time and requires a strategic, long-term approach.

9. How do I choose the right social media agency in the UK?

The right social media agency will depend on a range of factors, including a review of previous work, relevant case studies, a consideration of the services on offer, experience in the relevant industry and an approach to measurement. It is also important to consider whether the agency understands the target audience and business objectives.

10. Are social media agencies suitable for small businesses?

Yes, social media agencies can be a great fit for small businesses, particularly those without an in-house marketing team. However, small businesses should always consider their budget and requirements before selecting an agency.