Let's get social!

(Written by guest blogger Shanisty Ireland)

One of the first things I tell clients is that social media is what you make it. Social media should be used as an impactful tool of marketing. I think a lot of small business owners are a bit fearful of social media because it can be overwhelming. Not to mention, it can have a lasting effect on their brand. Every post, every photo, every quote is expanding your own digital footprint and how you are perceived. When done right, it’s a great thing! It can make big businesses small and give a big voice to small businesses. That’s where I step in.

My name is Shanisty Ireland and I own a social media marketing company in Columbus, called White Barn Media. You probably have never heard of White Barn Media, but you may have heard of some of my clients such as Zest Juice Co. and High Bank Distillery. ​

My background is in journalism. I have a Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Kentucky. After graduation, I spent 10 years in local television news. I worked as on-air talent in Parkersburg, WV, Birmingham, AL, and Lexington, KY. Our family moved to Savannah, GA right before coming back to my hometown of Columbus. 

Shortly after our move back to Columbus, I was approached by co-owner of Zest Juice Co. Natalie Helman to take over their social media platforms. At the time, Zest only had one location (Grandview) and Natalie and her husband didn’t have time for social…but it was a necessary tool for their business model. 

I quickly learned social media could be a major headache for many startups and small businesses who do not have the marketing budget. I founded White Barn Media in 2015 in hopes of helping small businesses connect with their target audience and create a big impact within their community. 

What exactly does a social media manager do?
Social media is so much more than posting a few pictures online. There’s a balance to everything and social media is no exception. Sometimes it’s a balance between art, risk and analytics. Nothing is surefire with social media, it’s a living breathing thing that is constantly evolving. That being said, staying on top of trends is one of the most important duties of a social media manager. Creating new campaigns, monitoring the success and failure of the campaigns, and constantly staying connected to your phone are also important duties for a successful social media manager. Keeping my clients in the loop on the numbers behind the campaigns is critical. I try to keep an open mind to all campaigns and offer suggestions for tweaking what worked and what didn’t. 

What makes White Barn Media different than large agencies? 
Most large agencies have dozens if not hundreds of clients. I like to keep my client base small to guarantee more one on one attention for each client’s brand. I don’t use automatic posting software such as Hootsuite or Buffer to post, as I like to keep my posts fluid and organic with the weather, time of day, and what’s happening. Because my client base is small, I am always connected to their accounts and have accessibility to any questions, comments, inquiries or complaints.  

What are your favorite apps and resources that support White Barn Media?
My phone is filled with third party apps to help curate creative content for my clients. Some of my favorites are Word Swag, Adobe Spark, Snapseed, Canva, and Lightroom. I prefer Square Space for web design and Wordpress for blogging. And I’m always connected to Pinterest for creative ideas!

What does your typical day look like?
Like most Americans, I check my phone first thing when I wake up. I monitor all comments, mentions, direct messages for my clients and quickly respond to any inquires or concerns. I then take a quick glance at Twitter to see what is trending for the day. After I post during my clients' peak hours, I monitor any quick comments that come in and engage with their audience. During the morning hours I will also click on some of my clients' followers’ profiles and engage with their posts. From there, it’s really monitoring the feeds, answering emails and creating fresh content for the next day.

What other services do you provide?
Currently, I offer bundled social media services like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and more. I also offer web design, photography and videography. SEO and SEM can also be bundled in my web design package. 

Are you taking new clients?
​Yes! I would love to hear from you if you think White Barn Media would be a good fit for your small business. Additional information about my company can be found at www.whitebarnmedia.com.