[Interview] Jasmin Griffiths, Head of Content at Lost Boys

Who are you and what does your company do?

My name is Jasmin Griffiths, I am Head of Content and Distribution at Lost Boys.  Lost Boys is a creative agency part of the DigitasLBi Family. We specialize in social and content helping brands create ground-breaking work.

How and why did you get started in social media?

I always wanted to work in communications since university. I started in the design world working for an agency and moved into the digital startup world to work in social, including some of the first social campaigns across MySpace.

What do you believe are the benefits of using social media for business?

It's not enough to say who you are on social media anymore, it could end up as white noise. People expect and demand more, they want to know you're listening and ready to respond. As a brand you have the responsibility to drive relevant conversations based on who you are and what you stand for, thus creating meaningful connections with your audience.  It can build a personality with consistent value that stands out from competitors.

What do you think are common mistakes business owners make when building brand awareness on social media?

Often clients who are less familiar with social media, tend to see it as a simple add on and even the last channel to consider allocating budget to. It’s important to think carefully about the channels you’re using and holistically weave these through your marketing efforts,  ultimately laddering up to the business objectives.  Driving reach is key in building brand awareness and therefore this relies on content being shared and engaged with. The question to ask here therefore would be, does my content add value to my audience to encourage this?

What qualities do you think social media managers should have?

They need to be confident, creative, strategic and have a key eye for numbers to understand what helps drive real results. It's important to remain fluid and passionate, constantly looking at technologies and creative solutions to bring long-term success.

How do business owners know if their social media campaign is working?

It depends on what you're trying to achieve and how the objectives level up to overall business goals.

How do you see social media evolving over the next 5 years …what do you hope to see?

It’s about continued integration across technology and remembering the person at the center of it all.

If you could share one best practice about using social media to grow a business, what would it be?

A best practice would be to take it seriously and invest in getting it right upfront. In other words, working out what you would like your business to achieve, its unique value and voice.

Any and every activity should be about putting the audience at the heart.