The emergence of social media not only changed the world as we know it, but forced marketing agencies to create a whole new playbook to help businesses and brands effectively utilise this new way of reaching consumers.
You won’t find an agency that hasn’t dipped its toe into social media, but the water is so deep, it was inevitable that a veritable shoal of social media specialist agencies would emerge.
The question is, how can you differentiate between agencies that all claim to have the key that will unlock the (almost unlimited) potential of social media as a thumb-stopping marketing tool?
So, from TikTok titans to purpose-driven powerhouses, B2B behemoths to agencies with super-sized creator contact books, we’ve got it all covered with our guide to the 30 best independent global social media agencies.
Social Chameleon – Best Overall Social Media Agency
Biassed? Of course not… We’re just not too shy to admit we’re one of the best independent social media agencies on the market.
Since our inception in November 2020, we are proud to have maintained an upward trajectory. We were delighted to be recognised by the prestigious Agency Awards as the Social Media Agency of the Year in 2022 and Digital Agency of the Year in 2023 for our integrated approach to social media marketing.
Industry accolades are amazing, but here at Social Chameleon, we have never lost sight of what brought us to the dance in the first place, our commitment to going above and beyond for our clients and achieving tangible results through innovation, creativity and collaboration.
We are pioneers in search-first social media®, an approach we trademarked back in early 2023. This means that we understand the importance of non-traditional search engines such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and the power of authentic, user-generated video content in shaping consumer opinion.
We’re also aware of our responsibility to the wider community and the planet, which is why we launched “Unearthed”. This is a pro-bono branch of our agency that we dedicate exclusively to social impact.
We Are Social – Best for Global Reach
When it comes to global reach, it’s hard to match We Are Social, with a team of 1,300 people in 19 offices across four continents providing truly global insights for their clients.
Regular reports authored by We Are Social also provide unique insights into the social media business. Including attracting a readership that would get most CMOs choking into their flat whites!
Coolr – Most Impressive Client Roster
Coolr made its name back in 2018 after coming up with a humble three-word post on Burger King’s social account that became the most-liked tweet by a brand of all time.
They have kept their foot on the gas pedal ever since, building an impressive roster of clients, including Deliveroo, Pepsi, and and Samsung, and fostering partnerships with Meta and TikTok.
Superheroes – Best for Gen Z Insights
They may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but Superheroes are on a mission to defeat the dastardly scourge of dull advertising!
In addition to their offices in Amsterdam, New York and Singapore, Superheroes also has “The Robins” to call upon – a creative collective of 40+ Gen Zers that are on hand to provide insights and ideas.
Bumbl – Top Agency Outside London
Not to be confused with the dating site, Bumbl is building relationships with a client base looking to work with an agile and creative social media agency.
Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Bumbl is also one of the most well-respected Northern social agencies, and the 2023 Global Social Media Awards Small Agency of the Year to boot!
Wolfgang Digital – Best for Revenue Generation
Wolfgang Digital is one of the few agencies we have encountered that explicitly states the minimum results that they would hope to achieve for clients, professing that their clients grow online revenue by an average of 32% per annum.
For some prospective clients, that may be all they need to know. But beyond that, we love some of the off-the-wall campaigns that Wolfgang has curated. The most notorious and headline-grabbing of them all was running their own sex shop and hiring themselves as their own marketing agency!
Buttermilk – Best for Influencer Marketing
Have you ever watched a singer or a band before they made it big? Buttermilk is the social media agency version of “I Was There”, being very vocal about their aim of building relationships with social media creators and influencers before their popularity explodes.
It’s an apt tactic for an agency that was founded when influencer marketing looked very different than it does today, and lends real credence to their claim to have written the playbook for influencer marketing. With offices in London, Miami and Dubai, they also have an impressive worldwide reach.
Antler Social – Best TikTok Specialist
It’s not easy being a start-up, but Antler Social has enjoyed great success since its 2023 launch by marketing itself as a “TikTok First Agency”.
If you’re going to hitch your wagon to any social media platform, then specialising in content on a platform boasting over two billion users is a pretty good shout in our book!
Kairos Media – Best for Gaming
Another social agency with deep roots in the influencer space is Kairos Media, with one of their most eye-catching campaigns involving a link up with KSI and the Sidemen, achieving the unlikely aim of making finance interesting to young people!
Kairos Media has also worked on lots of gaming campaigns, using their know-how to effectively take advantage of the natural link between gaming and social media.
Battenhall – Leaders in Thought Leadership
Positioning themselves as both pioneers and industry disruptors, Battenhall has used its social media know-how to earn a stack of awards and an impressive set of clients.
What also caught our eye was the reports they have published, covering five key social media trends for 2024, including generative AI, the changing nature of channels, and the creator economy.
99social – Best for Affordable Social Media Management
It’s easy to think of social marketing as a big-brand business, but County-Durham-based agency 99social has taken a different approach, marketing themselves as affordable social media management experts.
We love the support they are giving small businesses that may not otherwise find the time to cultivate a social media presence, which is why they are deserving of a place on this list!
Truffle Social – Best for Social Media Insights
Hitting that sweet spot, pun very much intended, where creativity meets community, Truffle Social is one of most experienced agencies on our list, partnering with brands for over a decade.
That experience has enabled them to develop a “seen it all” mentality and a real sense of where the wind is blowing when it comes to the ever-changing world of social media.
Kitch – Best for Brand Reputation Analysis
We’re proud to have a female founder and happy to champion the female-led team at Kitch, an agency which offers bespoke social media strategies for premium food, drink and hospitality brands.
Kitch’s commitment to work-life balance is also commendable, but away from their culture they are just as deserving of a place on our list, thanks to their amazing work growing client communities and also a unique monitoring service, where clients’ online communities and brand reputations are constantly managed by social media experts.
Stella Rising – Best for Female Insights
Another female-led agency is Stella Rising. Based in New York City, they are making a big splash in the Big Apple, with a strategy rooted in the understanding of people, who are, after all, the beating heart of all social media.
Stella Rising also created Glimmer, a community of over 40,000 women sharing precious insights into how women think and feel, and what they really care about.
Klowt – Best for Personal Branding
Personal branding often gets a raw deal and we’ve all seen some questionable LinkedIn posts in our time, from individuals whose egos seem way out of control! However, when it’s done right, brand messages conveyed by people, rather than companies can really cut through.
Klowt works effectively within this space, offering services including social media management and personal branding, with not a humble brag in sight!
Ruffle – Best Small Agency
Ruffle is a new addition to the social marketing scene, but their founding trio bring a wealth of experience with them in advertising, production, media and publishing, along with an award-winning pedigree, after winning small Social Agency of the Year at the 2023 UK Agency Awards.
Naturally Social – Best for Purpose-Driven Social Media Marketing
Purpose-driven marketing revolves around making a positive impact on society and the world in general, often utilised through campaigns based around sustainability, social justice and community.
Social media agencies specialising in this type of marketing are rare, so kudos to Wiltshire-based agency Naturally Social, who are entirely devoted to harnessing social media to help the difference-makers of the world do just that.
Socially Powerful – Best for International Purpose-Driven Projects
Speaking of purpose-driven marketing, Socially Powerful deserves a mention for its purpose-led arm called Socially Powerful For Good.
With offices in the UK, Europe, USA and the Middle East, Socially Powerful also has great links to each area’s culture. These are exemplified by their recent work with the Body Shop, helping the brand to champion women’s empowerment, community engagement and fair trade values in the Middle East.
Together – Best for Consumer Insights
Nottingham-based agency Together are big proponents of customer insights as core pillars of social media strategy, utilising behavioural psychologists to really understand consumers and help shape their social media-led campaigns.
We also love the fact that Together is looking to change consumer behaviour at an emotional level, which is proof of a deep commitment to connecting brands with consumers.
Social Shepherd – Best for Paid Social Campaigns
If there was an award for most sheep-based puns on a home page, Social Shepherd would sweep the board. They’ve also won lots of real awards too, including Large Agency of the Year at the UK Social Media Awards in 2023.
We were also impressed by their expertise in the paid social field, with a flock of award-laden campaigns under their belts and partnerships with Meta, TikTok and Pinterest.
OST Marketing – Impressive B2B Client List
The Golden Goose of the B2B marketing game is the decision maker, which begs the question, just how do you reach them?
OST Marketing, a specialist B2B Social Media Agency, is looking to do this by creating meaningful connections through creativity and strategic leadership, with marquee clients such as Dell, LinkedIn and Salesforce a testament to their recent success.
Born Social – Best for Range of Services
It’s hard to beat Born Social‘s suite of creative services, encompassing video, photography, motion design, art direction and illustration. All of which helps them to tell often complex stories for brands in a variety of ways.
Viral Nation – Best for Influencer Representation
Another leader in influencer marketing is Viral Nation, thanks in no small part to a team of over 400 people, deeply embedded in the creator space.
They are also the number one talent agency for today’s new breed of online wunderkinds.
Gripped – Best Tech Specialists
Tech and SaaS (Software as a Service) specialists Gripped live and die by the tangible results achieved for their clients, whether it’s an increase in lead generation, brand engagement or the profit margin itself!
They have achieved some impressive outcomes in a difficult space, which is a validation of their digital expertise.
POD Studios – Paid Digital Channels Strategists
With an origin story set on a small New Zealand coastal town during the pandemic, it’s no surprise that POD Studios has a vision to be an agency that challenges some of the old ways of working that our industry has become accustomed to.
To do that, they have become experts in paid digital marketing strategy, with a worldwide client base and global experience of delivering effective campaigns across relevant digital channels.
Sunshine the Social Agency – Best for Employee Culture
The best agencies are the ones that create a strong culture where employees can express themselves and excel in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Which is why we are delighted to recognise Sunshine the Social Agency, after being awarded the Marketing Society’s Employer Brand of the Year Award in 2021 and being nominated once again, in 2023.
Let’s Run Social – Best Social Media Targeting
We know that a core feature of social media marketing is being interested in people, rather than trying to make them interested in you, so it’s nice to see that Lets Run Social shares that belief, with a nifty quote to that effect on their website.
They also back that ethos up with advanced targeting features to reach the people that matter most, in addition to a deep knowledge of what converts well on social media.
Digital Natives – Social Intelligence Pioneers
Digital Natives markets itself as an agency that takes brands from being “on social”, to “being social”, which is certainly a concise encapsulation of their outlook.
A deeper dive into their range of services also revealed that they offer “Social Intelligence” too, which is an intriguing blend of Workshops, Playbooks, Audits, and Consultancy.
Megaphone – Australia’s Number One Digital Marketing Agency
If you’re based in Australia and aiming to be heard worldwide, Megaphone is certainly an apt name!
Data is at the core of every element of Megaphone’s marketing offering, including their unique “Megaphone Creative Testing Method”, which is handily explained by a brief video on their homepage.
The Tree – Laser-Focussed on Real-World Outcomes
Keeping both consumer and corporate brands happy at the same time is no easy task, but The Tree manages this by realising that everyone shares the same goal, which is achieving meaningful real-world outcomes, whether they be selling products, changing behaviours or making a difference to society.
