It all started with one fateful tweet five years ago this May… when we managed to snatch Ribs up for Metter Media forever. From the early days of memes, too much coffee, and #BabySarah, to these days, as a Head Account Manager, Internship Coordinator, office playlist DJ, and still way too much coffee (seriously Sarah stop drinking so much coffee) … read more about Ribs at the link in our bio.
How did you get your start in social media?
The summer after my freshman year of college, I *knew* I needed an internship, and applied for an editorial/local journalism position at the Lutz Children’s Museum in Connecticut. The day of my interview, they had offered the position to someone else, and asked if I could instead work on their social media and photography. I spent the summer calling children’s museums around the country, picking their brains on their social media strategy and compiling a best practices guide. It’s great to see the museum still using some of those tips today, eight years later!
My work with the Lutz showed me how critical social media is for any business, and I started incorporating social media strategy into all the work I did, from clubs I was involved in on-campus to other internships I held. After college, I started freelancing for local restaurants as a “side gig” while I served and tended bar full time.
When did you join Metter Media?
I found Metter Media in 2014, when my favorite local festival Together started retweeting their memes and talking about this *amazing new social media company* that they were working with. In the boldest move then-21-year-old me could have taken, I tweeted at them asking if they were hiring … and was surprised to get a response!
I met up with Lauren and Lyssa that April for an interview at a bar (Firebrand Saints, RIP) and started on May 1 … which makes my five-year anniversary next week!
Why is social media important/relevant to your industry?
The technology sector is filled with a lot of big, faceless corporations that are making big strides but don’t necessarily know how to connect with an audience. We fill that gap, providing thoughtful conversation, storytelling, and event promotion and coverage to showcase the incredible work that humans, on the ground, are doing for these tech companies in their respective cities. It’s been rewarding to see how social media can help a tech company recruit new and diverse employees, increase attendance at events, and connect firsthand with their community.
What campaigns have you helped create that make your clients stand out from the rest?
I love taking a people-first focus on social media — it’s social, after all! My favorite way to do this is through staff spotlights, from straightforward profiles to fun Q&As to creative spotlights. One of my favorite series for Microsoft as of late is our #NERDCreative spotlights, which focuses on how Microsoft employees stay creative and artful outside of their work in technology. This incredible video and sculpture Senior Designer Manoj Sharma built kicked off the series. It’s a fun look at how creative and diverse the people at Microsoft are.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuJtG6QAGKK/
What’s your #MMProTip ?
Establish *some* sense of a personal brand. While for some it works to have an overall personal brand aesthetic fleshed out, for others (like me), it helps just to focus on a couple key words and branch out there. For example, my Instagram feed is (currently) HUJI-only, with a focus more on cool things I’ve seen than on selfies. My Twitter is very focused on Boston news, music, food, and humor … and is definitely less branded and more personal than my Instagram. It’s all about finding that balance!
Proudest moment so far?
It might be cliche to say that every day is my proudest at Metter Media, but it’s true. Five years ago, none of us would have ever dreamed that our motley crew of five, meeting weekly at whichever bar would have us, would have expanded so quickly to 18, with a full-sized office and an ever-expanding offering of services and clientele. It’s been an extraordinary honor to be part of that growth.
If I had to pick just *one* moment, though, I’m going to selfishly focus on the internship team that I’ve helped direct. Last spring, we hosted an intern who, in her senior year, decided she no longer wanted to go into education and wanted to pursue social media marketing. She spent the semester learning all our pro tips and working on client content, and is now working full time doing marketing and social for Lucky Strike Entertainment. Seeing the way we helped pave her career path and lead to a job that she loves is the main reason I work with our intern team, and I couldn’t be more proud of that. Love to you, Ashley!
Follow Sarah on Instagram to learn more.
Metter Media LLC is a Boston-based social media management company that implements community-based, localized social engagement strategies for small businesses and corporations alike. Need help with your social media? Email Lauren today.
