Happy 6th Anniversary, SMS!
August 1, 2017
For Social Marketing Solutions 6th anniversary, Social Media Manager, Misty Layne, sat down with owner, Kelly Jones, to ask her a few questions about the history of SMS, the future of social media, and the amazing clients with whom SMS has been blessed to work. Check out the fantastic interview below, and celebrate with us as we wish Social Marketing Solutions a happy 6th anniversary!
MISTY: How has the social media landscape grown in the past 6 years and how has SMS kept up with the changes?
KELLY: There have been so many changes over the past 6 years! Changes such as: the growth of paid advertisements (especially on Facebook & Instagram), the ability to boost and sponsor posts, the merge of Facebook & Instagram (and the impact it had on Facebook advertising), new popularity of social networking such as Google+, the growth of Pinterest, and the advancement in how businesses connect and respond to their Facebook.
Over the years SMS has stuck to its roots and learned the social media world inside and out – while mastering what we do online best, social media management. We've closely monitored whats taken off – as well as the social media trends that have been a bust. Good and bad we’ve adapted to it all! For example – RIP Vine & hello SnapChat! As you can see there is ALWAYS something changing, but its important to pay attention to the feedback, and monitor whats attracting new attention – and what isn’t capturing their attention as well. 6 years ago we did not use Facebook and Instagram as much for paid advertisments as we do now. We have also expanded our social media management as the sites continue to change and update their capabilities over the years – which we expect to continue to change vastly over the next 5+ years!
M: How does SMS plan to continue keeping up with the everchanging social media world?
K: Our proven process over the past 6 years is what makes us the experts in the industry. We care about our customers and building a successful online social campaign and brand. Our strategies and experience allows us to know what areas to focus on, and to continue to adjust our strategies to attract our customers target audiences.
M: What do you feel is the most important thing for small businesses to be doing on social media right now?
K: The most important thing for small businesses to be doing is maintaining an active and genuinely SOCIAL online presence. Keeping up with your online brand is essential – consider everything you do online a billboard advertisement for millions to see! And don’t forget to practice what you preach – look at your pages from your customers perspective and get feedback from other co-workers on their thoughts and feedback on the postings and presence.
M: What are some common social media mistakes you see from social networking newbies?
K: Overposting and oversharing! People forget the SOCIAL aspect of SOCIAL media. Listen to your audience, respond to feedback – both positive and negative – and reflect on that feedback from your audience. Also, don’t underestimate the power of social media. Anything can go viral, at anytime – and viral isn't always a good thing. Make sure your brand is what you want it to be and think of yourself as a customer. Would you care about your postings? Think like your audience.
M: How have you helped your clients grow?
K: Oh, we've had so many client success stories and there is nothing better than hearing how we have helped! Some of our highlights include getting our client, Shawn Edgington, to the Top 10 on the Best Sellers List, which was a HUGE accomplishment. We assisted with her book launch which required a lot of non-stop communication, rapid growth, and constant management, but the book release was a tremendous success! Our social media efforts also helped Derek Moore win the 2017 primary republican chair for the Chester, NJ Township Council. Our social media services have helped grow Central NJ Dryer Vent Wizard's online presence – they've stated this summer that they are busier than ever before and our efforts have helped! Lastly we love hearing when our clients receive business directly from our Facebook posts, which recently happened to NY Metro/Northern NJ Dryer Vent Wizard. I could go on and on about what feedback our customers give, but I’m VERY happy with the success of our online efforts. I get pure joy and satisfaction knowing I’m helpng business grow simply because of our online strategies.
M: How have you kept your own company growing?
K: Six years ago we started with only Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and today we continue to offer management of these sites (and more). We've added additional services such as adding social media sites and writing/posting customized blog posts and newsletters, but through it all we’ve stuck to the basics. We know what we do best and we'll continue to network for our customers and recommend their services at every opportunity possible!
M: Tell us about some of your clients!
K: We've got a fabulous roster of clients! Some of them include: Land & Sea Journeys, LLC; Berlet Plastic Surgery; Rutherford Cosmetic Prevenative Dentistry; C&M Medical Billing; Top Chef Meals; LiceDoctors; Opthof Center for Psychotherapy; Tom Stretton – Weichert; NY Metro Dryer Vent Wizard; Northern NY Dryer Vent Wizard; Central NJ Dryer Vent Wizard; Denise K. Rago – author; Payroll Specialties; Millenium Home Mortgage; Cognitive Change; Suburban Furniture and many more!
M: What new & exciting things are ahead for SMS?
K: We'll continue to learn and expand our knowledge of online marketing and the effectiveness of online branding. We'll continue to adjust and expand our services by adding things similar to the addition of our blogs and e-newsletter distribution. Plus we'll continue to expand our social media consulting services, as well as setting up workshops and one-on-ones sessions surrounding social media management! We'll also continue to grow our team of amazing employees who help find information and content for postings. We will continue to network and expand our client base. We've grown every year since we've been in business, and we look forward to many more years of success!
M: Where do you see social media in 5 years?
K: Man that is tough to answer…Honestly, anything can happen and the possibilities are endless. Although I can't predict specifically how sites and pages will change and what we can expect to see on each individual site, I can say as an industry on the whole ANYTHING is possible – nothing would surprise me at this point. There will be new sites and apps over time, which will continue to explore the impact of video, voice recording and location sharing. I don’t know what site will be most popular next, but I will be keeping a close eye on what's hot and what's not and we will adjust our online marking strategies to meet the demands of the industry.
M: What should small businesses focus on for the rest of 2017?
K: Focus on maintaining and monitoring your online brand. Make sure your online and offline messaging is the same, and make sure to incorporate marketing strategies for both efforts. Continue to expand your business' online presence. Utilize the feedback from the audience and make adjustments as necessary. Finally, interact with social followers and spend time growing your presence with quality followers, not just focusing on the quanity of them.
A huge thanks to Kelly for sitting for this interview and answering so many questions about the social media world and Social Marketing Solutions. We're both excited to continue providing our clients with one-of-a-kind service that helps to grow their companies. Happy 6th anniversary, SMS!
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- Kelly Jones
Social Media Manager
