Digital Advertising: A New Era and a Business Necessity
Lauren Oakes spent her formative years in New York working for a digital analytics company, Nudge Analytics, which sparked her interest in the media industry. The broad learning palette in the fast-paced environment helped her keep excited. She needed a role that was constantly evolving and challenging at the same time. And what better industry could she fall for? There can’t be a better way to express yourself especially when you know your Why. Lauren understands the power of this new-age marketing method called Targeted Digital Marketing. No wonder why she celebrates being the CEO of Megaphone Marketing. The Inception and Uncertainty The Megaphone was established 10 years ago by Max Hertan with a mission to change the way traditional workplace functions. She always followed an entrepreneurial lifestyle by combining interests and striking a balance between brand marketing and performance. Though this may appear straightforward, Megaphone was created to help businesses grow while validating its business model. Discussing the current scenario of the media industry, customer preferences have been changing constantly especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The uncertainties were confining but the Megaphone team reassessed their strategies with a positive outcome. They acted fast, pivoted all of their clients to an e-commerce offering. Their business currently stands with 70% e-commerce brands which are exactly where the stability in the industry has been. Along with this, the Company believes that digital marketing is the only reliable source of marketing amid the pandemic because the huge involvement of customers in businesses became the sudden norm. Propelling Wheels of Motivation Taking a broad view of marketing will benefit, Lauren supervises all four departments at Megaphone, i.e. Acquisitions, Sales, Accounts, and Hiring & Ops. Her focus is across the Sales and Hiring & Ops teams. She admits that hiring has the biggest impact on the growth of the Company because it demands the ability to hire consistent top performers. Like every penny counts, she has been involved in every interview to date. Lauren is proud of being a CEO at the age of 27, and she celebrates this personal achievement by focusing on maintaining the culture of Megaphone which is to continue staff enjoyment and retention. She is responsible for the 100% per year growth rate in 2020 and 2021. It’s magnificent! The devotion pushed her towards receiving Bronze in the global Stevie Awards for the Chief Happiness Officer in 2020. The celebration didn’t stop here when they won the Top Social Media Agency of the year in 2021. Personalization and Transparency Megaphone engages, not just sells. Since customers are the most important part of the process, the Company values individual customer feedback throughout the year. They understand what their clients value which helps them set minimums for delivery across the entire team. Note: Minimums are significantly more than their competitors, i.e. as accounts are analyzed and edited every day. New ads are made each week and each account is looked over by four different experts each month. Even the smallest clients have their head of strategy and head of accounts review them. Megaphone implements personalization correctly which helps it to grow business and assert happy clients. Authenticity matters at Megaphone. It upholds everyone within the company to a very high standard. At a time when customers are more empowered than ever before, being genuine is the only way to win their trust. With its product, Megaphone is inclined towards user-generated content to create a more genuine approach to marketing. People use a product or service based on real reviews which build confidence rather than a TV ad. Similarly, the same formula works for copywriting with genuine reviews and testimonials. Aiming for Future Scaling As Megaphone works on result-based, they are more into Google, Facebook, and Instagram advertisements. Slowly but effectively they are shifting to a constantly-evolving market. For example, after witnessing the growth of TikTok in 2021, it is included in their core offering. It’s clearly known that they will keep testing out new platforms and services as they arise, and put focus on the ones that generate. The more you learn and push yourself in the industry, the more you are going to grow and get out of it.
Joseph Rothstein: Passionate About Assisting His Clients In Growing And Scaling Their Businesses
The media industry has been rapidly changing since the dawn of the internet. Over the past couple of years, media platforms are dynamically influencing the business world such as advertising on Instagram. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven many businesses towards getting online to step their game up. The prey to this unwelcomed circumstance is the older generation businesses that have been holding off from providing their clients with functional and enjoyable user experiences. The pandemic has forced businesses to go digital; in-person meetings and traditional ways of being seen have been waved earlier for good. Joseph Rothstein, the Founder & CEO of Social Media 55, had sensed it all more than a decade ago. In the age of information, Joseph was a bit skeptical about the old implication methods of marketing. With a vision to be the best provider in the media industry, he began his entrepreneurial journey. In 2014, he founded Social Media 55 with the passion to impart brand exposure and visibility to businesses in need. The Day With Positivity Joseph radiates positivity and true enjoyment of his work. He spends most of the day working alongside VP of Operations Benjamin Ohayon, who has been a driving force for their customer success. Where Joseph as CEO is responsible for strategy and direction functioning closely with the team for successful campaigns, Benjamin is a true leader every CEO requires. Joseph oversees his graphic designers, SEO team, and content developers, and works alongside the web development team. From Wireless to Digital Joseph, after a decade of working in telecommunications and servicing corporate accounts, was fascinated by marketing. He realized that he wasn’t being challenged working in the wireless cellular phone industry, and plunged into digital marketing about 10 years back. He began developing an e-commerce website for a luxury fragrance company “JIVAGO Brands.” Soon the brand started getting great traffic from the new website and mandated him to manage the social media platforms. He enjoyed working in the field so much that he decided to offer the same services to many businesses. Joseph gained enough experience for a startup, Social Media 55, to deliver services like social media management paid and organic, website design & development, SEO, PPC, and everything in between. “I’ve also been known for answering our 1-800 number after hours,” he says. Recognition as Leader Social Media 55 has been recognized as an exemplary leader multiple times. The agency has been awarded over 20+ awards in Social Media Management, SEO, PPC, Digital Marketing, B2B Services, Top Web Design Agency 2019, 2020, and 2021 by GoodFirm, Clutch, Agency Spotter, Upcity, and more. They offer businesses innovative solutions that deliver the right type of audience to clients in the most effective strategies possible. Joseph and the team believe in transparency and hence, everyone plays a key role in making Social Media 55 successful. Such commitment allows them to pay close attention to the client’s feedback and in making sure the client is fully satisfied. The Close Connection Social Media 55 provides solutions that are customized to address the specific needs of the clients. From executives to associates and team members take a personalized approach and spend time working one-on-one with the clients to ensure they are meeting all of their marks. Everyone wants to help each other be successful, thus they ensure close communications with their clients throughout their mandate. They listen to their client’s feedback closely so as to fine-tune their formula and deliver a superior service. Team members continue to evolve, to best meet the needs of clients. Their focus on integrity is at the forefront of what they stand for as a company and an agency. They carry a concrete reputation for providing honest and excellent quality work. They delve their heart and soul into each and every project they take on. The Challenges and the Opportunities No matter how many challenges you overcome, the new ones will find their way. COVID-19 affected the company in many ways but the easiest decision the company made was to keep everyone safe. The quickest agreement was to go remote immediately, which was not difficult for them as they were used to a hybrid work/home balance already. During the initial pandemic, they were busy working on their legacy accounts and noticed website traffic and leads had drastically dropped almost to a halt. After one month of crickets, the phones and the website exploded. The pandemic waves have eaten enough industries and collapsed the GDPs of major economic countries. However, months after businesses got their feet stronger, as they were scrambling to get online, Social Media 55 was working long hours to meet the high demand. There is a difference between surviving and thriving when it comes to adopting new technologies such as 5G. It is no longer hidden that the advent of 5G will revolutionize almost every business in the world. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to science, communications to design, the 5th generation technology projects the next human evolution. For instance, Metaverse from Mark Zuckerberg with the help of 5G will allow users to interact with anything, anyone in the 3D world. The technology will bring exponential growth to social media platforms and marketing more skin-friendly. Our files and needs are getting bigger and used by more and more each day, it’s no question that 5G will help manage all that data. Joseph has plans to elevate its marketing hierarchy by acquiring/developing a digital social media calendar management software that will support all the major platforms. Seek Out What You Desire Joseph’s message to aspiring business leaders is to get a job at almost any position in an agency and learn how the business operates. Pick apart what makes the business tick and find a way to bring added value to that company by taking initiative and improving something. Take that experience and attempt to move up the ranks and locking down a position you feel is more in line with your goals. If you
FOUR REASONS MICRO-INFLUENCER CAMPAIGNS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE FORM OF INFLUENCER MARKETING
Influencer Marketing today is an upgraded approach to the most effective form of marketing since the Industrial Revolution – Word of Mouth. It allows your business to increase reach, stay relevant, and influence buyer behavior authentically. With 82 percent of consumers saying that they would be very likely to follow a recommendation from a micro-influencer and 65 percent of consumers discovering a new brand or product through an influencer at least once a week – your potential customers are motivated by consumers. Our boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency spotlights our partner agency, The Stylista Group, and shares insights about micro-influencer campaigns as the most effective form of Influencer Marketing. What is Micro-Influencer Marketing Unlike macro-influencers and mega influencers (celebrities) who boast millions of followers, micro-influencers can range between 10,000 to 100,000 followers. Micro-Influencer Marketing is a social media influencer marketing strategy that enables a more focused approach to find your target audience in a niche market whilst maintaining a considerable reach. This approach often results in higher ROI. Finding Your NicheMicro-influencers have a competitive advantage due to their hyper-engaged and loyal following. Consider mega influencers such as celebrities, who have so many followers that interests can vary. On the other hand, micro-influencers tend to be highly engaged with their audience because they work harder to maintain their following and often focus on specific content within a niche. Being niche enables them to sustain their influence over common interests with their followers. #fashionblogger to #foodblogger ‘’Micro-influencers have 22.2 times more conversations weekly about buying recommendations compared to the average consumer.’’Influencer Marketing Hub 2021 Authentic MarketingWith the internet accelerating the growth of information accessibility combined with conscious consumerism, it is more important than ever for brands to ensure that their advertising efforts are genuine and brand values align with the customer. Although mega-influencers may appear more impactful, they are not relatable. For example, if a celebrity promoted a Target handbag with a good recommendation, followers may think that the promotion is only for monetary gain. Customers are also inundated with information from brands every day. How do you as a business cut through the noise whilst positioning your brand as credible? Saying you are trustworthy is not enough today – this is why peer-to-peer marketing builds authenticity amongst your potential buyers. In a 2019 global survey, 87 percent of consumers were inspired by an influencer to purchase from a brand. Micro-influencer campaigns have become a credible and genuine marketing channel to influence buyer behavior. Affordability The micros are more affordable than macro and mega influencers. Let us use Instagram as an example as 67 percent of brands use Instagram for Influencer Marketing. Micro-influencers tend to charge between $100 – $2500 per post depending on follower count. Whereas influencer profiles reaching millions can start from $10,000 per post, that is only affordable for businesses with bigger marketing budgets. Additionally, your marketing investment in influencers goes further than solely generating leads for your business, it can generate content. According to a 2020 Influencer report, ‘’80 percent of brands say they have increased the amount of content they produce’’ – meaning that their investments in influencer marketing are also enabling them to promote more content on the business’s digital platforms. And as a bonus, your business has more positive customer testimonials guaranteed. Better ROI, More ValueThe ability to relate to your customers evokes emotional buyer behaviors – so it’s no surprise that ‘’89 percent of marketers say influencer marketing ROI is as good or better than other marketing channels’’. Nano-influencers (generally under 10,000 followers) are similar to micro-influencers in terms of accessibility to a niche market. And, nano-influencers may achieve higher engagement rates depending on the product or service on offer due to their close community of followers. However, micro-influencers offer further reach; higher impressions and conversion rates; and greater brand awareness At the same time, they continuously maintain a high level of trust amongst their followers. Micro-influencer campaigns can generate more focused leads as they tend to be more experienced too. To conclude, Influencer Marketing is expected to reach a market size of $10 billion – it is clear that peer-to-peer marketing and word-of-mouth is still the most valuable method to generate customers and revenue for your business.
Joseph Rothstein: Passionate About Assisting His Clients In Growing And Scaling Their Businesses
The media industry has been rapidly changing since the dawn of the internet. Over the past couple of years, media platforms are dynamically influencing the business world such as advertising on Instagram. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven many businesses towards getting online to step their game up. The preys to this unwelcomed circumstance are the older generation businesses that have been holding off from providing their clients functional and enjoyable user experience. The pandemic has forced businesses to go digital; in-person meetings and traditional ways of being seen have been waved earlier for good. Joseph Rothstein, the Founder & CEO of Social Media 55, had sensed it all more than a decade ago. In the age of information, Joseph was a bit skeptical about the old implication methods of marketing. With a vision to be the best provider in the media industry, he began his entrepreneurial journey. In 2014, he founded Social Media 55 with the passion to impart brand exposure and visibility to businesses in need. The Day With Positivity Joseph radiates positivity and true enjoyment of his work. He spends most of the day working alongside VP of Operations Benjamin Ohayon, who has been a driving force for their customer success. Where Joseph as CEO is responsible for strategy and direction functioning closely with the team for successful campaigns, Benjamin is a true leader every CEO requires. Joseph oversees his graphic designers, SEO team, content developers, and works alongside the web development team. From Wireless to Digital Joseph, after a decade of working in telecommunications and servicing corporate accounts, was fascinated by marketing. He realized that he wasn’t being challenged working in the wireless cellular phone industry, and plunged into digital marketing about 10 years back. He began developing an e-commerce website for a luxury fragrance company “JIVAGO Brands.” Soon the brand started getting great traffic from the new website and mandated him to manage the social media platforms. He enjoyed working in the field so much that he decided to offer the same services to many businesses. Joseph gained enough experience for a startup, Social Media 55, to deliver services like social media management paid and organic, website design & development, SEO, PPC, and everything in between. “I’ve also been known for answering our 1-800 number after hours,” he says. Recognition as Leader Social Media 55 has been recognized as an exemplary leader multiple times. The agency has been awarded over 20+ awards in Social Media Management, SEO, PPC, Digital Marketing, B2B Services, Top Web Design Agency 2019, 2020, 2021 by GoodFirm, Clutch, Agency Spotter, Upcity, and more. They offer businesses innovative solutions that deliver the right type of audience to clients in the most effective strategies possible. Joseph and the team believe in transparency and hence, everyone plays a key role to make Social Media 55 successful. Such commitment allows them to pay close attention to the client feedback and in making sure the client is fully satisfied. The Close Connection Social Media 55 provides solutions that are customized to address the specific needs of the clients. From executives to associates and team members take a personalized approach and spend time working one-on-one with the clients to ensure they are meeting all of their marks. Everyone wants to help each other be successful, thus they ensure close communications with their clients throughout their mandate. They listen to their clients’ feedback closely so as to fine-tune their formula and deliver a superior service. Team members continue to evolve, to best meet the needs of clients. Their focus on integrity is at the forefront of what they stand for as a company and an agency. They carry a concrete reputation for providing honest and excellent quality work. They delve their heart and soul into each and every project they take on. The Challenges and the Opportunities No matter how many challenges you overcome, the new ones will find their way. The COVID-19 affected the company in many ways but the easiest decision company made was to keep everyone safe. The quickest agreement was to go remote immediately, which was not difficult for them as they were used to a hybrid work/home balance already. At the initial pandemic, they were busy working on their legacy accounts and noticed website traffic and leads had drastically dropped almost to a halt. After one month of crickets, the phones and the website exploded. The pandemic waves have eaten enough industries and collapsed the GDPs of major economic countries. However, months after businesses got their feet stronger, as they were scrambling to get online, Social Media 55 was working long hours to meet the high demand. There is a difference in surviving and thriving when it comes to adopting new technologies such as 5G. It is no more hidden that the advent of 5G will revolutionize almost every business in the world. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to science, communications to design, the 5th generation technology projects the next human evolution. For instance, Metaverse from Mark Zuckerberg with the help of 5G will allow users to interact with anything, anyone in the 3D world. The technology will bring exponential growth to the social media platforms and marketing more skin-friendly. Our files and needs are getting bigger and used by more and more each day, it’s no question that 5G will help manage all that data. Joseph has plans to elevate its marketing hierarchy through acquiring/developing a digital social media calendar management software that will support all the major platforms. Seek Out What You Desire Joseph’s message to aspiring business leaders is to get a job at almost any position in an agency and learn how the business operates. Pick apart what makes the business tick and find a way to bring added value to that company by taking initiative and improving something. Take that experience and attempt in moving up the ranks and locking down a position you feel is more in line with your goals. If you don’t see
Joanna Allen: Leadership in Shaping the Public Relations Industry
We got into a conversation with Joanna Allen to know more about her entrepreneurial journey and how Allen Marketing Communications Inc., is unlocking the full potential of the Public Relations Industry. Below are the highlights of the interview: Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the media industry. US media industry comprises newspapers, magazines, television, radio stations, and online media. While PR professionals develop creative story ideas and we work with reporters to cover our clients in the news. During the last couple of years, major newspapers and magazines have shifted to just having an online edition due to shrinking advertising dollars. Major daily newspapers still have the luxury of multiple beat reporters. However, smaller newspapers have few staff reporters and they rely heavily on content from news wire services. Could you please walk us through your educational/professional journey? I graduated from Hamilton College with a major in economics and a minor in creative writing. I lean towards microeconomics – companies use research to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. Rule number one with economics – if the price is right, then consumers will buy. Throughout my career, I have worked on consumer marketing campaigns designed to create an emotional connection with consumers and to build loyal customers. I graduated during a recession and jobs were very slim. I didn’t want to begin my career working as a secretary because I didn’t want to get stuck in a dead-end job. A Hamilton alumna, Nathans Josephs, had her own boutique public relations agency focusing on food and beverages. I didn’t make a lot of money, but I honed my skills – writing press releases, pitching the media, organizing special events – and I build my portfolio. Then, I worked at another small consumer marketing public relations agency specializing in home furnishings and high-end luxury jewelry accounts. I secured an entry-level job at Dorf & Stanton Public Relations which became acquired by Shandwick International, one of the large global public relations agencies. I worked at this agency for about five and half years moving from an account coordinator position to a senior account executive position. At this agency, I worked on consumer marketing clients in travel, food, and beverages, non-profits and wines, as well as energy and telecommunications clients. I discovered my passion for consumer marketing clients here and I worked on new product introductions, cause-related marketing clients. Here I represented clients such as Quebec Tourism, Montreal Tourism, Hydro Quebec, Almaden Wines, Covenant House New York, Puerto Rico Telecommunications Company, Renaissance Cruises (now known as Oceania Cruises), Terry Fox Run, Kronos Foods. I left Shandwick International, just before the company merged with Weber Public Relations to become Weber Shandwick, to pursue a senior account executive position at Hill and Knowlton Inc. At Hill and Knowlton Inc. I represented travel, food clients, and Alzheimer’s drug. I worked at this agency for about one year and then I lost my job when the agency lost a large million-dollar client due to a country election. During my tenure at this agency, I represented the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Utah Travel Council, Splenda, Aricept and Hellman’s, and Best Foods Salad Dressing. Then, I worked at another boutique PR agency representing a luxury hotel, a private jet company, and a bourbon account. After working on the agency side, it is a natural progression to explore career opportunities on the client-side. I worked in house for VisitBritain, the national tourist office for London, England, Scotland, and Wales for five and half years. I lost my job as part of a global restructuring because the British government won the London Olympics, but the government didn’t allocate any additional funds to promote the Olympics. Sadly, I lost my job as part of a global cost-cutting initiative to save money to fund the Olympics. I started my consultancy working in-house at Girl Scouts of the USA on the 100 anniversary to position the non-profit as an advocate to build girls of courage, confidence, and career. After my stint at Girl Scouts, then I moved full steam to secure my own clients. What was the moment that triggered you to step into the media industry? During my junior year, I spent a lot of time in the career center at Hamilton College. There was a book – What Color Is Your Parachute – I did a series of exercises to find out which career would be appropriate for me. After doing this career assessment survey, the careers that came up for me were advertising, marketing, and public relations. My alma mater had an alumni career exploration program and I conducted informational interviews with alumni in advertising, marketing, and public relations to learn about their career path and then prepare for a career in one of these industries. I actually thought I would pursue a career in advertising. Once again, I graduated during a recession and jobs was scarce. A Hamilton alumna gave me my break in the public relations industry and I have been in this field ever since. When was Allen Marketing Communications established? I incorporated Allen Marketing Communications, Inc. in 2009. I was still working in–house at VisitBritain, the national tourist office for London, England, Scotland, and Wales. I was a government employee and I would hear about any requests for US representation. I wasn’t actively looking for clients, but if something came my way, then I could work on the business. What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Allen Marketing Communications, Inc. provides several services such as brand development, new product introduction, media relations, cause-related marketing, crisis communications, consumer promotions, social media – influencer marketing, trade show support, and editorial series. What are your primary responsibilities as the Founder/CEO of the company? As the CEO of Allen Marketing Communications, I am very involved with new business, as well as the day-to-day client relations and direction for the client. Happy clients pay the bills and I look for clients with the potential for
Digital Advertising: A New Era and a Business Necessity
Lauren Oakes spent her formative years in New York working for a digital analytics company, Nudge Analytics, which sparked her interest in the media industry. The broad learning palette in the fast-paced environment helped her keep excited. She needed a role that was constantly evolving and challenging at the same time. And what better industry could she fall for? There can’t be a better way to express yourself especially when you know your Why. Lauren understands the power of this new-age marketing method called Targeted Digital Marketing. No wonder why she celebrates being the CEO of Megaphone Marketing. The Inception and Uncertainty The Megaphone was established 10 years ago by Max Hertan with a mission to change the way traditional workplace functions. She always followed an entrepreneurial lifestyle by combining interests and striking a balance between brand marketing and performance. Though this may appear straightforward, Megaphone was created to help businesses grow while validating its business model. Discussing the current scenario of the media industry, customer preferences have been changing constantly especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The uncertainties were confining but the Megaphone team reassessed their strategies with a positive outcome. They acted fast, pivoted all of their clients to an e-commerce offering. Their business currently stands with 70% e-commerce brands which are exactly where the stability in the industry has been. Along with this, the Company believes that digital marketing is the only reliable source of marketing amid the pandemic because the huge involvement of customers in businesses became the sudden norm. Propelling Wheels of Motivation Taking a broad view of marketing will benefit, Lauren supervises all four departments at Megaphone, i.e. Acquisitions, Sales, Accounts, and Hiring & Ops. Her focus is across the Sales and Hiring & Ops teams. She admits that hiring has the biggest impact on the growth of the Company because it demands the ability to hire consistent top performers. Like every penny counts, she has been involved in every interview to date. Lauren is proud of being a CEO at the age of 27, and she celebrates this personal achievement by focusing on maintaining the culture of Megaphone which is to continue staff enjoyment and retention. She is responsible for the 100% per year growth rate in 2020 and 2021. It’s magnificent! The devotion pushed her towards receiving Bronze in the global Stevie Awards for the Chief Happiness Officer in 2020. The celebration didn’t stop here when they won the Top Social Media Agency of the year in 2021. Personalization and Transparency Megaphone engages, not just sells. Since customers are the most important part of the process, the Company values individual customer feedback throughout the year. They understand what their clients value which helps them set minimums for delivery across the entire team. Note: Minimums are significantly more than their competitors, i.e. as accounts are analyzed and edited every day. New ads are made each week and each account is looked over by four different experts each month. Even the smallest clients have their head of strategy and head of accounts review them. Megaphone implements personalization correctly which helps it to grow business and assert happy clients. Authenticity matters at Megaphone. It upholds everyone within the company to a very high standard. At a time when customers are more empowered than ever before, being genuine is the only way to win their trust. With its product, Megaphone is inclined towards user-generated content to create a more genuine approach to marketing. People use a product or service based on real reviews which build confidence rather than a TV ad. Similarly, the same formula works for copywriting with genuine reviews and testimonials. Aiming for Future Scaling As Megaphone works on result-based, they are more into Google, Facebook, and Instagram advertisements. Slowly but effectively they are shifting to a constantly-evolving market. For example, after witnessing the growth of TikTok in 2021, it is included in their core offering. It’s clearly known that they will keep testing out new platforms and services as they arise, and put focus on the ones that generate. The more you learn and push yourself in the industry, the more you are going to grow and get out of it.
Joseph Rothstein: Passionate About Assisting His Clients In Growing And Scaling Their Businesses
The media industry has been rapidly changing since the dawn of the internet. Over the past couple of years, media platforms are dynamically influencing the business world such as advertising on Instagram. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven many businesses towards getting online to step their game up. The preys to this unwelcomed circumstance are the older generation businesses that have been holding off from providing their clients functional and enjoyable user experience. The pandemic has forced businesses to go digital; in-person meetings and traditional ways of being seen have been waved earlier for good. Joseph Rothstein, the Founder & CEO of Social Media 55, had sensed it all more than a decade ago. In the age of information, Joseph was a bit skeptical about the old implication methods of marketing. With a vision to be the best provider in the media industry, he began his entrepreneurial journey. In 2014, he founded Social Media 55 with the passion to impart brand exposure and visibility to businesses in need. The Day With Positivity Joseph radiates positivity and true enjoyment of his work. He spends most of the day working alongside VP of Operations Benjamin Ohayon, who has been a driving force for their customer success. Where Joseph as CEO is responsible for strategy and direction functioning closely with the team for successful campaigns, Benjamin is a true leader every CEO requires. Joseph oversees his graphic designers, SEO team, content developers, and works alongside the web development team. From Wireless to Digital Joseph, after a decade of working in telecommunications and servicing corporate accounts, was fascinated by marketing. He realized that he wasn’t being challenged working in the wireless cellular phone industry, and plunged into digital marketing about 10 years back. He began developing an e-commerce website for a luxury fragrance company “JIVAGO Brands.” Soon the brand started getting great traffic from the new website and mandated him to manage the social media platforms. He enjoyed working in the field so much that he decided to offer the same services to many businesses. Joseph gained enough experience for a startup, Social Media 55, to deliver services like social media management paid and organic, website design & development, SEO, PPC, and everything in between. “I’ve also been known for answering our 1-800 number after hours,” he says. Recognition as Leader Social Media 55 has been recognized as an exemplary leader multiple times. The agency has been awarded over 20+ awards in Social Media Management, SEO, PPC, Digital Marketing, B2B Services, Top Web Design Agency 2019, 2020, 2021 by GoodFirm, Clutch, Agency Spotter, Upcity, and more. They offer businesses innovative solutions that deliver the right type of audience to clients in the most effective strategies possible. Joseph and the team believe in transparency and hence, everyone plays a key role to make Social Media 55 successful. Such commitment allows them to pay close attention to the client feedback and in making sure the client is fully satisfied. The Close Connection Social Media 55 provides solutions that are customized to address the specific needs of the clients. From executives to associates and team members take a personalized approach and spend time working one-on-one with the clients to ensure they are meeting all of their marks. Everyone wants to help each other be successful, thus they ensure close communications with their clients throughout their mandate. They listen to their clients’ feedback closely so as to fine-tune their formula and deliver a superior service. Team members continue to evolve, to best meet the needs of clients. Their focus on integrity is at the forefront of what they stand for as a company and an agency. They carry a concrete reputation for providing honest and excellent quality work. They delve their heart and soul into each and every project they take on. The Challenges and the Opportunities No matter how many challenges you overcome, the new ones will find their way. The COVID-19 affected the company in many ways but the easiest decision company made was to keep everyone safe. The quickest agreement was to go remote immediately, which was not difficult for them as they were used to a hybrid work/home balance already. At the initial pandemic, they were busy working on their legacy accounts and noticed website traffic and leads had drastically dropped almost to a halt. After one month of crickets, the phones and the website exploded. The pandemic waves have eaten enough industries and collapsed the GDPs of major economic countries. However, months after businesses got their feet stronger, as they were scrambling to get online, Social Media 55 was working long hours to meet the high demand. There is a difference in surviving and thriving when it comes to adopting new technologies such as 5G. It is no more hidden that the advent of 5G will revolutionize almost every business in the world. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to science, communications to design, the 5th generation technology projects the next human evolution. For instance, Metaverse from Mark Zuckerberg with the help of 5G will allow users to interact with anything, anyone in the 3D world. The technology will bring exponential growth to the social media platforms and marketing more skin-friendly. Our files and needs are getting bigger and used by more and more each day, it’s no question that 5G will help manage all that data. Joseph has plans to elevate its marketing hierarchy through acquiring/developing a digital social media calendar management software that will support all the major platforms. Seek Out What You Desire Joseph’s message to aspiring business leaders is to get a job at almost any position in an agency and learn how the business operates. Pick apart what makes the business tick and find a way to bring added value to that company by taking initiative and improving something. Take that experience and attempt in moving up the ranks and locking down a position you feel is more in line with your goals. If you don’t see