Looking Back // Looking Forward – State of Social Media 2016

As 2015 comes to a close, we reflect on the past 12 months and set our sights on what to expect from our favorite social platforms in 2016. 1. Instagram is Changing Instagram turned 5 this year and (finally) freed us of the confines of ‘square-only’ format. While rumors circulate that Instagram, like Facebook, will soon be […]

Minnesota Retailers Association Event Recap

We were invited to speak at The Minnesota Retailers Association‘s Crushin’ It With Customers Event at Boulay, joining with Nina Hale, Inc. and Blue Earth Interactive. The subject: Digital Strategy for the 2015 holiday season. Here’s a few of our favorite takeaways – in tweet form, of course! Google Search Insights "Near me" @Google searches […]

Top Takeaways from Spredfast Summit 2015

We just got back from a jam-packed #SFsummit in Austin, TX, and we’re pleased to share some of our top takeaways with y’all. The ‘Smart Social’ theme had us at hello, and the excitement grew from there. Here’s a sampling of the many lightbulb moments we had at Spredfast Summit 2015: “Social isn’t special. It’s just […]

The Social Lights Sponsors Twin Cities Startup Week

We’ve got a sweet spot for startups (especially Minnesota-based ventures)! Not that long ago, we were pitching ‘The Social Lights’ in business plan competitions and giving the ol’ elevator pitch to everyone within earshot. So when an opportunity to sponsor Twin Cities Startup Week arose, we jumped at the opportunity. Showcasing the best from the Startup […]

Social Media: 4 Factors to Focus on in 2015

In 2014, we saw video apps take off (mobile video impressions grew 350%), new networks like Yik Yak and ello emerge, and a movement toward high quality images and “Images for Information” instead of plain text or standard images. We also saw some epic social media wins and fails. Winners included NASA, the ALS Foundation, […]

5 Key Takeaways from #SMBMSP72 – Social Media Case Studies

This month’s Social Media Breakfast kicked off as it usually does – with coffee, bagels, and bacon! We all got our tweeting fingers ready and dug in to case studies from Jaclyn Grossfield, Lee Odden, and Casey Hall. Here are 5 things we learned from them: 1.     Get to know your audience (like, really know […]

Recap from Social Media Rockstars Conference 2014

On Wednesday, September 17, a group of social media experts and enthusiasts gathered in western Minnesota for the Social Media Rockstars Event. The Social Lights were there to be a part of the action, and it was a day packed full of dynamic presenters, social learning, and fun! Jason Falls kicked off the day with […]

Gina + Will Store Opens in Dinkytown, Encourages #Selfies

Gina + Will is a brand new resale shop situated in the heart of Dinkytown {Minneapolis, MN}. Launched by our client Goodwill/Easter Seals MN, Gina + Will is a young adult concept store catering to the collegiate demographic. We launched the Gina + Will brand across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr in time for their […]

An interview with The Product Poet

This is the second installment of three exclusive interviews with attendees of this year’s Social Media Training Bootcamp. We asked each attendee the same questions about social media, marketing, and the relationship between brands and their consumers. Today’s Q&A is with the mysterious Product Poet. Q. How did you get involved with social? A. I used to be […]

Social Media Spotlight: Enplug Live Displays

When I came across the Enplug Live Social Media Display (thanks for the tip, @Woodchuck!),  I couldn’t help but imagine the thousands of possibilities enabled by their technology: In order to dig a bit deeper into the realm of possibilities, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jessie Kim, Head of Partnerships at Enplug. Let’s start with some background […]