Meet our newest team member, Social Media Specialist Hayley McManus. Hayley joined us mid-June. In her new role, she will help amplify the work we do at Teak as well as the important work of our clients through social media awareness, engagement, and strategy.
Prior to coming to Teak, Hayley created compelling social media content, analyzed, and provided optimization recommendations, and managed a number of social media accounts for a variety of industries such as education, retail, and ecommerce stores. She earned a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics from Emerson College. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Communication and Advertising from Endicott College where she also minored in photography.
Read on below to find out more about our new colleague.
What causes inspire you?
I am very passionate about animals and organizations that rescue animals in need or in danger. As someone who has grown up with dogs, I feel very strongly about advocating for animals.
I believe mental health is just as important as physical health, so I am also a strong supporter of mental health awareness. Along the same lines, I am a huge advocate for women’s rights because there is still such a major divide in gender equality, and all equality for that matter, in this country.
What made you interested in social media?
I love social media because it allows me to experiment, get creative, and express myself. I’ve always been a naturally creative person. For as long as I can remember I’ve been told two things: I have a way with words, and I take a lot of pictures. I got my first DSLR camera for my 15th birthday, and now, almost 10 years later I am still taking pictures
Combining my love of words and visual art, I enjoy crafting compelling images, graphics and captions for social media that engage people. I’m a big fan of using puns and humor because people like posts that make them smile and laugh. A recent study just found “75% of consumers would follow a brand if it’s funny on its social media channels.”
What is the secret to a memorable social media post?
You hear this a lot, but posts that resonate add value. However, most people often overlook the fact that “value” is subjective. What is valuable to me may not be to someone else, so there are different ways to add value on social media. For example, an educational or informative post can add intellectual value, but an engaging post that asks a question or elicits responses can also add value because it invites users to interact with a brand or creator and builds a sense of community.
What are some social media trends you see?
I think the biggest trend right now is the obsession with video. Instagram recently announced a transition to prioritizing video content to further compete with TikTok, a move that has sparked a lot of outrage among users and creators who now have to devote more time and resources to making video content for Instagram to keep up with the algorithm.
Another trend is consumers wanting real, authentic content. Spending more time than normal at home during the pandemic helped propel the desire for realistic over aspirational social media content, meaning brands shouldn’t be too stressed about posting content that is polished. Consumers appreciate social media content with an unpolished and unfiltered view— the behind-the-scenes, day-to-day, nitty-gritty of the brand.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Some people might say I’m crazy, but outside of work, I still enjoy scrolling on social media. I guess that’s how you know I chose the right career. I love watching fashion, styling, and lifestyle videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. I also enjoy watching tutorials on digital illustration and photography techniques. Scrolling through my social media on my personal time helps me stay up to date on the latest trends, which benefits both Teak and our clients. Of course, I have also been known to jump in on social media trends on my personal social media; it’s fun to add my own spin.
Finally, what’s a favorite social media post you’ve created?
I made a funny, lighthearted reel back in early January 2022 that went “viral.” I put quotes around viral because viral is subjective to each account. It showed me dancing around my refrigerator to a Taylor Swift song and the text I put on the video made use of the “feminine urge” trend that was popular at the time. Currently, the reel has over 473K views and 44.2K likes. I had thought of the concept of this reel about five minutes before making it, didn’t overthink it, and posted it at a later time than I normally would have. The combination of a timely trend, well-known/popular music, and relevant hashtags to create a humorous reel off the cuff paid off.
This is a great example of the need to take risks on social media to find what works and to be patient. While the reel didn’t gain traction in the first few days after being posted, I kept the video up and it started to garner massive engagement a few days later.
