By Ben Elliott.

“A lot can happen in four years. It’s only when you stop to look back that you realise quite how much…

Back in 2021, we were still living through the pandemic. We socially distanced, wore masks and went into isolation when we tested positive for Covid. It was a bizarre time that affected all of us, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is glad it’s all over.

Like many people, I lost my job during the pandemic. I’m grateful that I was able to continue working through the initial restrictions, even if I was not one of the lucky ones on furlough, and glad that I received redundancy pay when the axe eventually fell. It was not a lot of money, but it was enough to last six months without another job, and I decided that this was the push I needed to start trading with my own business, Unreal Ideal.

It was at this time that my sister, Ashley, introduced me to Helen Alderson, who was looking for some help putting together a funding strategy for a client. Keen to put my proven track record of successfully applying to appear on three of the UK’s best loved game shows to good use, I was all too keen to get involved and secure my very first client as a budding entrepreneur.

So began, my working relationship with Social AF, the experts in social media moderation.

Fast forward a few months into that redundancy pay and I was delighted when Helen approached me to help moderate some Facebook challenges with her. Though social media moderation was relatively new to me, I soon learned the art of moderating an online community, under Helen’s tutelage, cutting my teeth on a Facebook group for a fundraising challenge for Mind.

Little could have prepared me for the volume and variety of comments, questions and posts that I read, nor the number of responses I would type during that first challenge. There were thousands of members in the group, most of whom would post, at least once, on the first and last days of the month. On these days, it was all that I could do to react to the hundreds of comments that would pour into the group as people started or ended their challenges. I served my apprenticeship as an expert in social media moderation in those first groups, and the lessons learned continue to guide my work to this day.

Though I have the honour of being the first moderator Helen hired, it soon became apparent that I would never be considered the best. I have seen too many fantastic team members, Ashley included, to think that I could ever hope to claim to be in the top 10 of all time Social AF moderators.

The team continued to grow and there soon came a time when I was able to take some time off moderating. The nature of Facebook challenges means that summer is often quieter, and I had enough projects with my own business to take a step back from social media moderation.

In my absence, Social AF continued to add new accounts to a growing list of charities. Soon, my skills were needed once more, and I took the opportunity to return to the world of moderation with both hands.

It was only by taking time off that I was able to see quite how much Social AF had grown.

The startup company I joined was now a thriving and growing team of social media experts moderating Facebook challenges for some of the biggest and best loved charities in the UK. I returned to a business with comprehensive moderation packs and content schedules that helped me and my colleagues to deliver exceptional service in almost all circumstances. For anything missed, the team leaders and senior management were on hand to resolve any issue quickly and effectively.

If only Unreal Ideal had become such a powerhouse…

As Social AF has grown, so have the services we offer. The biggest difference on my return was that Facebook challenges and social media account management had been separated into different departments. Better suited to the latter, and still a little haunted by those firsts of the month on Mind Facebook challenge groups, I chose to specialise in social media management.

I have since worked with some wonderful charities, helping them to communicate with their supporters and provide invaluable support during times of need. The service Social AF provides is priceless. We’ve helped local and national charities connect with their audience, responding with a high quantity of high-quality comments written by real people with priceless Third Sector experience and a shared goal of promoting the charities’ cause and mission.

In a world where I lost my job to artificial intelligence, the value of human connection is not lost on me. At a time where organisations move towards AI, I commend Social AF for continuing to champion the benefits of real people communicating with real people. Our team of moderators have a diverse range of personal experiences that add so much value to the online communities we build each month.

It’s hard to put into words how far Social AF has come in the past four years. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the journey from almost the start. Together, dozens of moderators and team leaders have helped to raise tens of millions of pounds for worthy causes up and down the country. We’ve helped participants enjoy transformative experiences that bring them closer to the cause and their reasons for supporting it.

If looking back is hard, looking forward is impossible. There’s no telling where I or Social AF will be in four years’ time. The only thing I’m sure of is that the team will still be providing expert services to the charities that are there for us when we are in need.”