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,

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,