Hey friend, welcome back!

This week I thought I’d go over what my “normal” day at MILO Digital looks like – if there is such a thing!

Social Media Manager

Our company currently resides in the TechTown building in Detroit’s New Center, where all the MILO social, digital and creative magic happens. I’m a part of the social team, with my official title at MILO being “Social Media Manager/CEO/Creative Director/HR Manager.”

Ashley Bio

This may seem like a lot of responsibility for someone who’s only worked here for a few months, but I actually got these titles through my team joking around and putting me in positions that forced me to push myself as a worker and as a person. 

For example, we have creative briefs where a few people look over content that the creative team made. In order to get my opinion on the content first, they started calling me the “Creative Director”. From there the title evolved to include “HR Manager” and then to “CEO”. As you can see, I wear many hats here!

I manage some of our client’s social media accounts and co-manage the MILO page accounts. The social platforms that I handle for these clients include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. I am responsible for daily postings, which means as soon as I get into the office each morning, my day is already in full motion.

When to Post

By using an online program, a majority of the posts that I create are scheduled out ahead of time to be published at different points during the day. Now, there is a certain “science” to picking which time you would like something to be posted. A general rule of thumb is to not post anything from 5 – 7 p.m. This is due to that fact that people are, for example, leaving work, running errands and figuring out dinner plans. There is not a lot of online traffic during this time so it’s best to post earlier or later in the day.

Original Content 

The explanation of when to post leads me to the discussion of what to post. Now this varies from client to client, however, the things I post range from original creative content to third-party content. Original content includes graphics, events, blogs, and articles that relate directly to the client, are made by the client or are created by MILO for the client. For example, our creative team made this original quote graphic for one of our clients. I would share this on all their social media platforms and vary the copy to tailor to each platform. This would involve using hashtags on the Twitter copy but NOT on Facebook.

Original Content

Another example of original content is when our client is hosting an event. I would be responsible for promoting this event on their social media, and when necessary, boosting (putting ad money behind) the posts related to it. Or, if our client writes articles or a blog on their website, I would make sure those go out into the social media world to receive some recognition. This is original content.

Third-party Content 

Conversely, third-party content includes articles and posts from other people/sources. I would either share or retweet these on the pages I manage. For example, if a local news organization posted an article about the QLINE, my audiences for the accounts I manage would most likely be interested in that content. So, I would share the article to my channels and give the news organization credit.

Engagement

Another very important part of my job is interacting with my audience on social. How I engage with our clients’ followers sets the tone for the account. I must weed out the negative comments (“trolls”) and respond to the positive feedback.

This must also be done in a timely manner because if there is a negative/hurtful comment on a post that I created for more than a day, other followers will see that and it reflects poorly upon our client. This also gives the impression that we don’t interact with the audience as an agency. We want to make sure each of our clients receives the attention they need to have a caring and attentive voice online.

Now that’s just a taste of what I customarily do here at MILO. Join me next time to read more about MILO behind the scenes. 

Being productive

See you soon!

– Ashley

Welcome back! I’m glad you want to hear more about these “nutty” people at MILO Digital. Although, if I’m going to talk about them, I have to explain how they all operate. MILO Digital is a team composed of very hardworking individuals. We work together in order to function as a well-oiled machine. Although, I’d rather use the metaphor of a family. We bicker about day to day problems, but we also support one another. This work dynamic here is what every company should strive towards. I know this probably sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, so I’ll explain exactly what puts MILO ahead of the curve.

The communication within our organization is very open and honest. My very first day at MILO, I experienced this through our standing meeting. Our team stood around in a circle for 10 minutes taking turns talking, informing everyone of what was on our plates and how we were struggling. This is done every day here. Never have I worked at a company that has taken the time to do this. The benefits of a standing meeting are immeasurable. When “they” say communication is key, they weren’t wrong. The meetings are also a way to ask for help. One important thing I’ve learned here is that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s encouraged. You need to work hard, but you also need to be able to rely on your team.

What I found so refreshing at MILO is the honesty. Our boss Billy treats us as equals. Instead of running the company from behind closed doors, he is very open about what is going on in the business. He feels that we have the right to know about any changes or issues that arise because we are a team. Instead of just managing us, his leadership style allows us to grow within the company. My first week at MILO I talked with Billy multiple times about how my experience was thus far and what I hoped to get out of my internship. He wants me to learn as much as I possibly can. Before I started here, I assumed I would be doing simple intern tasks. However, after less than a month of working at MILO, I was already responsible for social media posting on two accounts. This brings me to my next topic: trial by fire.

Since my start at MILO, there have been several instances where I have learned by experience. Trial by fire (aka, the MILO way) has been a recurring instance with my experience here. One example of this is when I was asked by Billy if I wanted to run a new client meeting. I obviously assumed he was joking and so I said, “Ummmmm no,” to which Billy replied, “Okay you can run it.” Being that the meeting was the next day, I had a mini freak out. My co-workers helped me prepare as much as they could to lead me on the road to success. Finally when the day came, I found out that the potential new client was Billy. So it was just his way of giving me a taste of what running a meeting would be like with the buffer of it being my boss I was pitching to. He gave my team and me feedback as we ran the meeting, which was a very useful learning tool.

Another great piece of advice I received from my coworker Dmitri the other day is that “it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you’re trying your best.” This came from me voicing my concern about a post I was writing copy for. I was asking him his opinion and I told him that I just didn’t want to mess anything up. This advice really hit home for me because I’ve been very cautious with the things I do in my life. Living with this fear of making a mistake has prevented me from taking risks that could have ultimately paid off. However, all that matters, in the end, is that you gave a hundred percent in everything that you’ve done. That is something you can be proud of when all else fails.

-Ashley

Welcome to the very first installment of MILO and Me! My name is Ashley. Here you can follow me on my journey as I step into the digital marketing world for the very first time as a Social Media Manager. This is what I have experienced and learned at MILO Digital.

It all started in May of 2017. Being a poor, recently unemployed college student, I set out to find a job. My previous employers included retail chains and miscellaneous occupations here and there that I dragged my feet going to each day. I was done with investing my time into a path I no longer wanted to follow. I was ready to begin the road toward my future.

I am currently studying Media Arts at Wayne State University while minoring in Public Relations. I started off majoring in Journalism, but after I made the switch to Media Arts, I knew this is what I was meant to do with my life. The day that Billy Strawter, the founder of MILO Digital, walked into my Organizational Communications class speaking of an internship opportunity for the summer at his Digital Marketing company, I could not believe that this was the shot I had been waiting for.

After applying for the position and going through the interviewing process, I was brought on board at MILO Digital as a Social Media Intern for the summer. I was so nervous I wasn’t going to get the job because I had no previous experience in this field professionally, but the wonderful people at MILO saw potential in me that I could not see in myself. After meeting the MILO team for the first time, I could tell they were different. They were kind but tough. I needed that. Working for this company is so distinct from any other job I have had because these people are a little nutty, but that’s what makes them so fun to be around. The MILO dynamic has definitely seeped into my everyday life, and it’s taught me how to work hard, but not take myself so seriously.

The stipulations of this internship included a trial month period, after which the prospect of extending it to the rest of the summer would be discussed. My future, however, was decided by Billy after a week.

Now here I am, eight months later, and I have learned more than I thought I ever would about Media Arts, Social Media Management, Digital Marketing, and just being a part of a team oriented environment. The people here have no idea how much they’ve helped me grow into a professional, confident, and creative person. I will be forever indebted to them. Join me every other week to read what I have learned at MILO to receive some insight into our fun yet hard working dynamic. I will discuss the challenges I’ve faced, the lessons I’ve learned, and how I am growing in my career.

This is only the beginning. See you soon!

-Ashley