Kyra’s journey in social media and digital marketing is a testament to the industry’s dynamic and developing nature and her commitment to drive and excel her career. She embarked on her career with an innate curiosity and passion for social media. Over the years, she has navigated substantial shifts in how brands connect with their audiences and how consumers interact with media.
After graduating with a degree in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Kyra was unsure of what career path she wanted to take. However, with the 2015 Instagram boom, Kyra forged a passion for social media, particularly organic social media. Through this passion, she emerged as a “small-time influencer,” generating a following by posting content via her personal Instagram account, @chaosofkyra.
Delving deeper into these interests in social media, she aimed to gain experience within the field. She began working her way up at local marketing agencies, into paid social and venturing into freelancing. She dedicated a significant amount of time and effort toward advancing her career. She hustled for 6 years building her network, earning a certification in Digital Media Marketing from Duke University, and becoming more familiar with the influencer marketing space.
With these new experiences under her belt, Kyra became a Paid Social Coordinator, where she leveraged her knowledge of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad experience and display advertising, specifically using Google Ads to create targeted campaigns.
Kyra quickly recognized the rising influence of social media personalities over traditional spokespeople. She utilized hashtags to amplify reach and engaged in influencer marketing to connect with niche audiences. Her strategic use of influencers for products demonstrated a keen understanding of modern marketing’s precision and personal connection.
In July 2020, Kyra became the Paid Social Strategist at Zero Gravity Marketing. As a Paid Social Strategist, Kyra led the paid media team, developed media plans, and coordinated campaign launches. Her responsibilities included writing reports, analyzing data, and optimizing paid ads for e-commerce clients. She emphasized the importance of creating “thumb-stopping” content that could cut through the digital noise and engage viewers effectively.
Kyra’s role evolved when she was promoted to VP of Paid Media, where she focused more on people, processes, and problem-solving. This shift allowed her to see the big picture, understanding how each situation impacts the whole and continuously seeking ways to improve. Her client work involved comprehensive media plans, balancing creative and analytical skills, and ensuring that paid social strategies aligned with organic efforts for long-term success.
Kyra distinguishes the differences between organic and paid social media. Organic social requires staying “in the pulse of things,” in terms of what’s trending and interacting actively with audiences, while paid social focuses on long-term investments and driving specific user actions. She leverages both to create comprehensive marketing strategies that capture, entertain, and educate audiences, although she aligns more with organic.
Staying up to date with trends like TikTok’s popularity and integrating celebrity memes into campaigns has been essential for Kyra. She stays informed by using newsletters from industry leaders like Rachel Karton and following company social media accounts such as Duolingo and jewelry brand, Alexis Bittar. Her approach involves pattern recognition, aligning trending content with client goals, and adapting strategies across different industries and target audiences.
The most rewarding aspect of Kyra’s career thus far has been seeing the tangible impact of her strategies on clients, from small businesses to large brands like Conair: “When you get to work with a small business, you get to be a lot more in the thick of it. And you get to see how the wins that you’re finding on these channels impact their business a lot more. When you get to work like a business owner and see the needle move for them, that’s really cool.”
She values moments of growth, whether it’s through promoting a brand or having challenging conversations that lead to progress within their role, and implementing changes to help guide that progress.
In terms of pursuing a career in social media, she advises staying on top of what is trending, being mindful of media consumers, and committing to ongoing learning. She emphasizes the importance of networking, viewing each job as a step toward building a diverse skill set, and not stressing over finding the perfect first job. Instead, focus on gathering tools for your toolkit and solving bigger puzzles as your career progresses.
She says, “I’ve always looked at my career as if I can’t control anything else, I can control my own growth, and I think that has really been the driving force for my career.”
In today’s society, there is a high pressure and emphasis on career and work. Kyra thinks of a job as a moment, rather than the end all be all, as there is always something next, even when you least expect it. Part of any career is growing and evolving, which each job and position teaches you.
She doubles down on this take by using her own career shift and growth as an example, “I love getting to play with the data and solve the puzzles, but I want bigger puzzles and problems to solve. It’s okay for that trajectory and the ways in which you want to grow and live to change.”
Over the past six years, the social media landscape has changed significantly, bringing shifts in career pursuits. Kyra experienced this firsthand when she transitioned from working with clients to managing a team.
Kyra’s journey, defined by strategic thinking and adaptability, is inspiring to me as a woman pursuing a career in social media. She has put into action the blending of passion for social media into a career, and I aspire to do the same. Kyra’s hard work, dedication, and talent have gotten her to where she is today. Her traits are admirable, and what I hope to embody as I set forth upon my future career after college.
Keep up with Kyra via Instagram, LinkedIn, and her blog!
Sources:
Malia Paganucci 
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