As you may know, we moved our offices to Maplewood in the fall of 2015. After taking a couple of months to settle in to the new digs, we are excited to announce we are officially part of the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce! One of the first orders of business with the chamber took place yesterday. We enjoyed a tri-ribbon cutting yesterday with Planet Score Records and  The Live Juke Joint Dueling Piano Bar. It was wonderful to meet the mayor, and other community members in celebrating the newest businesses that have also joined the Maplewood business community!
We love having our office in the Maplewood area. As a group, the Seafoam Media team can work anywhere there is a wifi signal. Sometimes that means we work from home or at the neighborhood coffee shop when we need some caffeine to hammer through a tricky project. However, in our new office it is nice to have a place of our own to collaborate and create.

Getting ready to rock at The Live Juke Joint, Dueling Piano Bar.

In Maplewood,  we get to benefit from the delicious restaurants, and vibrant shops, coffee houses and happy hour spots. We have also met so many great people and business owners! This business community is truly diverse and dynamic with one major attribute in common. We all love the area and want to be a part of the region's continued success.

Celebrating the ribbon cutting at Planet Score Records. Nice to meet you, new friends!

This sense of community was quite clear at the monthly ribbon cutting for new businesses. Despite the ugly weather, many came out to welcome and celebrate the newest additions to the area. As we walked from shop to shop it was apparent that everyone in attendance truly valued the connections and friendships they have cultivated through the chamber. We were so thrilled to be included.

That's one BIG pair of scissors! The ribbon cutting at our new office in Maplewood.

We look forward to participating in all this community has to offer. From community events like the Taste of Maplewood or bowling at Saratoga to more  business-centric events like the quarterly Chamber of Commerce luncheon and future ribbon cuttings. We will also continue to eat our way across this great town and enjoy its unique shopping offerings. If you see us somewhere along the way, stop and say hi! We want to meet you. And, as always, if your business has marketing, website, and social media needs don't hesitate to contact us. We will look forward to becoming a part of this vibrant community in Maplewood.

It’s a new year, and everyone is talking about resolutions. Health resolutions are the obvious ones, but with this cold weather…leaving the couch and warm blankets to trek out to the gym is one daunting commitment. Let’s talk about something other than health goals for once. While health goals are important, and you should be trekking outside once and a while, let’s focus on professional goals. What is something for your business that you want to achieve this year that you’ve put on the back burner for far too long?
While there are endless business goals you can make, we have one that we feel strongly about. If you don’t have a social media strategy for your business, we recommend you start one this year, and soon!

How to start a social media strategy:

It’s fundamental for brands to be present on social media, but in order to be successful, they must be strategic. Here are some key factors to consider when creating a social media strategy.

• What is the channel objective? 

 Every social media platform has a specific purpose. Audiences interact differently with each channel, which is why’s it’s imperative to understand the type of content that is appropriate for each one. While Instagram allows for a more casual and lifestyle purpose, Facebook is better for long-form content and links back to your company. The way you handle each channel can make or break how well your brand is seen.

• Where is your audience?

Which channels does your audience use? Are different demographics on different channels? It is imperative to know who is on what channel in order to understand how to reach and engage with them. For example, different people use Instagram for a different purpose than those who use Twitter. While some people are across multiple channels, they still use those channels for different reasons.

• What to share and when:

Social media is social…so what are you being social about? Identify topics your audience is interested in and cares about including holidays, hobbies, music, trends, etc. All these interests can be used as leverage for engaging content. You can use your first few months on social to experiment, and the measure and adjust your strategy according to the results. Developing the initial social media strategy will not only give you a starting place, but it will also help your brand content tell a story that engages and keeps your audience coming back.
These three suggestions are just the start to your game plan this year. Use them as a starting place and develop as you learn.
Do you have tips or questions on starting a social media strategy? Share your thoughts with us on twitter.