Great projects start with great people. Studio Stories is our way of taking you behind the scenes and introducing you to the people behind the work, their backgrounds, how they think, and what drives them.
This time, we’re talking to Content and SEO Executive, Jay Barber.
Tell us a bit about your background
I’m from Stockton-on-Tees originally, but moved up to Newcastle in 2020 for university, where I studied English Language.
I didn’t have a set plan for after university, so I threw myself at any opportunity that came my way. That involved everything from planning student events and writing for the university paper, to helping with academic research and running a society.
Alongside my degree, I gained hands-on marketing experience creating content for Newcastle University’s social media, which I really enjoyed. In my final year, I brought my interests together for my dissertation, a linguistic analysis of Duolingo’s social media marketing, and this led me to pursue a Master’s in Marketing the following year!
How did you end up joining the Vida team?
I found Vida through an internship listing at the university’s careers service. It was a hectic time, I was tackling dissertation deadlines whilst moving house but I didn’t want to miss the chance.
I was really impressed by how the site looked, the work and, most importantly, I thought it seemed like a nice place to work. After my internship, I was able to join part-time before progressing to full time in January 2025.
What does your role look like now?
I work closely with Laura on all things marketing, so it’s pretty varied. We work with clients to support with everything from marketing essentials, like copywriting and strategy, to bigger, one-off projects like running events. I spend a lot of my time writing SEO optimised content for blogs, social media, newsletters, and anything else that’s needed, making sure it all hits the mark and speaks to our clients’ needs.
I’ve also been involved with Vida’s own marketing. I’ve really enjoyed helping shape our social media strategy and that’s something I’m excited to keep working on.
What do you enjoy most about the work?
The people and the variety. Working with clients in completely different industries means meeting a lot of interesting people you wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise. When they feel comfortable coming to us for anything, whether that’s help brainstorming, a random request or just a natter, that’s how we know we’re doing the job right.
I also like that no two days are really the same. I work best when I’m learning something new, so being able to really learn about our clients’ worlds is always interesting.
What’s something you’ve learned/something people misunderstand about messaging or positioning?
Your tone of voice matters more than you think. We’re at a point where more and more people and businesses are sounding the same, because content is being handed over to AI with minimal human intervention.
Your voice is what makes you stand out. It’s how people recognise and remember you, and the more ‘human’ you can be, the better.
What do you get up to outside of work?
If I’m not home with a good book or video game, I’m out and about across Newcastle – I spend a lot of time in Jesmond Dene, around Ouseburn and love a visit to Tyneside Cinema.
