Could You Be The Next Steven Bartlett?

Did you know that 63% of businesses have increased their digital marketing budget in the last year? This is because, 55% of advertising these days is digital, with this percentage set to increase by a further 10% by 2026.  

A key factor influencing this growth is social media, with 91% of businesses use social media for their marketing. Now, a name that comes into your head when you think about social media experts is Steven Bartlett, right? This blog explores how he has grown to be the social media guru he is today and how you can follow in his footsteps to embark on the exciting and evolving digital marketing platform.  

The Rise of Steven Bartlett  

It's fair to say that these days Steven is most well-known for his appearance on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. But this is simply where his digital marketing journey has brought him. His story started whilst at university when he grew an interest in social media and wanted to create a platform based on common interests and university life to connect students from the same city. It was this interest in learning about students’ behaviour on social media that caused him to stumble upon his future business partner, Dominic McGregor. It was Dominic’s history of posting funny and relatable student content that gained traction with thousands of followers that caused Steven to reach out to him and share his vision; a move that resulted in their co-founding of Europe’s fastest-growing social media agency, Social Chain. Some of their clients included global giants such as Apple, McDonalds, and the BBC; emphasising just a short snippet of the influence they had.  

Steven continues to have a major impact on aspiring entrepreneurs today, showcasing his willingness to share his digital marketing expertise on Dragon’s Den. He also has an active presence on LinkedIn, where he has built up over one million followers by posting regular tips to help people succeed with their digital marketing strategies.  

 The Influence of Social Media Marketing 

Despite there being several different forms of digital marketing, including: 

- Content marketing 

- Email marketing  

- Search engine optimisation (SEO) 

- Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) 

- Marketing automation, and many more... 

Social media marketing has arguably a larger impact on the digital world than any. This is because in a world where the average smartphone user can spend up to four hours a day on their phones, with billions of active users, social media has become a crucial part of how we communicate. This means that from a customer and business perspective, it is vital to grow your brand and engage people in a way that reaches wider audiences. 

So, if you’re someone with aspirations to run your own business in the future, have a look at some of the reasons why social media marketing is essential to consider in your digital marketing strategy: 

- It helps increase brand awareness 

- It is cost-effective marketing – if you do it right! 

- It can create better customer engagement  

- It provides targeted advertising 

- It can help drive traffic to your website  

- If you make sure you’re doing it better than your rivals, it can give you the competitive advantage you need to succeed  

Become a Top Digital Marketer  

Want to become part of an industry that is set to be worth over £500 billion in the next five years?  

A BSc (Hons) Digital Management and Marketing degree from the University of Bolton could be an ideal solution to help you express your creativity.  

Digital marketers are highly sought-after by industry employers. This is why we offer the positive and supportive learning environment to help you achieve your career ambitions. Inspired by the Chartered Institute of Management (CIM) and the Digital Marketing Institute, the course combines industry knowledge and a range of practical, technical and transferrable skills that are essential for success in digital business management.  

If you want to see more about how we can support you towards this future-proof career, have a look at a few of the course benefits: 

- Our business management and marketing courses have been voted first for Course and Teaching Satisfaction* 

- During your studies, you'll be able to join the CIM as a studying member and benefit from access to a wealth of additional study resources and a professional network 

- By designing the course assignments and projects to mimic industry pipelines and standards, we aim to give you an industry-relevant education that prepares you for a career in digital marketing and management 

- The home of your studies will be the £4 million Greater Manchester Business School, located in the heart of the UK’s friendliest town  

- We offer opportunities to work from live briefs, giving you the chance to connect with industry partners and benefit from projects focused on current market conditions and technologies 

Want to find out more about what it would mean to be a BSc (Hons) Digital Management and Marketing student at the University of Bolton? Click here to read more about the course. 

For more information, please contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903. 

#UseYerLoaf... and choose #UniAsItShouldBe; where our students needs’ come first! 

*The Guardian, Best University Guide – Course and Teaching Satisfaction – Northwest - 2022