Social Media 55

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Just Toys International is a toy company that licenses and manufactures toys, collectables and novelty items, including great toys for Minecraft, Kirby, Sonic, Dragon Ball Z and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Social Media 55?

Social Media 55 was hired for multiple purposes. They built us a new website, featuring an online company store. They also managed our social media marketing plan, with paid and organic posts, including design, content and management of posts.

What were your goals for this project?

New website, company store, greater social media presence, consistency in social media, and greater reach, interaction, and converted sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched multiple social media companies. I found Social Media 55 in the top 10 or top 20 in almost every article I read. I interviewed them, as well as other companies. They weren't the most expensive nor the cheapest, but they genuinely seemed excited and interested in our business.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

To design and create content for social media posts, both paid ads and organic posts. We wanted to stay true to our brand and our licenses. We wanted to gain more attention to our brand and products and educate our fans and genres about us, as well as increase sales and conversions.

We also wanted to completely rebuild our company website and include a company store online. Social Media 55 has done all of the above so far.

What was the team composition?

I've worked closely with a few specific people, but they've been very quick to respond and act, as well as be patient with our ever-changing business and opinions, as well as a fast learning curve to understand our brand and company in order to implement changes that suited our "feel" immediately.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Like I said, they've been very patient with our feedback, or lack thereof at times, as well as quick to respond and make changes on the fly when needed. We've relied on their expertise for social media, at the same time, they've listened to our input and feedback as well. It's been a good working relationship.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great. Easy to comprehend and very transparent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They ranked very high in reviews and lists of top social media companies, and I think it is because of their willingness to stand their ground with their expertise, but also a willingness to listen and respect their clients opinions and stances. Very accomodating, but not a pushover.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We did feel their initial designs were lacking in imagination or they just didn't quite understand our brand at first. But they learned quickly and made changes to accomodate quickly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-founder of a content production company. We produce corporate and strategic content for B2C and B2B companies and brands. Since we’re still in the early years, I wear lots of hats like producer, director, content strategist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

Every market, be it Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, or Chicago is going to be quite competitive nowadays. Understandably, video content is huge, and a lot of companies need it. We needed Social Media 55 to improve our SEO rankings, since that wasn’t something I prioritized when I was building the company initially. They’ve given us valuable advice regarding what sites to invest in and how to get reviews from customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re very much on top of the trends in the industry. They’ll tell us what components we have to add or how many reviews we need for people to be able to find us and stay competitive in the rankings.  We started by building up our reputation on different platforms and revamping our content and content titling. They’ve also helped us grow our brand value, reach, and lead generation efforts.

Initially, they started by learning as much as possible about our industry so that they could best position us. We had a few meetings where Joe (Founder, Social Media 55) invested the time to learn about our industry and the keywords we liked.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Joe and Ben (VP, Social Media 55), who’s an old friend of mine. I’ve watched Joe kind of bring him into the industry. They’re very responsive.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I've been producing content online since the late nineties, so I’ve been very plugged-in to what's happening online, who's pushing, and who's growing. Joe is out there with a brand that means ‘relentless effort.’ He’s transparent and he offers value. When I met him in-person after following his career for a few years, I saw that he actually cared about his clients.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

It's hard to find an exact day or date to pinpoint their influence, but what I can say is that we haven’t left them in our four years of working together. They’ve delivered consistently increased visibility for us. We actually just hit 1,000 followers on LinkedIn today. Joe’s business development advice and support have been great as well. He knows how to do the right stuff.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

Goal setting is, is a very important thing for Joe. He’s not one to do the minimum. He wants to do the maximum for his clients and he wants to steer them. You want to give him the best advice possible and that does mean setting goals, the measurable, attainable or even ambitious goals. Once he achieves them, he sets new ones. That’s one of the strongest parts of his value.  

Additionally, he's really good over the phone and really diligent with his emails. If it’s really an emergency, he'll reach me over Facebook Messenger. He's active on LinkedIn, as well. Joe lives for his clients so he’s available seven days a week and puts his clients before himself all the time.

I've seen him grow and I’m proud of him. He doesn't shy away from the phone or email. He's equally dexterous across all communication platforms.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'll reiterate it: the sheer devotion he has to his customers and accounts. He earns every penny that he charges, and he’s very fair. You can hear in his voice how much pride he takes in over-delivering and seeing his clients grow. Because of this, he’s learned about our industry and not given us cookie-cutter advice. Rather, it’s been a very customized and hands-on experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If I thought they had tons to improve on, then I wouldn't be taking this call. All I'd like to see them improve on is to grow. I want to see the company scale.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve seen a lot of scamming social media companies out there that pander for the same SEO dollars. Joe is the real deal and runs a company that will put your money to use.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of my company. We’re a shop that sells and repairs mobile phones, TVs, and computers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

I wanted to bring more people into the store but was busy repairing and managing the business. Since I’m not amazing with marketing, it was necessary to hire an agency.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Social Media 55 manages every aspect of my marketing and advertising strategies. First, their team directed our social media marketing strategy for platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. They also created my logo and helped develop my brand. As our engagement continued, Social Media 55 offered more services. Now, their team also manages all my graphic design needs. A large portion of their efforts involves Google, which has improved our online ratings.

What is the team composition?

Generally, I work with Joseph (CEO, Social Media 55). Sometimes I will deal with his partner or another gentleman too.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

A colleague recommended Social Media 55.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our engagement in August 2014, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I’m extremely happy; they’ve done a great job. I’m not good at marketing so their team has taken a lot off my plate. Their services have definitely brought in more revenue than I’ve spent for them, which is why I continue to engage them. Their team helped improve our ratings on Google from 3.9 to about 4.9. Since working with Social Media 55, whenever I ask clients how they heard about the store they say Google. That used to never happen.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate at least once a week. While Joseph likes to connect through e-mail, I prefer the phone. Despite their preference, Social Media 55 has accommodated my preference. One thing about Social Media 55 is that they’re always on time. If their team tells me to expect a product on the 14th, it will be ready on the 14th or the 13th.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The owner of the company is there for me. I’ve never seen an owner so involved in the day to day activities of their business. He’s available to help with anything I need. He calls to check that I’m happy, which makes me feel good. I’ve worked with companies in the past that felt more like a call center of employees who would pitch me different ideas. Unlike competitors, Social Media 55 is hands-on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m very happy with their service. If I could save money and receive the same service, I’d be even happier. They could improve on their prices, but you get what you pay for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give their strategies as much time as possible to create returns. Hold on and stick with Social Media 55 because results don’t happen overnight.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for a mobile gaming studio that makes titles for iOS and Android.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

We approached Social Media 55 to help us home in on our target demographic for one of our puzzle games. By leveraging their market research, we hoped to gain more installs for our games.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Social Media 55 has optimized our social ad campaigns to increase our organic reach and the number of game installs. Joe (COO, Social Media 55) oversees our Facebook and Instagram ads, aiming to boost visibility, followers, and page likes. In addition, he performs A/B testing on our creatives to see which assets are more effective. We then use that information to design better content.

What is the team composition?

I coordinate exclusively with Joe who does all of the work himself. He has always wanted to learn more about mobile gaming, and I appreciate how invested he is in our project. Every once in a while, he’ll even stop by the office to work with me on some of my challenges.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I found them on Google. They were the top rated agency, and all of their reviews were positive. Joe also interviewed well, so I felt comfortable moving forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in December 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Our number of installs has gone up while our cost per install has decreased. It normally costs about $3–4 to convert a lead from Facebook, but Social Media 55 brought it down to under $2. Not to mention, Joe targeted users who were willing to spend more money once installing our game, so the quality of our traffic has increased remarkably. They’ve raised the average user spend to about $11 compared to the typical $7–8, resulting in a better bottom line.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

We speak 2–3 times a week over the phone, and Joe always responds no matter the time. In terms of budget, he usually provides conservative estimates and sometimes tries to be under budget to be safe. This helps us avoid hidden fees or surprise expenses.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Social Media 55’s scope of knowledge when it comes to social media campaigns. Even though I’m certified through Facebook, Joe has still taught me little tips and tricks that I value tremendously. That’s why he’s still helping us with current projects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve nothing to improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a B2B company. We develop software for the film and TV production industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

Since we work in a B2B market, developing brand awareness and exospore is a reoccurring problem. We’re doing well in our regional sphere of influence, but we needed an experienced social media marketing firm to help us reach more customers. Our users don’t use Google to find a firm like us. Instead, they’re sitting on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram all day. Considering that brand equity is paramount to our success, we had to exist on those platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Social Media 55 helped develop our social media marketing strategy. That process involved evaluating which platforms to utilize, and advising us on which types of ads we should create. Since we don’t have any internal data to reference, we have to leverage their expertise and past experiences. They work to improve our presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Their primary responsibilities include analyzing and consulting on how we create content. They don’t produce materials for us, but they do provide insight into what works and what doesn’t. So not only do they advise the scheduling of our content posts, but they also conceptualize new ideas by pitching efficient ways to relay information.

What is the team composition?

Their COO is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I found Social Media 55 by searching online. After speaking with some of their previous clients, I decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We certainly see more traffic coming to the website, but the project is still in its early stages. We expect to see more results in the coming months.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

They implement a hands-on approach. As a result, they’re attentive and available whenever we need them. Their team provides adequate support whenever we reach out to them with questions. We communicate via phone, email, and text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Marketing and advertising involve a lot of iteration to see what works within a given industry. While modern analytics lower the chances of a failed marketing push, it’s still more of an art than a science. Considering every marketing firms says they’ll get us more exposure and traction, Social Media 55’s service and support make them stand out. If we decide to adjust our current approach, we know they’ll help us do that to the best of their ability.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m satisfied with how they’ve performed thus far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much business-relevant information as possible. Break down the project’s long-term goals into a day-by-day plan. Creating a detailed roadmap facilitates a productive experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner and CEO of a consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

We needed help with branding and digital marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created the wireframes for the website, developed the front- and backend, and oversaw the creative side. They also managed SEO for our website. Then, they developed a marketing strategy, handled content creation and newsletters, and helped us build a brand. They oversaw all the advertising work and created collateral materials, presentations for our investors, business cards, and letter templates.

In addition, they helped us with social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and set up MailChimp campaigns for us.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with their owner.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I found them through an online search.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000 in total. We paid $25,00 for the website and all the collateral materials and $5,000 for the actual marketing strategy.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between April–July 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were getting 5–10 leads per week from the strategy they put together, while our brand and the website got very favorable feedback. Everyone was impressed with how professional and clear the website was. We received about $400,000 in revenue between July (when they completed the project) and the end of that year. I attribute a lot of those leads and success to the work Social Media 55 has done for us.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an outstanding job. They were organized and fine-tuned the whole process. I worked with many other companies in the past and I found that many of them were overpromising and underdelivering, but Social Media 55 gave us everything they said they would. They met our deadlines (if we didn't hit a deadline, that was because of the delay on our part).

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their level of organization. They gave us clear and concise instructions on what we should give them in order for them to meet our goals. We had a lot of requests, but they made every effort to accommodate them and complete the project on time. They're the most organized marketing firm I've worked with in the past eight years.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. They did a phenomenal job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as transparent as possible about your expectations. Let them know your hard deadlines and make sure you can commit to the work that they provide for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Your Maui Escape. We’re a family-owned business that rents nine property units on Maui under general managers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

We wanted higher visibility on social media and more bookings. Those results would benefit our business relationships with brokers. After a partnership with another vendor ended, I hired Social Media 55 to update our brand and improve our online and offline presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, the project focused on branding social media management for Facebook and Instagram. Services included logo design and social media content posting and scheduling. We then expanded the scope to web development, SEO, and strategy for organic growth. Currently, Social Media 55 is completing improvements on our recently-rebuilt site.

What is the team composition?

We work with Joseph (Brand Strategist, Social Media 55).

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I reached out to several agencies when my previous vendor suggested they would drop their social media clients. Out of everyone I contacted, Joseph had the quickest response. He was happy to hear about our business needs. The relationship evolved from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2018 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Social Media 55 grew one of my accounts from 3,000 to 17,000 followers in two months. According to Google Analytics, daily site traffic went from 200 visitors to approximately 14,000. Web-driven inquiries also jumped 400–500%. We now have around 50,000 Instagram followers and similarly impressive figures for Facebook. Consequently, brokers find our business’ growth potential exciting.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is creative and proactive with communication. Their service and skill sets have exceeded my expectations. Joseph manages our social media strategy and our overall digital performance. Always professional and informative, Joseph reviews findings in clear and accessible language. I’m learning a lot about social media, including how scheduled posts can maximize results.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We expanded the scope because Social Media 55 excelled at branding and social media management. We got impressive results faster than we expected. Our site’s engagement levels have already exceeded our growth in social media followers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, because everything has exceeded my expectations. I’ve never been unhappy with them.

Any advice for potential customers?

Take a chance and work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Easy Breakdance. Our company offers online tutorials for breakdancing. We also travel around the world teaching classes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

Since our company is made up of professional dancers, we engaged Social Media 55 to help with our branding, strategy, and content creation. We also hired them to upgrade our camp website and manage our social media.  By the end of the engagement, we wanted to have an attractive looking site, and a robust online presence, particularly on social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Social Media revamped our company’s image and branding. They enhanced every aspect of our site, from the smallest detail to critical, large-scale components. After selecting a theme, they modified all our content for a consistent aesthetic. The entire website is structured to clearly articulate the exact nature of our services.

We often have to interface with business professionals about concert bookings. Since that’s not our area of expertise, Social Media 55 helps us secure these contracts. They built out a new series and funnel for the camps we host.

Social Media 55 provides copywriting, professional photography, and video production to create fresh content for us to use. Regarding social media, they took full ownership of our Facebook and Instagram accounts. The team creates, schedules, and posts content, designs advertisements, and manages events. 

What is the team composition? 

Joseph (CMO, Social Media 55) is our main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

I found Social Media 55 on Google when I searched for "top 10 social media agencies." 

How much have you invested with them?

Our group of professionals spends about $5,000 each month on Social Media 55's services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together for at least six months now and have an ongoing partnership. They will help us with several of the upcoming tasks in our pipeline.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Social Media 55 has made a substantial impact on our company. Thanks to the improvements they’ve made to our Instagram, we’ve booked multiple events. We've been getting phone calls and messages from new leads at least once a day. Compared to before our partnership, many more people who are interested in our services contact us on a regular basis. 

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

Social Media 55 is excellent in project management. They keep everything running smoothly and on time. We speak on the phone exclusively, and our communication is perfect. I never felt like I was being kept in the dark. My partners equally valued their honesty and openness. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Social Media 55 is incredibly passionate about the work they do. We work with quite a few companies, and they stand apart.  They seem genuinely invested in our projects, and I admire their dedication and work ethic. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they would open a branch of their company in my town. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Social Media 55 is a trustworthy company. They'll conduct the necessary research to find out exactly what you need. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director at a dry cleaning shop called Nettoyeur Jack in Montreal. The business is family owned and operated.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Social Media 55?

We recently moved our business to a different neighborhood and needed to increase our online visibility to spread the word. We needed more exposure on social media to let locals know we moved to their neighborhood. We were looking to expand our clientele, increase brand awareness, and let the community know that we’re open for business.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to improve our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of our more loyal and trusted customers had mentioned working with Social Media 55 and achieving positive outcomes in their own business. We reached out and had several introductory meetings, during which they took time to understand our goals and create a plan to achieve our desired outcomes.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Social Media 55 team manages our accounts and creates content, including videos and photos, to be posted on all platforms. The team set up our Facebook and Instagram pages, which we use regularly to promote our business.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Joseph (Brand Strategist, Social Media 55) and Steven (Regional Manager, Social Media 55).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Within days of hiring Social Media 55, we noticed significant increases in user engagement on our social media profiles and overall foot traffic in our store.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We set clear expectations around our goals and objectives, and we were always in regular communication with their team. They were attentive in keeping us up to date on our social media accounts. All tasks were completed in a professional and timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Both Steven and Joseph take the time to listen and educate you on the process. When I engage with outside vendors, I value that level of personal connection with any individual I hire.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m president of a plumbing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Media 55?

We needed proper branding and exposure. We were working with another social media marketing firm, but it was mostly focused on Facebook. I wanted a global marketing campaign rather than focusing on only one social media channel.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They came in with a plan. They laid out where they want our business to go and these are the steps we need to take to market your company. In addition to social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), they help with Google AdWords and with the style of our website. We're in the middle of working on an email campaign but it hasn’t gone out yet. We're just getting started in our work together.

What is the team composition?

Their brand specialist serves as my account manager, and I also work with another member of their team.

How did you come to work with Social Media 55?

A couple of companies that I know worked with them, and I was impressed with their marketing and branding. I got a referral and reached out to them to set up a meeting, and I liked the quality of their overall message.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the course of the contract we have agreed to invest $24,000 CAD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in February 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We've seen additional sales coming in from Google searches, as well as through Facebook. We've also had greater call volume since the start of their efforts. They’ve also solidified our branding. I've had numerous people compliment me on the way they're portraying what our company is about. People are always complimentary on our posts and telling us to keep up the good work.

How did Social Media 55 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very fast. There are times I barely finish answering a question and they’ve already finished executing a project. On one project, they had a two-week deadline and they came in a week early. They’re responsive and able to take everything that I say to heart and adapt it almost instantly into a solution. They surpass my expectations. It's a pleasure to work with the team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The enthusiasm and excitement with which they do their job is impressive. They’re genuinely excited about their clients. In the past I've worked with people who make a lot of suggestions, but Social Media 55 brings fresh ideas and enthusiasm. They make me excited about my company. They understand marketing and have a vision of success.

Any advice for potential customers?

Find someone that understands your ideas and the direction that you want from your marketing strategy. They should be able to help establish and implement the plan, as well as bringing new ideas and strategies to the table.