Marion grad helping city step up its social media game

Marion grad helping city step up its social media game

Weaver tapped to oversee city’s online presence

news@theeveningtimes.com

A Marion High graduate is helping the city put the “social” back into both the Chamber of Commerce and the city’s Facebook page and website.

Madison Weaver, a 2014 MHS graduate who went on to earn a bachelors degree from Arkansas State University in business administration and human resources, was hired in November to run the city’s and Chamber of Commerce Facebook page, and to keep the two websites updated with more current information.

“I knew I wanted to come back to Marion,” Weaver said. “I was kind of tired of Jonesboro.

Photo by MArk Randall

I was looking for something where I could use my abilities until I can get into the human resources field ,which is what I really want to do.”

Weaver, who is also working on her MBA degree at A-State, said the City and Chamber already had websites, but they were of date and needed somebody who could make them more engaging and informative.

“Cheryl (Starling) and Tracy (Brick) put some things on there,” Weaver said.

“But it wasn’t being used nearly as much as it could as a way to keep the public informed.”

Weaver said Facebook is often the first place people look for information. “It’s pretty much the way people get information today, especially younger people,” Weaver said.

Weaver said the City’s and Chamber pages are evolving every day with new features and more information.

She has posted updates about Big River Crossing during the flooding, daily motivational quotes, ribbon cuttings for new businesses, and information about upcoming local events like the recent job fair at Southland.

She has also added features like the “Mobile Minute” with social media tips to help businesses reach more customers and expand their presence.

Weaver also started a video series highlighting attractions like the Sultana Museum and the most recent one about Community Family and Medicine.

And she recently met with city department heads about posting more information about their activities.

“(Street Department Supervisor) Gordon Floyd asked me about some things, and I’ve known Andy Rawls since my high school days,” Weaver said.

“He’s contacted me for a couple of things. It’s his slow time of year right now. But I know he will be sending me dates for tournaments and things like that. So I am going to work more closely with them to get more information out about what their departments are doing.”

Weaver said she is also trying to put more links up about news and events taking place at local businesses.

“What I am trying to do is drive more people to both Facebook and the city’s website,” Weaver said.

So far, the response has been positive. When Weaver started the week after Thanksgiving, the Facebook site has about 1,600 likes. Now they are up to 1,755 likes in three months.

“It’s been going up,” Weaver said. “I’ve been getting a lot of thank yous for posting things.”

Marion Chamber of Commerce President Tracy Brick said Weaver is a welcome addition to the staff.

“She’s great,” Brick said.

“She has a lot of knowledge about social media.

And she’s also a great researcher too which has helped us to be able to work on other projects.”

Brick said having a person in the building handling all of the social media is helping the Chamber and the City become more proactive in the way they share information.

“It is so important to be on social media,” Brick said. “Cheryl and I were just kind of doing it haphazardly and when we had time. So we are thrilled she is here. And it’s a good tool for our members as well.”

Weaver said she has learned a lot about the city and met a lot of new people.

“I love working with Tracy and Cheryl,” Weaver said. “They have both been awesome. I ask them like 60,000 questions a day.

And I know Cheryl was glad I took the load off.”

By Mark Randall