How I Made it in Social, featuring Katie Murphy, Social Media Content Creator at noticed
Katie Murphy, social media content creator at noticed and meme maker extraordinaire, talks the importance of boundaries, making content *you* enjoy, and the power of curiosity.
Welcome to Make It Go Viral’s weekly interview series, How I Made It In Social. Every Wednesday, Pennant Digital Social Media Director Anna Fogel talks to the best and brightest people working in social media about their career journey.
Next up: Katie Murphy, the creator of many of my favorite social memes on LinkedIn and current social media content creator at noticed. Katie shares what has changed since her career started, valuable lessons she’s learned, and how she landed her current job.
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What was your first job in social? And what year did you start?
My first ever paid role in social was at Early Years Resources as a social media executive, and I was promoted to Head of Social in 6 months (sounds exciting but it was a small company and at the time I was the only person in the social media team!). But I started in 2020 in a volunteer position at Ki Culture, a non-profit advocating for sustainability in cultural institutions.
What has changed about the industry since then?
So much! The biggest thing is probably a better understanding of what social media professionals do and (hopefully) more respect for the industry. When I started even only 5 years ago, many more people and companies seemed to think one person for everything would be fine, whereas now I feel like there’s more recognition that social media requires specialized skills, from content creation and community management to analytics and strategy. Companies are investing more in dedicated teams rather than expecting one person to handle it all.
There’s also been a huge shift in the platforms themselves. Algorithms have evolved, short-form video has taken over, and trends move faster than ever. Brands have to be more adaptable and authentic to stay relevant. Plus, with the rise of AI and automation, there are new tools that make content creation and scheduling more efficient, but also new challenges in keeping things personal and engaging.
First piece of content you ever hit publish on?
Probably a really terrible graphic made on Canva that I was really proud of at the time.
What was the most valuable thing you learned early on in your career?
To say no to workload to protect my sanity! Early on, I said yes to everything because I wanted to prove myself and be helpful. Need an extra post last-minute? Sure! Weekend coverage? Of course! A full campaign strategy by tomorrow? Why not?! But I quickly learned that saying yes to everything just led to burnout and subpar work. I had to learn that setting boundaries didn’t make me difficult, it made me better at my job. If anything, people respect you more when you value your own time.
How did you showcase your body of social media work?
I have a portfolio on notion that desperately needs updating. Pro tip: try and update as you go otherwise it ends up being a nightmare task.
What is your current role?
I am a Social Media Content Creator at noticed.
Where did you initially find this opportunity?
I actually didn’t find it, Niall (CEO) found me on LinkedIn after I was named one of Girls in Marketing’s Top 25 Marketers to follow in 2025. He messaged me asking if I was interested in having an intro call, I talked to him for 30 minutes, next thing I knew I had a job offer in my email inbox.
What do you think was the key factor in getting a foot in the door to your new role?
It was probably a combination of building up my LinkedIn presence over 2024, the work that I’d done in the past, and being a genuinely kind person! I really believe that being approachable, supportive, and easy to work with played a huge role. People remember when you’re positive, you lift others up, and when you contribute to the community in a meaningful way. That kind of energy comes back around. I think a lot of opportunities happen not just because of what you know, but because of how you make people feel.
Did your own social media habits or ‘personal brand’ help (or hurt) your job search? Do you think brand building is something social pros should set aside time for?
Helped 1000%. I genuinely don’t think I would have been considered for this role if I hadn’t built up my brand. I think it should be something social media professionals set time aside to do. It definitely feels like a daunting task at first, “how do I start”, “what should I talk about” etc.
One tip I’d give is to make sure you actually enjoy the content you’re creating. If you’re forcing yourself to post about things you don’t care about just because you think you should, it’s a fast track to burnout. Find a way to make it fun for you, because when you enjoy it, it feels less like a chore and more like an extension of your creativity. I post memes mostly, and that works for me!
So yes, brand building is worth it, but it’s also about making it sustainable and authentic to you!
Now that you’re in the seat, what’s the number 1 attribute you’d look for in a replacement?
Curiosity. I’d want someone who’s always asking why something works (or doesn’t). The best social pros don’t just accept, “Oh, this post flopped.” They dig deeper, was it the timing? The format? The messaging? The audience? They’re always testing, tweaking, and trying to understand the bigger picture.
Curiosity also means staying open to new ideas and trends. The industry changes constantly, and the best people aren’t just keeping up, they’re the ones spotting patterns, experimenting, and figuring out what’s next.
Favorite piece of content you’ve ever created?
This video.
Favorite follows?
What’s the best part of your job?
Definitely the people, everyone’s so supportive of each other and it makes such a difference. Agency life is fast paced, but having a team that genuinely has each other’s backs makes it so much more enjoyable.
Coolest experience you’ve had while working in social media?
Being asked to run a meme webinar for Pretty Little Marketer last year!
If you'd like to nominate someone (or yourself!) for a future edition of Make It Go Viral’s interview series, How I Made It In Social, please send Anna Fogel a message on LinkedIn or reach out to me at anna@pennantdigital.com!