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Tag: influencers

  • Why Were 80 Adults Running Around The Quarter With Selfie Sticks? Find Out!

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    What sets Search Influence apart from other companies is a deep appreciation for its employees. SI embraces the generosity and culture of the city around it, planning a little lagniappe during each quarter in the form of team building events.

    These events are put on by different departments in the company. Events held in the past include crawfish boils, SI Field Day, inflatable obstacle course fun, and an afternoon at the ballpark to cheer on the Zephyrs. This quarter, SI held the first SI Scavenger Hunt in the French Quarter.

      White Team Red Team

    Preparing for the Hunt

    For the scavenger hunt, the company was divided into nine color-coded teams, mixing the different departments. Each team came up with a team name and a team hashtag to use in addition to the event hashtag, appropriately named #ScavengeDat.

    The rules of the hunt were simple: solve as many riddles as possible during the hunt, and post a team selfie to Instagram at each of the different stops.

    Gold Team  Blue Team

    Time to #ScavengeDat

    The morning of the hunt, Friday, Sept. 25, started out with anticipation, as the office was filled with different team colors and props. By the afternoon, people were in and out of the bathrooms painting and glittering their faces (note: the hallway to the bathroom still looks like the floor at the end of a rave). When 2 p.m. hit, the teams were ready to begin.

    Green Team Purple Team

    The Results

    After making their way through the city with selfie sticks and lists of riddles, the teams met back at the Roosevelt Hotel Bar for pizza, drinks, and of course the results of #ScavengeDat.

    Once the photos were tallied, the navy team—Team Ship Faced—came out on top of the SI French Quarter Scavenger Hunt!

    For more from #ScavengeDat, check out all of the fun on Instagram!

  • Triple Threat: Search Influence Adds Three to the Team

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    Bailey Colomb – Junior Account Associate

    Bailey graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi last May. While she enjoyed her time in Hattiesburg, she’s glad to be back home in New Orleans and living with her current roomies—her mom and step-dad. Awesome, right? She is a sarcasm enthusiast, Netflix binger, and lover of all things Bruce Springsteen. She is very excited to join the SI team and looks forward to getting to know everyone!

    Meaghan McCarthy – Junior Internet Marketing Associate

    Meaghan McCarthy is a recent grad from Tulane University, though she is originally from Cleveland, OH, the birthplace of rock n’ roll. She studied English and history, both focused on Irish studies. She is a part-time wedding florist and an amateur traditional jazz dancer. She is excited to start her first ‘grown-up’ job at Search Influence!

    Melissa Verzwyvelt – PR & Marketing Manager

    A Louisiana native and self-professed multi-tasking queen, Melissa comes to Search Influence with 15 years of experience in marketing and PR. She has worked at ad agencies in three states, handled public relations for a city, and launched successful campaigns for local start-ups as well as global brands like Sherwin-Williams and Cessna Aircraft. She grew up in Thibodaux, enjoys watching videos of cute kids and puppies, can wiggle her second toe without moving the others, and was her class valedictorian. When not watching football on the weekend, Melissa enjoys spending time with her two kiddos and her three-toothed Chihuahua.

    Join us in welcoming Bailey, Meaghan, and Melissa to the team! We’re glad to have you on the team.

  • Celebrate Good Times: The Birthday Experience at SI

    Here at Search Influence, we take our colleagues’ birthdays very seriously. With cards, delicious treats, and amazing desk decorations, you can definitely feel the love on your birthday at SI.

    BirthdayKidCelebrateGif

    There are many ways we have celebrated colleagues’ birthdays, but one of my favorite times was when we all dressed in black t-shirts and jeans to celebrate our lead developer’s birthday. Another favorite was when we recently decorated our partner accounts team manager’s desk with balloons, confetti, and a banner. I mean, who doesn’t LOVE confetti? Finally, my all-time favorite is when a few of my colleagues (work besties) decorated my desk with the ultimate One Direction desk decorations, treats, and pictures.

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    Just when you think there couldn’t possibly be any more celebrating to be done…you are wrong! Every month, a member of our team begins planning a birthday brigade to celebrate all employees’ birthdays for that month. The birthday brigade has celebrated at Happy’s Irish Pub, Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, and The Rusty Nail. Employees who have birthdays in that month all decide together on where the team will branch out to party!

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    I can’t wait to see where the team will venture out to celebrate for September birthdays and what other birthday surprises will emerge in the office. Comment below with what special ways your office celebrates birthdays.

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    Image Credits:

    Birthday Kid Celebrate Gif

    Excited Birthday Kid Gif

  • The Fantastic Four: New Faces Join The SI Team

    The Fantastic Four: New Faces Join The SI Team

    This August, Search Influence welcomes its four newest Influencers to the team!

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    Andrew Shepherd – Junior Account Associate

    Andy graduated from Tulane University in May of 2014 with a degree in political science and Spanish. After a year of serving as an AmeriCorps member in his hometown of Birmingham, AL, Andy is very excited to be back working in New Orleans at Search Influence. During his spare time, Andy enjoys cooking, running, and trying new restaurants and bars around the city.

    Caroline Ainsworth – Junior Account Associate

    Caroline is from Baton Rouge and recently graduated from LSU with a degree in public relations. During her time at LSU, she was an avid football fan and involved in her sorority, Chi Omega. She also worked in social media and blogging for the Old Governor’s Mansion, where she got to meet Fat Amy during the filming of Pitch Perfect 2! Her hobbies include traveling, pinning quotes, Mad Men marathons, watching Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and spending time with her great dane, Lucy. She just made New Orleans her permanent home, and she is so excited to be joining the Search Influence team!

    Kayla Goforth – Junior Graphic Designer

    Kayla grew up in Elon, North Carolina and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May. She just moved to New Orleans with her huge fluffy cat (appropriately named Toulouse), and she loves the historic architecture and general sense of community already. She’s been dancing since she could walk and hopes to one day dance with one of the many talented local dance krewes in a Mardi Gras parade!

    Stephanie Burnison – Junior Account Associate

    Stephanie is originally from Southern California. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans in May with a degree in marketing and a minor in legal studies. While at Loyola, she was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, where she served on the Executive Board for all four years culminating in serving as president. She is an animal fanatic and has a huge heart for rescuing any animal she can. Currently, she has three dogs (an ex-racing greyhound, poodle, and pit bull puppy) and a very fat cat. She is OBSESSED with making them famous via their own Instagram account @nolarescues. She’s a One Direction and Starbucks enthusiast and is related to the Kardashians.

    Welcome, Andy, Caroline, Kayla, and Stephanie! We look forward to seeing all the great things you will accomplish!

  • Search Influence Welcomes Six Shining Stars to the Team

    Search Influence New Influencers Blog

    Search Influence is hiring and we are still growing! Six talented new Influencers have joined our team and hit the ground running.

    Jared Jones – Junior Internet Marketing Associate

    Jared is from Pensacola, Fla., and studied at Xavier University. He can be over-the-top at times, but he’s good at directing all of his excess energy. His hidden talent is a wealth of random information stored in his head that comes out at any given moment!

    Laird McIver – Junior Internet Marketing Associate

    Laird is originally from North Carolina and went to Rhodes College. She has phenomenal glittering skills due to her time decorating shoes for the Krewe of Muses, and she recently became a riding member! In her free time, she reads books, cooks, and scuba dives with sharks.

    Leo Rubini – Junior Account Associate

    Originally from Atlanta, Ga., Leo is a recent Tulane University graduate who couldn’t be more excited to begin his professional life in New Orleans. In his free time, Leo likes to explore the city, cook, travel, and go on runs. 

    Sarah Begault – Account Associate

    Sarah is from Metairie, La., and currently lives in Kenner. She graduated from Louisiana State University in May 2014 with a degree in business and was a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon business fraternity for three years while in school. She has two German Shepherds that she loves (Beau and Sasha)! Her hobbies include reading, baking, painting, Pinterest projects, and crafts, and she’d like to start a blog soon about her crafting successes and fails. Sarah is currently obsessed with Orange Is the New Black and The Walking Dead. She loves country music but listens to just about everything from Lil Wayne to Taylor Swift.

    Savanna Guzzardo – Junior Account Associate

    Savanna is from Covington, La. She recently graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing. During Savanna’s time at USM, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity, where she enjoyed raising money for its chosen charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In her free time, she loves to read and spend time with her pets. Savanna is excited to be back in Louisiana and joining the Search Influence team!

    Sophie Kirk – Junior Account Associate

    Sophie is originally from Mandeville, La. She is a recent graduate from Louisiana State University, where she majored in mass communication with a concentration in public relations. At LSU, Sophie was a very active member of her sorority, Delta Zeta. She is very excited to become a part of the Search Influence team!

    Join us in welcoming Jared, Laird, Leo, Sarah, Savanna, and Sophie to the team. We’re so glad to have you on board! Interested in life at Search Influence? Find out about our company culture.

     

  • Health Care on the Home Front: Recruit Mommy Bloggers

    Mommy Bloggers For Health Care Image - Search Influence

    When it comes to online influence, mommy bloggers are a huge force in social media and the blogosphere—something many major brands have noted in the past. Names like Pepsi, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Coach have all made space for these influential bloggers in their content marketing strategy, adding a dose of authenticity to their campaigns.

    Information exchange has always been a big part of raising children, whether parents are looking for advice on dealing with a behavior problem or trying to find new food options. You can call your friends or your own parents, but there’s always the network of experienced parents ready to give advice online—and with roughly 4.2 million mommy bloggers on the Web, 60 percent of whom say that they blog about brands they love, these influential resources can be a crucial part of a campaign. The bloggers with good advice and entertaining updates rise to become Internet celebrities. Not unlike professional athletes with sponsorship deals, an endorsement from popular mommy bloggers can boost your medical Internet marketing campaign to the next level.

    To tap into the reservoir of parental advice-givers online, keep these four tips in mind.

    Know Your Mommy

    Different bloggers have very different backgrounds and attitudes, and a look at the list of the top U.S. mom bloggers shows the diversity of their backgrounds, attitudes, and writing styles. Many have posted a lot of information about themselves, and you should be able to determine which bloggers would be more interested in your products or services. If you’re looking to raise awareness about new vaccination services at your hospital or practice, you might expect less enthusiastic support from a blogger who has been vocal against immunization in the past. On the other hand, a PTA leader active in community projects might be able to help with your next awareness campaign.

    Participate in the Conversation

    Once you see the kinds of subjects that capture the attention of online parents, look out for topics relevant to your industry. For medical Internet marketing, establish yourself as an authority by posting informative updates about subjects that matter to parents. When it comes to important issues like vaccinations, there will always be rumors and hearsay online, but presenting an informed medical perspective can give mommy bloggers a resource to reference or link in the discussion. However, because of legal complications, you’ll want to avoid offering specific medical advice online, especially in response to individual questions. The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics is a great resource for anyone who is uncertain about treading into the waters of ethical online content.

    Make Your Health Care Message Viral

    When you have an announcement that’s less interesting, consider the kinds of clever images and videos that get circulated online. To advertise a touchless flush system, KOHLER worked with WhatsUpMOMS, a YouTube channel and video blog produced by a trio of mothers, to create a video titled “How to Potty Train Your Kid in 5 Seconds!” You may not have the budget for a clever commercial as part of your medical Internet marketing, but you can show that you understand the stresses and concerns of parenthood.

    Kohler Potty Train Mommy Blog Image - Search Influence

    Stay Professional

    Ultimately, the parents in your area have a vested interest in health care for the sake of their children. The first priority is to make your website informative and then to improve your search result rankings to make your website more visible. Once the public is able to find your site, you can work on turning satisfied customers into positive reviews. If your practice is more focused on cosmetic services, then you may want to take a more active approach by advertising on social media.

    In the past, companies selling breast pumps or minivans have offered mommy bloggers free samples or test-drives in exchange for reviews, but free samples are less applicable in the arena of medical Internet marketing, and some women might take offense at being personally offered cosmetic procedures. The best approach is simply to make your business visible and available.

    Image source:

    How to Potty Train Your Kid in 5 Seconds!

  • You Don’t Just Need Good Culture In Your Yogurt, You Need It In Your Workplace!

    You Don’t Just Need Good Culture In Your Yogurt, You Need It In Your Workplace!

    Quality Over Quantity

    Until recently, a company’s success was based on the fundamental principle that quantity outweighs quality. The better your numbers were, the better the chances that your company would outperform its competitors. However, recent studies have begun to offer insight into the importance of a company’s internal environment, which influences its success. The amount of sleep employees get and the relationship between an employer and its employees are major contributors to a company’s overall performance.

    Don’t Lose Sleep Over Your Workload

    In the past, there was a common misconception that longer work hours were key to a thriving business. Fortunately for workers nowadays, studies have shown that fewer work hours—and subsequently more sleep—have actually led to a more efficient workplace. Prominent CEOs like Arianna Huffington, founder of Huffington Post, have praised the importance of sleep and its contribution to a more productive workplace. “Ultimately, at work, the most important thing is our energy. It’s not exactly how many hours we are sitting at our desks, but how present are we when we’re there,” she explains in an interview with Business Insider.

    Open Door (and Mind) Policy

    Many corporations have implemented an open door policy between the company’s leaders and its employees. Even more important, though, is the idea behind an open mind policy. It is becoming more evident that monetary compensation isn’t the only driving force behind an employee’s happiness. The trust that a company builds with its employees—as well as a company’s ability to keep an open mind to the ideas and concerns of its employees—are invaluable tools that have made companies such as Internet giant Google stand out above the rest.

    Search Influence Gets it Right

    In a day and age where merely finding a job can be a challenge all its own, I’m fortunate enough to work at a place like Search Influence, a company that doesn’t take these important elements to success lightly. Their flexible 9-to-5 work hours, quarterly team building events, and company-wide “suggestion box” are just a few factors that helped to name Search Influence one of New Orleans’ 50 Best Places to Work in 2014.

     

    Image Sources:

    Sleep Image

     

  • From Search With Love, 007 New Influencers Are On The Case!

    From Search With Love, 007 New Influencers Are On The Case!

    Search Influence looks forward to continued growth in 2015! As February comes to an end, we’re excited to welcome our newest Influencers.

    Adrienne-MyersAdrienne Myers – Junior Account Associate

    Adrienne recently graduated from Mississippi State University, where she studied marketing and French. She is originally from Covington, but she spent some time working as a District Sales Leader Intern for Frito-Lay in Jackson, MS. Adrienne enjoys traveling, baking, and spending time with family and friends.

    Anthony-ArmstrongAnthony Armstrong – Junior Account Associate

    Anthony is from New Orleans and has lived here all his life. He loves music and spends most of his free time writing acoustic songs. He sings and plays guitar for a post-hardcore/metal band called Eye for an Eye. He also thoroughly enjoys reading and creative writing.

    Chris-RobertsChris Roberts – Software Developer

    Chris was born and raised in San Jose, California. Years later, he graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of New Orleans. Chris arrived in Louisiana nearly a decade ago, and he has been an avid programmer ever since. Chris enjoys playing guitar and attending various festivals in his free time.

    Cory-AgularCory Agular – Junior Internet Marketing Associate

    Cory was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University with a B.A. in English. Prior to accepting the position at Search Influence, he did freelance writing, and his articles have been published by Tulane’s athletic department and the NCAA’s official website. In his spare time, he loves to catch live music and sporting events. He looks forward to working at SI.

    Jason-VermaelenJason Vermaelen – Junior Account Associate

    Jason is a fun-loving, quick-witted karaoke superstar. He is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has been training for almost nine years. He is from Baton Rouge, and he graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in marketing with a concentration in advertising this past December. Jason is looking forward to starting his career at Search Influence and meeting everyone!

    Mikel-PakMikel Pak – PR & Marketing Manager

    As the daughter of an Air Force pilot, Mikel Pak has lived everywhere from Oklahoma to Kentucky and Idaho to Texas and beyond. She brings more than eight years of experience as a public relations professional and journalist to her post at Search Influence. Her expertise spans media relations, marketing, social media, crisis, and political communications. As a journalist, she got her start in the newspaper business covering health care, technology, higher education, and real estate, among other industries. You can follow her on Twitter @MikelPak.

    Serena-HirasawaSerena Hirasawa – Account Associate

    Spending almost all of her life in Richmond, VA—from preschool to college at Virginia Commonwealth University—Serena needed a change of scenery, but with a river still close by. Prior to Search Influence, Serena’s professional life included appearances in higher education and the transportation industry, but she’s finally ready to put her Communications degree to good use. Serena recently arrived in New Orleans and is looking forward to warm winter months, crawfish season, and playing roller derby with the Big Easy Rollergirls.

    Join us in welcoming Serena, Chris, Mikel, Adrienne, Cory, Jason, and Anthony. We’re very lucky to have all of you on board!

  • They Don’t Call it Fat Tuesday For Nothing!

    How much king cake has your office consumed since the start of the new year? Those who don’t live or work in Louisiana will respond to that question with a forlorn “zero,” but at Search Influence, the answer is probably somewhere between “not enough” and “infinite.”

    King cake season is a prime opportunity for the office to bond over our uncontrollable gluttony, but it also has something to teach us about paying it forward and supporting our coworkers. In addition to having the Mardi Gras spirit baked into every buttery bite, king cake is a great office snack because it is self-replenishing. Depending on how thinly you slice it, one king cake can feed 15-20 people in your office, and by the time the last crumb has been devoured by a ravenous coworker, the provider of tomorrow’s king cake has already been chosen by the plastic baby of fate.

    THE CONTRACT IS SEALED. | image tagged in king cake | made w/ Imgflip meme maker

    For the uninitiated, the individual that discovers the baby hidden in their king cake slice is obligated to bring in the next one for everyone to share. In other words, the responsibility of providing this seasonal pastry to the entire office is continually passed from person to person, allowing everyone to enjoy infinite king cake without having to buy infinite king cake. By continuing this chain of goodwill and endless baked goods, you are paying it forward to the entire office.

    Fortunately for your cholesterol, this strategy of passing the torch and spreading the wealth doesn’t have to end with king cake. When individuals take turns bringing in snacks, giving out thank you notes, taking the lead for projects, and volunteering for office chores, the entire office feels the benefits.

    Don’t wait to find the fake baby surreptitiously hiding in your food to pay it forward king-cake style. Try one of these pay it forward ideas in your office today.

    Image Sources:

    Matilda Chocolate Cake Gif

    King Cake Meme

     

  • Three New Influencers to Start Off the New Year!

    Three New Influencers to Start Off the New Year!

    Sarah-FeltonSarah Felton – Account Coordinator

    Sarah is a native to New Orleans and an enthusiastic pet lover (Three cats and one dog that she frequently plays dress up with). She received her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University, where she still attends football games in the student section every fall. Her work experience is mainly in the hospitality field, as Sarah worked for Caesar’s Entertainment from 2007–2013 here in New Orleans and also in Las Vegas and Biloxi.

    Kim-KoellingKim Koelling – Junior Graphic Designer

    Kim was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She received her degree in Graphic Design from the University of Kansas. Shortly after, she was accepted into the U.S. Peace Corps and hopped on a plane to Cameroon in West Africa, where she lived for 27 months. She taught computer science and English at her village high school, and she worked closely with a local women’s cooperative on marketing. She now lives in New Orleans and is very excited to be joining the Search Influence team!

    Breanna-BensonBrenna Benson – Operations MBA Intern

    Born in Tampa but raised in Gainesville, Brenna is a native Floridian who managed to eventually find her way to New Orleans. Brenna graduated with a degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and is currently pursuing an MBA at the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. She welcomed her first son in December 2014 and (like any New Orleans mom) is excited to introduce her son to king cake (although we may need to wait until next year). She’s also very excited to kick off the new year with the Search Influence team as an Operations Intern!

    Join us in welcoming Sarah, Kim, and Brenna to the Search Influence team. We’re glad to have you on board!