Setting Up for Success with Empire Solutions
August 6, 2025
We travel where our clients need us. That’s what we did last month, heading to Nashville with our friends at Empire Solutions for Aluminum USA.
We travel where our clients need us. That’s what we did last month, heading to Nashville with our friends at Empire Solutions for Aluminum USA.
Look, we don’t play favorites with our clients, but if we did… Copper Peak would be right up there. And not just because they’re working
While we might have a tough time keeping up with latest fashion trends (seriously, why is low-rise back in style?), we’re experts when it comes
First it was banned, then it was back…but does anyone really care anymore? Here’s the thing about social media platforms: they come, they go, and
Welcome to another enlightening and entertaining edition of 8THIRTYFOUR musings or ravings, take your pick. We love marketing, but we have some serious pet peeves.
In marketing, design serves as both a strategic Swiss army knife and an artistic playground—and when you put it that way, it’s an unlikely pairing.
The advertising industry is great at developing snappy acronyms that people can latch on to. For a while, it was SEM. Then it was SEO.
If you don’t remember Vine, you might be under the impression that TikTok was the first short-form video platform to hit the scene. For this
Everyone can launch a social media campaign, it’s like super easy. It just consists of some posts, maybe a few ads, throw up a story
Social media is the wild wild west. It’s hard to know why one post performs better than another, or how frequently to post or what
Would you believe we consulted Rolling Stone for this blog? We did. Everyone wants to unravel the mystery of Gen Z, totaling some 68 million
The end of the first quarter can mean only one thing…reporting time! Part of our proven process is reporting quarterly to our clients on the
Press releases used to be faxed. Editors were at local papers for 30+ years. Journalists knew what agencies and PR pros represented the various companies
Social media management is EXHAUSTING. We are constantly reading up on trends, adapting to the latest changes in algorithms, testing different types of content, developing
It was hard to narrow down what we wanted to focus on, so we went for the bald, the funny and the bleeding. Read on
HubSpot’s 2022 Social Media Trends report makes it clear we are in the age of the consumer and they want personalized content, faster services, better
2022, you’re kind of being a d*ck. Seriously?! Bob Saget? Many of us grew up on TGIF (Thank Goodness its Friday) with Family Matters, Full
The best marketing for your business should be done by your customers. This is what customer advocacy is, they serve as your brand ambassadors. There
Marketing to businesses is very different than marketing to consumers. It’s an entirely different approach which is why B2B marketing exists. Here is a quick
Last week we held our “Won’t you be our neighbor?” party with the major themes being gratitude, empathy and celebration. It was amazing to come
If you haven’t heard the news that Facebook has changed their name to “Meta” then you’re probably living your best life off the grid. Since
When you think of influencers, most of us think of the Kardashians, the upper echelon of the influencer world. Realistically, very few of us will
TikTok users doubled during the pandemic. Let us say that again – doubled. The network has 689 million users internationally – um, wow. Revenue in
We have a lot of fun with our client’s social media. We get to educate, inform, entertain and engage with their target audience based on
The latest controversy surrounding Trump’s posts on Facebook, the movie, Social Dilemma, and Russian hackers all have one thing in common—Mark Zuckerberg. Zucked In What
It is possible to build a network from the comfort of your couch. COVID has changed the way we interact with each other, but it
This blog is a two-parter, the first was published in December….then COVID happened and we pivoted, which is exactly what your marketing and communications should
Hey. Stop scrolling on Facebook for like one second and listen up. Social media is a great way to reach your audience and show off
How many times have you opened up social media today? We’re gonna guess upwards of 10 times, don’t worry we’re not shaming you. We love
We spend a lot of time on social media, and we get really acquainted with several stereotypes that we run into on, like, every post.
In our latest Happy Hour Hustle, Kim and Emily discuss all the things you didn’t know you needed to know about influencers. The term
In case you haven’t heard, social media has officially taken over. In fact, 3.48 billion people across the world use social platforms. Three and a
Here’s a hard truth: your reputation can make or break your business or brand. In today’s world, if you’re not taking the time to manage
Maybe you’ve noticed it, maybe you haven’t. The latest trend in social media is apparently to not be on social media. Brands like Lush
“We work harder than the rest.” “We put you first.” These are just a few of 8THIRTYFOUR’s core values that Kayden embodies. Our clients love
Raise your hand if you stalk certain brands on the socials 👋🏻. We all have our favorites, based on our style, lifestyle, food choices, families
Things are always changing in the world of social media. It takes a lot of attention to detail to sift through all of the monotony
The month of April typically brings about a lot of different changes, like warmer weather, new flower buds, and now, apparently, the death of the
There are a few things you need to know about Veterans Day before acknowledging it publicly through your marketing channels. Anytime we can recognize the
Social media giants have had no lack of issues when it comes to political elections, but are they starting to figure it out? Are they
We get it – you’re busy, and spending time sorting through thousands of data points about your website isn’t too high on your priority list
Short answer? Hell no. Facebook has engrained itself so deeply in the roots of modern society. Name another brand so universally known and used. Go
In typical fashion, Facebook is shaking things up again! This time, your company’s Page may be getting a facelift. Last week, Facebook announced a series
Reddit promotes itself as the “Front Page of the Internet” and once you learn to maneuver it, you can see why. It offers varied content
Facebook is returning to its roots. And while this might mean a breath of fresh air for users, it will present challenges for businesses and
Word on the street is that Twitter isn’t doing so hot. But, this isn’t exactly news. For the last couple of years, experts have speculated
As 2017 comes to a close, we’ve covered the latest trends in the worlds of SEO and marketing, so it only makes sense we would
The last blog I wrote, A Media Pitching Guide For Dummies, covered the basics of media pitching (if you haven’t read this yet, what are
Question: Are you going to read an article listing the average temperature around the world for the last one hundred years? Probably not. But you
For as long as LinkedIn has been around, it seems that many professionals are still a little unsure of what it is, how it should
Does the following scenario sound familiar? You craft a witty Facebook post for your business page, add a few funny emojis, giggle to yourself the
Social media accounts can be a beast to manage. The secret to staying on top of social media management is using tools that will help
Today, it’s not enough to simply host a great event and hope that everyone enjoys it in the moment, the digital public demands more. They
As I scroll through my social media feed, I notice that 40-percent of posts are typical social media posts (Engagement announcements, baby milestones, dogs pictures,
I get it, you’re busy, and getting your business’s Facebook page up-and-running might be the last thing on your list of things to do today,
It’s the fourth Friday of the month … You know what that means … Your Biz Your Town. This month’s Your Biz Your Town segment
Strategy Strategy is a flexible document, create it, but don’t let it sit on a shelf somewhere. Review this weekly if you can, it helps
This is an old post! Check out our updated one here. Graphic design and public relations are often thought of as two separate disciplines, independent
That is it, it’s decided. Innovation is dead. We are now living in a world where everyone copies everyone else and then launches it as
One of the biggest challenges that brands encounter when maintaining or launching an online presence is keeping a consistent voice and tone. A brand’s voice is the
Social media is an important tool in your marketing toolbox and we often discuss how to make use of it on our blog. What we
Oh, the ever changing Facebook algorithm… If you struggle to stay up to date on the Facebook news feed changes, you’re not alone. One of the
As an integrated marketing firm, we handle anything and everything, from marketing and PR, to design, website development, SEO and event management. Our clients engage
We create a ton of content for our clients on a daily basis. This could be anything from social media posts, blogs, email marketing or
Every day at 834 is different because our social media clients are so diverse. Some accounts need extra attention one day, while others are cruising
The biggest complaint when Instagram Stories came out was that it was practically the same exact thing as SnapChat. Yes, their purpose is the same.
Alexa Shouneyia is the social media coordinator and a contributing writer for Billboard. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Advertising and Public Relations from
There are a number of things we have to keep up on as communication professionals. But, there’s a lot of information out there, so we
Disclaimer: We want to make clear that this post does not address the recent, terrifying news of Kim Kardashian’s robbery. That is really shitty and
An Overview of LinkedIn Advertising Options Odds are you’ve received a sweet advertising credit from advertising on LinkedIn a try. There are a few different types
We are excited to introduce 834’s newest employee, Jessica Krysinska! Jessica is stepping in as the digital media lead at 834, and will be in
A communication strategy really does serve a purpose, it isn’t just something you read once and set on a shelf. It should be your roadmap
Social media is a complex and ever-evolving animal. It seems like every few months, there’s outrage over a new Facebook feature and (surprise!) everyone calms
One of the reasons clients choose 834 is because we know our shit. We help mentor and guide our clients in all aspects of marketing
Social media is great for sharing memes and political rants, but for businesses, it’s key to growth. Look at it this way: a social media
We’ve established on this blog multiple times that social media is a powerful tool. It’s a free way to put your business or personality out
As consumers, we often associate industry-leading brands with an iconic symbol (logo) or unforgettable catch phrase. While both of these elements can have a heavy
Over the past few years Millennials have gotten a bad rap when it comes to making their way into the workplace. They’re “entitled”, corrupted by
Social media has taken over the world. If you don’t believe us, try spending an entire day without checking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You could
Hashtags Explained, The 834 Way Hashtags have become such a part of our culture that we often forget that the real name of the oft-used symbol
It’s Thursday, so we are throwing it back a year and rebirthing one of our most famous blogs, Life on the Interwebs: Creating Digital Relationships.
At #Team834, we’re usually on our second pot of coffee by 9 a.m. Dark chocolate brownies take the edge off of the “didn’t have time
Watch two of our amazing clients on ABC’s Shark Tank! Shefit, the ultimate sports bra, and R. Riveter, American made handbags, will pitch their products in
Nonprofit Marketing & Fundraising is Hard Work. We get it. You put the mission above yourself every day. Our own Adrienne Wallace recently presented to
Health care is changing at a rapid pace, this is not news. Robert M. Brecht, Ph.D., author of 5 Healthcare Marketing Trends to Watch in 2015 states
Here at 834, we are firm believers in social media and content creation. In the world we live in, social media and online personalities are
Everyone always asks us, what is integrated communications? What do you mean 834 is an “integrated communication firm”? Here is the deal. A long time
We often are approached to provide our services pro bono, and more times than not we accommodate the request. This blog isn’t about an unwillingness
We have all seen it. The Christmas video that has gone completely viral. You went through the typical 5-Stage SM coping mechanisms- 1) Ignore –
By now, most businesses realize the importance of social media for growth and development. If this is not true for your business, you might be,
Thanks to the Social Entrepreneur Club at Aquinas College for inviting us to chat about Going Social – using social media to market your business.
I have to take a moment to shamelessly plug the 834 team. We have had a VERY busy couple of weeks and though it is
Social media, how much time can it really take? A post here and there to Facebook, a tweet a day. Easy peasy…right? We tell our
The past several months, all of us at 834 have been hard at work on the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, Heart Your Kidney
This phrase drew me back to the social media webinar I had, until that moment, drifted away from – repulsed by the presenter’s cutesy font
If you are going to partake in social media, then it is important to customize your account. Twitter is no different than Facebook in that
I often say that I love our client, because without a doubt it is true. We have had the pleasure of working with a local
It has been a very interesting few weeks for me in regards to social media. It has reiterated to me the power that comes with
Dear Small Business Owner: There are companies thriving in this economy, including many small businesses. In a highly competitive market, effective marketing can make a
West Michigan based Elite Masonry needed to expand their presence through the launch of a new website and social media initiatives. 834 worked with Elite
The team at 834, worked on a logo, website and set-up of social media networks for a newly formed marketing organization called the Vignette Group.
You’re a small business and money is tight (or non-existent), so what do you do to increase your company’s visiblity? Here are a few tips
In November of 2011, the West Michigan based law firm, Smith Haughey Rice Roegee will be moving into the historical Flat Iron Building in downtown
As I sit here putting the finishing touches on my presentation for the Kalamazoo Business Expo tomorrow (nothing like waiting til the last moment), I
I am looking forward to participating in a panel discussion through the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce titled “Marketing Yourself & Business”. The topic could