Yara Silva

Get to know Yara

Award-winning Content, Editorial and Audience Development Director and Leader driving innovative storytelling, brand engagement, and cultural relevance at global scale. I specialise in content that inspires and entertains, and can act on audience insight to deliver measurable growth. I’ve built and led cross-functional and international teams that connect audiences and brands through ideas that spark conversation and impact, from record-breaking social engagement to award-winning campaigns recognised at Cannes Lions and the British Journalism Awards.

 

Cannes Lion Bronze winner (Daily Star’s lettuce live stream) Achieved 1.8 billion impressions, now in the BFI national archive. Proof that real-time, platform-native storytelling can become a genuine cultural moment.

 

Built and owned strategically significant external partnerships – Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Threads), Google (YouTube, Search), TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat and X – managing direct relationships with platform partner teams.

 

Achieved record video views and led Reach Nationals to become the world’s most engaged news pages on Facebook (Newswhip 2022).

 

Won and delivered multiple £1m+ commercial campaigns for household names. + Launched and scaled US brand expansions. + Evaluated, selected and deployed company-wide AI tools and advocated for early adoption of generative AI for image and video creation.

 

Created and taught a 10 week course for MA Social and Digital Journalism at City University, London.

 

In October 2019, I published my first novel Hated, a thriller about a controversial opinion journalist whose columns lead her into a sinister world of arson, assault and murder. Hated is available to buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/HATED-Yara-Silva/dp/1686942354/

@yarasilva

Education & Experience

Experience


Jan 2024 – 2025
Head of Content, Reach plc – the UK’s largest news publisher

(Content Strategy / Video / Audio / Audience Growth)

Editorial lead for Reach Studio. Built and ran platform-native content operations across video, audio and social at scale. Set the vision and strategy for content, distribution and audience growth across platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat and LinkedIn. Worked daily with C-suite, national and regional editors, and cross-functional commercial and marketing teams to ensure a unified brand story across 120+ titles. Leading a team of 53 editors, digital strategists, branded content creatives, distribution experts, videographers and more, delivering record-breaking engagement and views at scale with entertaining and informative content.

June 2019– Dec 2023 
Group Head of Social Media, Reach plc

Leading a team of 45 editors tasked with audience growth, engagement, driving traffic and running campaigns on social media. Sitting across national titles Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Star and OK! Magazine, my role is to be the go-to person for everything social media.

With social being the predominant way new audiences find our sites, a key part of my job is to maintain brand awareness, manage crisis and advise on algorithm changes and audience feedback.

In September 2021, Newswhip data found combined Reach titles were the second most engaged on Facebook in the UK, clocking 298.5million engagements and beating the BBC. The Daily Mirror alone is in at fourth place and in May 2021 officially became the UK’s number one news website, according to Comscore.

Nov 2017 – June 2019
Head of Social Media, Daily Mirror

Running the social media department for the Mirror, which as well as the website and Daily Mirror paper also encompasses the Sunday Mirror, Sunday People and supplement magazines. Increasing engagement, retention, monetisation and new social developments for The Mirror’s social media channels and staff.

Aug 2016 – Jun 2017
Assistant Social Media Editor, MailOnline

Conceive strategy and manage various social media accounts for the brand. Grow traffic through carefully curated stories and videos on social media, using in-depth analysis of data. Track all key performance metrics and feedback on analysis to the editorial teams. Liaise with international offices and other departments to ensure the smooth-running of all social output. 

Feb 2015 – Aug 2016
Head of Social Media, HELLO! Ltd

Manage all social media and content outreach for HELLO! magazine and HELLO! Fashion Monthly. Analyse traffic and advise the stakeholders across the company (including international offices) on building engaging and relevant content using SEO and extensive keyword and competitor research. Campaign management for US, Canada and Spain.

Sep 2013 – Feb 2015
Acting Deputy Web Editor, Best Magazine

Edit, contribute and commission content for BestDaily.co.uk. Build multi-media content; analyse site performance and liaise with marketing and advertising teams; manage all social media; ensure smooth running of editorial operations.

Sep 2013 – Mar 2014
iPad sub-editor, The Guardian and The Observer

Sub copy from all sections of the newspapers and sister magazines and design pages for the iPad editions using InDesign. 

Education

Sept 2012 – June 2013
MA in Magazine Journalism, City University (Merit + Distinction for Dissertation) 


In-depth knowledge of media law, public administration, social media and the business of journalism. Specialism in Fashion and Style.

Managing Editor, XCity Life Magazine. XCity Life was Shortlisted for Best New Mag at PPA Magazine Academy 2013.

2009 – 2012
University of Southampton – BSc Hons: Sociology (2:1)

Lifestyle Editor, Wessex Scene
                                

Awards and Recognition


WINNER, Online Video Journalism, British Journalism Awards 2024 (with team); SHORTLISTED, Best Use of Data, AOP Awards 2025 (Reddit strategy); SHORTLISTED, Media Week Awards 2025 (Tesco/Lotto); SHORTLISTED, Publisher Podcast Awards 2025 (News Agenda, Northern Agenda, Euro Thrash); SHORTLISTED, AOP Awards 2024 (Best Use of Audio, Best Content Marketing Campaign); SHORTLISTED, Best Online Video, Future of Media Awards 2024.
 WINNER, Bronze Award, Cannes Lions 2023 (Lettuce); WINNER, Social Media Team of the Year, The Drum Awards 2023 (Lettuce); WINNER, Best Innovation, Future of Media Awards 2023 (WhatsApp Communities); SHORTLISTED, Future of Media Awards 2023: Audience Growth, Best Video; SHORTLISTED, AOP Awards 2023: Best Use of Video, Best Audience Growth; News Awards 2020: Commended, Outstanding Use of Social Media.

Select speaking engagements and other notable accomplishments


Video Strategies for Publishers, New Video Frontiers 2024; Have Publishers Lost Gen Z?, London Press Club Debate 2020; Leaders in Sport Business 2019; NewsRewired 2018; Digital Publishing Innovation Summit 2018.

Skills

  • Editing
  • Writing
  • Google Analytics
  • Cross-platform optimisation
  • Audience acquisition and engagement
  • Social Media
  • Proofreading
  • Content outreach
  • Monitoring trends
  • Campaign management

Portfolio

Take a look through media coverage of my work and my archive here