Tuesday Tunespiration: Summer + Seth Forever

Summer: This is a nightmare. I'm sweating to death, driving ten miles an hour on, like, a rickshaw, listening to this... music.

Seth: Hey, do not insult Death Cab.

Summer: It's like one guitar and a whole lot of complaining.

Seth: That reminds me of someone else that's doing a lot of complaining.

Summer: Who gets passed by a van full of nuns? Oh, that's right. Cohen Does!

Seth: Well they have God on their side, Summer. I'm not gonna beat Jesus.

I recently started re-watching The O.C. from the beginning for the 3rd time. Don't judge me, okay? I was trying to think of a theme for a perfect mid-summer playlist when it hit me: summer = my favorite season + Summer Roberts, one half of my favorite angsty teen T.V. couple. So here it is, Seth + Summer Forever.

Now, other O.G. O.C. fans know that, back in the day, the show had the best soundtrack ever: Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, Nada Surf, Beck. It was the symphony of "cool kid" teen life in the early/mid 2000's. This playlist is a combination of those classics, plus tunes I'm currently digging this summer like: Black Atlass, Petit Biscuit, Chance the Rapper, Post Malone and more. 

Basically what I'm telling you is I've created the perfect lit AF summer playlist with just the perfect amount of nostalgia. Enjoy.

Don't forget to follow S.O. Social on social media!

 

XOXO,

5 Ways to Conquer a Creative Rut

It happens to the best of us - the creative juices just stop flowing and you’re stuck with a dried up desert in your brain. Nothin’ but tumbleweeds. What do you do? Surrender to the emptiness and wait for a moment of inspiration to hit you? Hell nah. You get up and you get those juices flowing.

In any sort of creative field, your mind is your tool. It’s the “out-there” ideas and unique influence that led you to this path in the first place. If you’re a social media professional like me, it’s all about standing out from the crowd. Finding an interesting way to approach various digital platforms takes a lot of energy and being on top of your game is important. I can tell when I start to lose steam because I begin avoiding my work. “Oh, I’ll get to that tonight…” turns into “That can wait one more day…” turns into to “Man I really need to write that content but wtf am I gonna say?!” Since being out east, I’ve had a lot (like...A LOT) more quiet time to myself to figure out how to end a creative rut. Want to hear my ways? Too bad, I’m going to tell you anyways.

Take Care of Yourself

Be kind to your mind and body - they both feed off of each other, after all. If you find yourself obsessing over things out of your control instead of brainstorming a new campaign, go for a run. When negative feelings take over and you’d rather pull the covers over your head than edit those photos, do some yoga or go for a walk. Drink an almost obscene amount of water. Totally support the occasional indulgence of course (zero judgement), but if your body feels good your mind will as well.

Start a Conversation

Talk to someone you admire in your field. You don’t necessarily have to ask for tips or divulge that you’re struggling, but just simply chatting with someone who’s on the same page can give you endless amounts of inspiration. Grab some coffee and pick their brain!

Travel

Whenever I get home from a trip, even if it’s just for a weekend, I feel revitalized. You don’t have to plan a trip overseas, but changing up your routine does wonders. Honestly, sometimes if I’m at work and feeling uninspired, I just move to another room. Giving yourself a couple days to relax and not focus on work helps to clear your mind.

Work With What You Got

Just go for it. Write what you can, even if it’s just one liners or a list. You can come back to this in a couple hours or days and it may spark an idea in your brain. Also, making a list while you are feeling extremely inspired for the inevitable creative ruts can also be helpful. Pull that out of your back pocket in a pinch.

Search for Inspiration

For my social media clients, I often check out like accounts I love, create mood boards, read authors I admire, research artists I enjoy, or listen to a fire playlist. Don’t mistake this with repurposing others content. Surrounding yourself with inspirational work gets your wheels turning.

All of these tactics have helped me when creativity is lacking, and I felt it only my duty to share with all of you! Let me know what you'd like to see more of on the #sodamnsocial blog. Shoot S.O an email - sosocialchi@gmail.com

Don't forget to follow along on social media:

XOXO,

Hi, Hey, Hello There!

Oh - hi, hey, hello there!

Remember that one time S.O. Social kind of fell off the face of the earth? I’m sure you’ve all been wondering... but also maybe you just went along with your lives and didn’t even notice. Either way, I’m here to explain myself, whether you like it or not.

SURPRISE - S.O. Social is now a New Hampshire based business. Crazy how life works, right? If there’s one thing I’ve gathered from the experience of picking up and moving your life with just one months notice, it’s that when it feels right, just do it. Most new ways of living are uncomfortable and scary. The only way to ever truly grow, into yourself and into your career, is to take big chances. So, here I am...working and living in New Hampshire.

While I’ve definitely downsized my client base significantly since leaving Chicago, S.O.S is still a very active social media management and content creation business. The scope of how it is ran has changed, however. Now, I want to focus more on building the S.O. Damn Social blog content, serving as a resource to those looking to run their own small business social media or for those looking to understand social media marketing more. I will still be accepting inquiries for any assistance with content and management, but focusing more on establishing S.O.S as a resource and brand within itself. Monthly and holiday catered playlists will also be making a comeback - I know you were worried.

Thanks to everyone for your unwavering support, and to all the clients who helped make S.O. Social a reality. It has truly been such a gift, and has made me realize that the career of my dreams is absolutely a reality...one that I am currently living. Keep your eyes and ears to the sky for more cool stuff from S.O. Social!

Don't forget to follow along on social media!

XOXO,

Social Media Analytics: WTF Does it All Mean?!

Analyzing and reporting on social media analytics is super important. BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?! S.O. has broken down the three most important social media insights - reach, engagement, and impressions. I’ve also added tips on how to improve each insight, because I’m a nice person and I care.

Reach = how many people actually see your content

Ideally, you want all of your followers to see the content you post, right? Because of a number of different factors, like algorithms, post frequency, and timing, not all followers will see your content.

How to Increase:

• Paid Facebook ads targeted only to page fans
• SEO optimize your social profiles
• Post the right kind of content
• Promote your profiles everywhere

Engagement = how much and often followers interact with you & your content

When someone likes, favorites or comments on your post, they’re actively engaging with your content. An active audience is important for social media growth!

How to Increase:

• Use contest, games, and giveaways to interact with your audience
• Post heavy visual content
• Repurpose successful content from other channels
• Tag correctly, both location and accounts

Impressions = the number of times your content is displayed

While reach measures how many people see your content, impressions measures how many times it is displayed. You know how you sometimes see the same post more than once? Reach on said piece of content would be one, because it was just you who saw it. However, because you saw it more than once, the number of impressions would be more than one.  

How to Increase:

• Follow the steps above to increase reach and engagement! Increased impressions will follow.

There you have it. Do not go blindly into the world of social media analytics, good friend. Make sure you understand what you're reporting and how it can help grow your business!

Make sure to follow S.O. Social on Facebook and Instagram for more tips!

XOXO,

 

Social Media 101: How to Spend Enough Time, but Not All Your Time

The main issue with business owners and social media accounts is time. There’s not enough of it! With a laundry list of other aspects to consider, owners shove social media to the bottom of the priority list. When they do post, it's rushed. Best practices and techniques for optimum reach are not taken into consideration. I ain’t joking when I say the only way to be seen is to have a strong digital presence.

Its true that creating a social media plan takes a lot of time and effort. Once the plan is in place, it's easy to maintain. Below are my tips for really nailing your digital presence without spending your entire life doing so.

First of All...Have A Plan

Posting willy-nilly doesn’t fly with business accounts. It’s important to have a plan in place. Create a “theme” for each day -  do a short feature of a staff member on Tuesdays, celebrate #throwbackthursday, highlight a brand you admire on Fridays. It’s okay to stray from this routine, but having one in place insures you’ll consistently have content to post.

Research Best Practices

Which hashtags make the most sense for your business? How many should you use and what’s Facebook’s text to ratio policy these days? Also, pay attention to what your page analytics are telling you. Facebook and Instagram both have pretty awesome analytics reports, which include what time of the day your audience is tuning in. Post then!

Know Your Audience

Who do you want your business to attract? I usually ask my clients to describe their business in five words, and go from there to suggest a target. Everything should be catered to this group - which platform you post on, the content you post, and the voice of your brand.

Be Consistent

Would you continue to patronize any establishment that delivered a quality product only sometimes? It’s fine to take a day off from posting, but make sure your schedule is consistent. Your audience will come to look forward to seeing what you have to say!

Schedule Content

This is super important if you want to simplify the time you spend on social content. I schedule weekly, directly from Facebook and Instagram. For Insta, you can’t exactly schedule, but you can create drafts and post super quick-like. You can do this a week out, or a month out, whatever floats your boat. Trust me - total life saver.

Looking for more in-depth info on how to optimize your brand’s content and reach? S.O. Social is happy to help! Contact today for a complimentary consultation.

XOXO

Twist the Bones & Bend the Back // Halloween Playlist

Something about autumn turns me into the most basic b*tch. I hate it...but I love it...but I also hate it. Halloween is when I can be my dark and spooky self without people being seriously concerned for my well-being. For example: listening to the majority of the music on this playlist. 

Play this around the office to the annoyance of your co-workers who are already breaking out their Christmas sweaters. Impress clients with your wide array of musical tastes, from CCR to Marilyn Manson, The Cramps, and Kanye West. This means your versatile and open to new experiences! ...Right? Sit alone on your couch burning your Autumn Leaves scented candle while sipping Pumking and crocheting a sweater. Overall, please just appreciate that I titled this playlist after Hocus Pocus quotes. It is a cinematic masterpiece. 

Featuring:

Marilyn Manson, Blue Oyster Cult, Beyonce,  A Place to Bury Strangers, Chelsea Wolfe, Warpaint, David Bowie, & more.

XOXO,

 

 

Tuesday Tune-spiration: Just a Little Somethin'

Total Eclipse of the Heart

That was crazy, right?!? Now that the total solar eclipse 2017 has come and gone, we thought the universe might tame her crazy ways. But all the werewolves turned into super wolves and she just partied a little harder. Here is Just a Little Something to get you though the week ahead. Songs for when you need a pick me up, when you need to zen out, and when you need to scream in frustration without anyone hearing you.

Featuring...

Bonnie Tyler (amazing comeback for that one song), The Growlers, Kendrick Lamar, Cloud Nothings, ABBA, Warpaint, & more.

 

XOXO,

 

Client Spotlight: Sideshow Gallery

The owners of Chicago’s Sideshow Gallery, Cheri Guiterrez and Anne Elliot, are two of the baddest babes I’ve ever met. They run the Logan Square art gallery, event space, and oddities/curiosities shop, and this past May they brought S.O. Social on to manage their social media, beef up their event promotion, and expand on their already distinct brand.

BACKSTORY

Sideshow Gallery is a business with a very strong identity. The Chicago art gallery, event space, and curiosity shop opened in 2014. It has made its home at 2219 North Western Avenue a welcoming space for all. Influenced by the strange, unusual, and occult, Anne (tarot reader, “the Demon Cleaner”) and Cheri (owner, Revolution Tattoo) represent artists from all over the world. Taking inspiration from the fringe world of the “circus sideshow,” the duo’s interests take on life via Sideshow Gallery’s ambiance and merchandise.

Exhibits, classes, and events take hints from the 1970's, desert life, psychedelia, metal music, motorcycles, and custom vans. All things Anne and Cheri love! Sideshow Gallery is ever-evolving, with themes and concepts rotating monthly within the space. There are monthly tarot meetups for students of all skill levels, and many events relation to the gallery’s exhibits. Classes and meets are an extension of love for various crafts, and an attempt to connect with other like-minded people.  

A deep respect of different cultures, religions, beliefs, and traditions makes Sideshow available to all walks of life. Knowledge and appreciation accompanied by a sense of humor keep Sideshow Gallery an open-minded resource for the most curious of beings.
 

THE GOAL

Sideshow had a solid social media foundation. Both the Facebook and Instagram had a decent amount of followers, and original, unique content. All that was really missing was a dedicated schedule and cohesive theme bringing these details together. There were really multiple goals Cheri and Anne had expressed to me…

• Push the merchandise (oddities, curiosities, and antiques) via social networks
• Promote events on a higher, more consistent basis
• Pump up the space as an art gallery

There were also a couple different target audiences the owners were looking to reach…

• Young artists and art enthusiasts interested in unique art, jewelry, taxidermy, antiques, and apothecary
• Mystics and occult-enthusiasts who enjoy tarot, crystals, and bewitching past times
• The chopper and van kustom kulture group who are so much a part of who Anne and Cheri are

To put it simply: get people in the door for what they came for, make them stay for everything else!

THE FORMULA

Facebook and Instagram took a front seat. I knew we needed a well-curated, well-executed plan that covered all of our basis. Photography was huge, as so many parts of the shop are visually appealing with a backstory. The Sideshow Gallery “mascot,” I guess you could say, is the All Seeing Eye. It’s displayed on the shop’s sign as well as many marketing materials. I decided that the All Seeing Eye would be our link. Each month, the All Seeing Eye announces a theme. Through the Sideshow Gallery Chicago social media accounts, all photos and content are tied together through this main theme.

• #allseeingeye  - We begin the week with an “on-theme” post. Say the month’s theme is tattooed ladies (like this month!), Monday’s post will recognize that and feature something directly related.
• #tarottuesday - For the tarot heads! We feature a card from a deck sold in-store. Also include info if there is an upcoming tarot event happening.
• #vinylwednesday - Music is a huge part of Cheri & Anne’s life. There is always the B-E-S-T tunes playing in the shop. We use #vinylwednesday as a way to inject more personality into the brand
• #sideshowgallery - This post features a piece of art from the gallery
• #oddities #curiosities - Feature of a piece found in the store, chosen and photographed according the the monthly theme
• #sideshowevents - Feature an upcoming event!

In addition to this formula, executed on Instagram and Facebook, content creation and press outreach is added monthly. We also do giveaways and other promotions on the regular!

THE NUMBERS

Although there is always work to done, we have seen a consistent increase in followers, reach, and engagement since S.O. Social took over the Sideshow Gallery Facebook and Instagram.

May, 2017

Facebook

• Likes: 2933

• Reach: 1187

• Engagement: 54

Instagram

• Followers: 4399

• Impressions: 7000

• Reach: 2204

July, 2017

Facebook

• Likes: 3077

• Reach: 3108

• Engagement: 1598

Instagram

• Followers: 4503

• Impressions: 12702

• Reach: 2313

Growing organic reach and engagement is a tough business, but that is what S.O. Social is here for! Want to learn more? Request a consultation via the contact form, or by emailing sosocialchi@gmail.com!

XOXO,

 

Tuesday Tune-spiration: Summer Playlist

I have a distinct memory of my sixth grade classroom "luau," right before summer vacation. There were grass skirts, bright leis, and the Beach Boys Kokomo playing on repeat. That's the day I discovered surf rock, along with its ability to portray a sunny day via song. 

Aruba, Jamaica, Ooo I Wanna Take Ya...

Once the temps drop and the leaves begin to change, listening to the songs of summer keep the brightness alive. This playlist is a mixture of bright rolling instruments, relaxing soft chords, and shake your booty grooves. Sure to bring some sunshine into your lives on even the darkest of days. 

Go Ahead...Give Your Eardrums a Tan 

Featuring: the Beach Boys, Beach Fossils, Childish Gambino, Alvvays, King Khan & the BBQ Show, & more.

XOXO,

Photos Rule Everything Around Me: Quality Images on Social Media

Why it’s important to post quality pictures on social media, and how to do it!

I get it, I get it - you’re not a professional photographer. You’re more of a share an article and caption it #same sort of person. I respect that! But if you’re looking to obtain optimum reach and engagement on social media, quality images are a necessity.

Photos rule social media. As humans, it’s our nature to ooo-and-aww over what pleases our eye. Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter have catered their algorithms to images. Posts containing a higher imagery-to-text ratio are more likely to be seen.

Now, let’s get to that not a professional part. It is indeed possible to take a good picture without being an expert, using only your smartphone camera. Below are a few tips from yours truly!

Natural Light

In my opinion, natural light is the way to go, especially when using a phone camera. Unless you're willing to shell out big money for a professional lighting set up, artificial light has a tendency to look less vibrant, and, well...natural. I took the below photos in my living room, right next to the window at 9 a.m., and left them unedited. I would touch up brightness, structure, and saturation, but overall, not too shabby.

Focus on Being In Focus!

Little things make me cringe more than an out-of-focus photo. Pick a focal point and make sure to zone in on it. If you are using your smartphone, most cameras have a grid screen. Click on your focal point and the tiny computer will adjust its focus onto that object. Make sure your lens is clean! The tiniest smudge can obscure your shot.

Clean, Simple Background 

For product photos, I always use a plain white background. Many bloggers or social media influencers use pieces of granite or tile for their photos. Make sure your background does not distract from the subject.

Composition

This term refers to the way elements of a photograph are arranged. A good “rule of thumb” is the Rule of Thirds. Dividing the image into nine squares, like an iPhone does for you, and positioning your subject where the lines intersect, rather than in the center, makes for a more pleasing image. Another tip is the Rule of Odds, stating that an image is more visually appealing when containing an odd number of objects. Of course, these “rules” are really just suggestions, but great to work with when starting out!

No Over Editing!

Classic mistake with today’s easy editing options. Filtering and editing, especially on Instagram, can get out of control. I’ve found it’s best to tweak the brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, and sharpen only a tad. If you do choose to use a filter, only use about 50% max.

What would you like to see on the S.O. Damn Social blog?! Let me know in the comments below.

XOXO,

 

S.O. Social, One Month In: Why Now?

When I announced I was leaving my full-time salaried position with benefits to start my own thing, the shock in the eyes of some did not go unnoticed. “That’s awesome! Good for you!” came out of their mouths but “This b is crazy” was written all over their faces. I do admit, part of me still thinks I’m crazy. Writing full time salaried position with benefits just now made me cringe. My most honest friend, the designer who created my logo, asked...

The answer to that is long, but simple. 

I’ve had a lot of ideas in my life. Some great, some horrible, but most never shared at all...just floating through my mindosphere, hoping to be plucked up and put into action. That’s what started this, really. I realized that my mind has been constantly churning out ideas since I was 8-years-old. As I got older, I stopped sharing as much.

The most common excuse I gave myself in my adult life was “I’m too busy and too tired to make this happen.” I was working so hard bringing the ideas of others to life, my creative energy outside of work became non-existent. Most days I found myself digging deep for inspiration and finding nothing at all. When the idea of S.O. Social came around, I had come to a point, rather abruptly, where I could no longer accept this as life. Something had to happen. I was sick of being overwhelmed, overtired, and uninspired.

I am a creative human by nature. When introduced to the “real world,” I pushed that creativity aside. “Safe” jobs were those that offered stability; a sure-thing paycheck. My business idea became a reality when I realized I wanted to make a larger impression on the world. S.O. Social is the way I intend to do that.

So why now? Why start a business when you’re a year away from thirty and technically less than 25% ready? I owe it to myself to live a fulfilled and happy life. To me, that means helping people with my gifts. The words and thoughts that live in my brain need to be shared. Hear me out, and share yours, too!

Love, 

Tune-inspo Friday: Focus Jams //

Listen, I know it's Friday and you don't want to hear about my most recent work playlist, but hear me out. I'm a girl who needs background noise when she's focusing. What that background noise is, exactly, is a constant struggle.

I created this playlist randomly the other day, and I gotta say, it's pretty damn good. It helped me whip out three blog posts, a content calendar, press release, and sample media kit. Just couldn't keep it to myself.

Featuring

NE-HI, Lorde, The Cranberries, Solange, The Postal Service, & more.

Enjoy! Hopefully not until Monday ;-) Xoxo

 

Love,

The Expert Impact

I started writing as a hobby when my parents bought our first computer - I was 12. I would email my friends stories chapter by chapter, and was the first to have a LiveJournal. It housed all of my angst-filled dramatics, but also poems and short stories. When it came time to declare a major at my alma mater, Northern Michigan University, I chose English writing with a focus in journalism. Although my path has taken a few twists and turns since then, my experience has given me an unparalleled skill I like to call the expert impact.

One of my favorite professors once told me, “a journalist's job is to become a temporary expert on whatever subject they are covering.” Temporary in the way that you obviously won’t be called to deliver speeches on the matter, but informed enough to school friends in casual conversation. This skill has followed me into every industry I’ve worked. Eventually, I took the impact to the level above temporary. I started working in a coffee shop when I was 16, which led to a craving for more food and beverage knowledge. Seven years later I had climbed the ladder from host to server, bartender, and eventually Assistant General Manager of a Michelin Star restaurant. It was only a matter of time before my creative instincts took over and I was back at a keyboard, marketing the industry I had spent so much time studying. 

It was then that I realized what a powerful tool social media was, and how the expert impact benefitted me when working with these platforms. When I switched from food and beverage to marketing live music, I spent hours researching similar accounts. I read articles on the best times to post on social media and tips on live music photography. I worked everyday to gain knowledge in my new industry in order to be the most effective at my position. I did (and still do!) the same exact thing when I began managing social media for Chicagoland Doulas and Sideshow Gallery. In my opinion, being viewed as supremely knowledgable in your field is the highest of compliments. It draws people to you, and keeps them coming back for your guidance. My clients are true experts in their industries, and in order to represent them properly, I have to be one myself!

S.O. Social was founded on the endless, boundless search for knowledge. Let's teach each other something new!

Love,