My name is Sofia Zipparo, and I am currently going into my senior year at John Carroll University. I am majoring in communications with a concentration in integrated marketing, as well as completing a minor in business. I currently hold two board positions in two different clubs on campus. The first club is the JCU Finance and Wealth Management Association, where I have been serving as secretary for two consecutive years. The second club is the JCU Boler Consulting Club, where I have been serving as the vice president of marketing communications for two consecutive years as well. I was also inducted this past fall into Lambda Pi Eta, The National Communication Association Honors Society.
Since the spring semester of my freshman year, I’ve been working in the John Carroll University Payroll Department within the Accounts Payable department. While being at John Carroll for the past three years, I can confidently say that I have been gifted the ability to make the most of my academic journey. Aside from all of that, I enjoy exploring the Cleveland food and entertainment scene, and overall enjoying the last college year that I have left.
I am originally from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, a small town about 25 minutes northwest from downtown Pittsburgh. While growing up, I was heavily involved within the restaurant scene, as my family owns an Italian-American restaurant; 424 Walnut. While growing up with two older sisters, we were surely utilized by our parents, teaching us the true definition of what a strong work ethic is, especially with an Italian influence; as my father is 100 percent Italian. In addition, I have learned to appreciate the core values of long hours and hard work. From growing up in such an environment, I proudly carry and implement these attributes along with everything I do, especially with starting this internship role.
As the PR intern for this summer, I am anticipating learning all of the ins and outs of the PR world, and becoming well-versed in the real-world experience that Sonnhalter offers its employees. The Sonnhalter team has evidently shown that they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and help their fellow employees in any way they can. This includes being given the chance to build my portfolio and showing my potential as a creative asset within this industry. Building my portfolio with blog posts, press release projects for varying brands, social media brand marketing and much more, is an experience that I look forward to, and am grateful for being gifted. I believe that Sonnhalter will be able to prepare me very much, and I am excited to venture down this road with them.
Italian heritage emphasizes the true meaning of joining a family and becoming one with a team. At Sonnhalter, I look forward to becoming a part of this family.
In the dynamic world of social media, timing plays a pivotal role in the success of your posts. Whether you’re a business looking to engage customers or an individual aiming to grow your online presence, understanding when to post can make a significant difference in reaching your audience. While there’s no one solution, there are some general principles and strategies that can help you optimize your posting schedule across various platforms.
Know Your Audience
Before diving into posting times, take the time to understand your audience demographics and behavior. Does your audience work late and probably not on their phones until 5PM, or professionals who check social media during lunch breaks? Tailor your posting schedule to align with when your audience is most likely to be online.
Experiment and Analyze
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different posting times and content formats. Using analytics tools can help track the performance of your content and identify times that perform the best. Keep an eye on metrics such as likes, shares, and comments to see the effectiveness of your timing strategy.
Be Flexible
Social media trends and user behavior can change rapidly, so it’s essential to stay flexible in your approach. Keep an eye on industry trends, platform updates and changes in audience behavior, and be prepared to adjust your posting schedule as needed to stay relevant and maximize engagement.
Quality Over Quantity
While consistency is important, it’s equally crucial to prioritize the quality of your content over the frequency of your posts. Focus on creating valuable, engaging content that connects with your audience. Quality content can naturally attract more attention and engagement, regardless of the time it’s posted.
By understanding your audience, experimenting with different posting times and staying adaptable in your approach, you can optimize your posting schedule to maximize engagement and achieve your goals. Remember, there’s not one solution for everyone, so don’t be afraid to tweak your strategy based on data and feedback.
When you put hundreds of marketing professionals together, what do you get? Content Entrepreneur Expo (CEX)!CEX is the in-person event for serious content creators interested in building and growing their content-first businesses.
Throughout the two days of CEX, the conference was filled with education on topics from AI, understanding your audience and the digital landscape. This was my first ever CEX, and the conference was a learning experience. Even though I’m not a content creator, the information is still valuable to our field of study and recognizing trends that we might want to participate in. In this blog post, I’m going to recap some of the knowledge I learned from CEX and how it affects the future of marketing.
AI
The big takeaway from the conference was AI! Almost all the speakers mentioned AI in some capacity. From all the speeches, AI took center stage, emphasizing its transformative impact on marketing strategies. AI has truly expanded over the last couple of years and now has many sites where you can get help with writing, video editing, podcasting and more. AI is no longer a distant concept but a substantial force reshaping the marketing world. AI can empower marketers to tailor their strategies for their audience and can drive growth and engagement. I thought it was very interesting to learn how we can have a relationship with AI to benefit our businesses and streamline our work. Since AI has truly grown over the last year, I’m sure we will see even more advancements by the end of the year.
Audience
Connecting with your audience in 2024 is crucial to driving results and building a strong relationship. In 2024, adapting to your audience needs is important in achieving your goals and gaining a platform. One of the key takeaways we learned was using an audience first mindset. This mindset focuses on building your strategy around your audience while leveraging key insights and metrics. Using this strategy can increase your added value and help you build trust with your audience instead of focusing on receiving attention.
Growing your Brand
Understanding where your brand is headed and the vision you’re trying to communicate is vital in creating goals to help grow your brand. First, look at all the platforms that your audience is on and how your brand can reach them. AI and connecting with your audience like I’ve mentioned before are two ways that can help grow your brand. At CEX, I learned that businesses for tomorrow are being built today, so we need to optimize our content. One way to optimize your content is using the repurposing pipeline. With all the different platforms like Instagram, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn and more, it’s important to repurpose your content to fit on every platform. Your audience could be different on each of these platforms, so getting the message out about your brand is important.
Attending CEX was a fun experience that exceeded my expectations. Despite not being a content creator myself, the knowledge shared at the event was valuable for understanding the evolving landscape of marketing. From how the role of AI is revolutionizing marketing strategies to audience centered approaches and growing your brand. I’m excited to take what I learned from the conference and apply them within my work.
Following is a guest post from our friends over at Long & Short of It, masters of ideation, customer insights and market research. They like to say they “dig and find lots of data and then turn it into actionable insights.” Following is their guest post.
A well-crafted strategic plan is the roadmap that guides your organization from its current state to its desired future. But how do you ensure your plan is robust, actionable, and aligned with your vision? The key lies in a skillfully executed strategic planning session or series of sessions.
Whether you’re developing a new plan or refreshing an existing one, these sessions provide a structured framework for bringing diverse perspectives together, fostering open dialogue, and creating a shared understanding of your organization’s objectives, strategies, and tactics.
Bringing in someone outside the organization to facilitate allows everyone to participate and it ensures the sessions run smoothly, on time, and accomplish the goal of creating a plan. No side tracking here.
Whether you bring in someone or go it alone, here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering the art of strategic planning:
1. Define Your Objective
Begin by clearly articulating what you want to achieve. Is it increasing market share, launching a new product line, or expanding into untapped territories? This objective will serve as the North Star, guiding every subsequent discussion and decision.
2. Gather Insights
Make sure the team has a deep understanding of the organization’s current state. This may involve analyzing financial performance, studying customer data, and evaluating the competitive landscape. These insights will inform the strategies and tactics.
3. Develop Strategies
With your objective and insights in hand, it’s time to map out your strategies – the “how” of achieving your goal. Craft broad yet clear strategies, each with a line of sight to the desired outcome.
4. Break It Down Into Tactics
Once your strategies are defined, break them down into actionable tactics. These are the tangible steps that will bring your plan to life, complete with assigned owners, timelines, and measurable key performance indicators (KPIs).
5. Align and Commit
Throughout the sessions, ensure everyone is on the same page, addressing any misalignments or concerns. By the end, your team should be fully committed to the plan, with a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
6. Plan for Execution
But the plan isn’t complete without a clear plan for execution. Establish regular check-ins, accountability measures, and a process for monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments.
The true value of these strategic planning sessions lies in their ability to bring diverse perspectives together, foster open dialogue, and create a sense of ownership and buy-in from everyone involved.
So, gather your team, roll up your sleeves, and contact us to facilitate this transformative journey. With a well-crafted strategic plan in hand, you’ll be equipped to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and propel your organization towards its vision of success. Let’s do this!
In the fast-paced world of social media, staying organized and strategic is crucial for success. With countless platforms to manage, diverse content to create, and an ever-changing digital landscape to navigate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed without a clear plan in place. A content calendar helps your content creation process, maximizing efficiency and driving results. In this blog, we’ll explore why you should create a content calendar and how it can benefit your business.
Consistency
One of the most significant benefits of a social media calendar is that it helps you maintain consistency in your posting schedule. By mapping out your content in advance, you can plan out the type of content you’ll be posting to keep your audience engaged. Consistent posting helps you stay on top for your brand and plan for future posts.
Strategic Planning and Alignment
A content calendar enables you to take a strategic approach to your content by planning out product posts, holidays and messaging in advance. By aligning your social media efforts with your overall goals, you can ensure that your content supports your objectives and drives results. Additionally, having a visual overview of your content calendar allows you to identify gaps, overlaps and opportunities for optimization.
Efficiency and Time Management
Creating a social media calendar allows you to optimize your time more effectively. By having an idea of what you’re posting each month, you can work more efficiently and avoid last-minute scrambling. This will free up valuable time needed and allows you to focus on other aspects of your business.
Adaptability and Flexibility
While a social media calendar provides structure and guidance, it also allows for flexibility and adaptability in response to audience feedback or product delays. Having a planned content calendar doesn’t mean you’re locked into the schedule or unable to pivot when necessary. Instead, it provides a framework that allows you to adjust and iterate based on changing circumstances, ensuring that your content remains relevant and responsive to your audience’s needs and interests.
Improved Collaboration and Communication
For teams or individuals working collaboratively on social media content, a calendar serves as a central hub for planning coordination and communication. By sharing a common calendar, team members can stay aligned on upcoming initiatives, track progress and collaborate more effectively. This fosters a sense of accountability, transparency and teamwork, leading to smoother execution and better outcomes.
Creating a content calendar is a smart investment of time and can benefit your overall goals. From maintaining consistency and strategic planning to improving efficiency and collaboration, a well-crafted calendar can be a game-changer for your social media efforts. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to start planning and organizing a well-executed social media calendar.
In today’s digital age, where attention spans are shorter than ever and competition is fierce, companies must continually seek innovative ways to connect with their audience. YouTube is an online video platform and a powerhouse for content creators and businesses alike. In this blog, we’ll explore why companies should embrace YouTube in their marketing strategy and how harnessing the power of video can drive success.
Massive Reach and Global Audience
With over two billion logged-in monthly users, YouTube has a massive and diverse audience spanning the globe. By establishing a presence on YouTube, companies can tap into this vast audience pool and reach potential customers wherever they may be. Especially within the trades, where users are constantly searching for how-tos and information on products.
Engagement and Interaction
Unlike traditional forms of advertising, YouTube offers unparalleled opportunities for engagement and interaction with its audiences. Through likes, comments, shares and subscriptions, companies can foster meaningful connections with viewers, cultivate brand loyalty and spark conversations around their products or services. Additionally, features like live streaming enable real-time engagement, allowing companies to connect with their audience in more dynamic and authentic ways.
Visual Storytelling and Brand Building
Video is a powerful medium for storytelling, enabling companies to convey their brand message and values in a visually compelling way. Whether through product demonstrations, behind-the-scenes glimpses or customer testimonials, companies can leverage YouTube to build awareness, inform their customers and differentiate themselves from competitors.
SEO Benefits and Increased Visibility
As the second largest search engine in the world (after Google, its parent company), YouTube offers significant SEO benefits for companies looking to increase their online visibility. By optimizing video titles, descriptions, tags and thumbnails with relevant keywords, companies can improve their rankings in YouTube search results and attract more organic traffic to their channel.
YouTube represents a dynamic tool for companies looking to elevate their marketing efforts and connect with consumers in meaningful ways. By leveraging the platform’s massive reach, engagement opportunities, visual storytelling capabilities and SEO benefits, companies can expand their brand presence, drive sales, and build lasting relationships with their audience.
