The marketing job landscape across the UK has shifted
dramatically over the past year. While demand for marketing skills remains
high, many businesses are reducing permanent roles, restructuring teams, and
searching for more flexible ways to keep campaigns moving.
At Lead Kinetics, we help businesses maintain momentum by
connecting them with freelance marketing specialists, from marketing graduates
to experienced freelancers who can step in to support across social media,
content, SEO, design, video, and more.
In this blog, we’ll explore the current state of UK
marketing jobs, why consistent marketing output is still vital, and how the
move toward flexible freelance support is shaping the year ahead.
The Rise in Redundancies and Team Restructuring Across UK
Marketing Departments
The UK labour market continues to cool. According to the Office
for National Statistics (ONS), total vacancies fell by 63,000 (-7.9%) between
March and May 2025 compared with the previous quarter, dropping to 736,000.
Redundancies also continue to rise, with the redundancy rate
reaching 3.8 per 1,000 employees for June-August 2025.
Within marketing, the trend is similar. A Marketing Week
survey revealed that 19.2% of marketers said their organisation plans job cuts
in the next 12 months, and nearly one in four have seen senior roles removed
without replacement.
Major media and advertising groups, including GroupM UK,
have also announced restructures and redundancies.
In short, marketing teams are shrinking but expectations for
content, campaigns, and brand visibility are not.
Why Businesses Still Need Consistent Marketing Output
Even as headcounts fall, the need for consistent, creative
marketing doesn’t go away.
- Brand
visibility can’t stop. In competitive industries, pausing marketing
efforts can cause businesses to lose valuable ground.
- Seasonal
peaks still demand attention. From Black Friday and Christmas to summer
campaigns, businesses still need content, ads, and engagement.
- Marketing
roles are evolving. Skills in AI, analytics, and automation now sit
alongside creativity, making the talent gap even harder to fill.
- Budgets
are tighter. With less room for new hires, outsourcing becomes a practical
way to stay active without overcommitting.
That’s why many brands are turning to freelance marketing
support, not as a last resort, but as a smarter, more flexible way to deliver
consistent output.
The Shift Toward Freelance Marketing Support
Across the UK, more businesses are blending in-house teams
with trusted freelancers to stay agile and cost-efficient.
Here’s why that shift makes sense:
- Cost
control: Freelancers provide on-demand expertise without the long-term
overheads of full-time employment.
- Scalability:
You can scale up during busy periods, for example, adding a social media
freelancer or SEO consultant during campaign peaks.
- Access
to specialists: Need a content marketing freelancer, email marketing
expert, or graphic designer for a few weeks? You can source the right
skills quickly.
- Reduced
risk: Freelance models allow businesses to pause or adjust support as
needed.
At Lead Kinetics, we don’t use algorithms or generic
marketplaces. Every freelancer we recommend is personally vetted, ensuring the
right fit for each client’s goals and working style.
Predictions for How UK Marketing Teams Will Operate in
2026
Looking ahead, here’s how the UK marketing workforce is
likely to evolve:
- Hybrid
models will dominate. A small in-house team supported by trusted
freelancers will become standard.
- Outcome-based
hiring. Companies will focus less on job titles and more on deliverables,
hiring freelancers for specific outcomes like campaigns, leads, or
content.
- AI-assisted
creativity. Freelancers who can combine automation with human creativity
will stand out.
- More
project-based work. Expect more short-term freelance contracts for defined
projects such as rebrands, SEO audits, or social media takeovers.
- Flexible
geography. Businesses will work with talent across the UK, whether that’s marketing
freelancers in Manchester, Stockport, or remote specialists nationwide.
- Greater
reliance on expert matching. Companies will increasingly use freelance
agencies like Lead Kinetics for outsourced marketing support, ensuring
quality control and reliability.
What Businesses Can Do Now
If your marketing team is leaner than it used to be, now is
the time to build flexibility into your resourcing model.
- Review
your current marketing output and identify gaps.
- Consider
short-term freelance support to cover content, SEO, or seasonal campaigns.
- Plan
ahead for peak periods such as Q4 or new launches.
- Partner
with a freelance marketing agency that personally vets each freelancer and
aligns them with your brand.
- Compare
your current full-time costs against the flexibility of freelance options.
The businesses that adapt fastest to this new landscape
combining a small internal team with reliable freelance support will maintain visibility and outperform
competitors in 2026.
Conclusion
Full-time roles are tightening, but the need for skilled
marketing hasn’t slowed. The smartest businesses are those finding balance,
building small, efficient in-house teams and partnering with trusted freelance
marketing specialists who can step in when needed.
At Lead Kinetics, we help companies hire the right marketing
freelancers across the UK from content writers and social media experts to SEO
consultants and creative designers giving you the flexibility, quality, and
control to keep your marketing moving.
As 2026 approaches, adaptability will define success.
Businesses that embrace flexible, people-first marketing support will be best
placed to grow, no matter what the market brings.
👉 Contact us today
to find trusted freelance marketers who can help your business grow with
creativity and confidence.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics – Vacancies and jobs in the
UK (June 2025)
- Marketing Week – A fifth of brands plan job cuts amid
economic uncertainty
- Campaign Asia – GroupM tells staff about redundancies as
restructure hits UK
- 3Search – Marketing job trends for 2025
- Personnel Today – Redundancies boost candidate availability
