The Tallahassee Democrat was recognized today for its outstanding use of digital marketing and social media after receiving the 2014 S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Award at the Tallahassee Technology (TalTech) Alliance’s TechExpo.
Each year, the TalTech Alliance awards one business or organization utilizing social media and digital tools with the Social Media Achieving Real Time Enriched Relations (S.M.A.R.T.E.R.) Award, sponsored by Digital Opps – the digital marketing division of RB Oppenheim Associates, a local integrated marketing firm. Previous winners have included Hunter+Harp, Moore Communications Group, the City of Tallahassee and New Leaf Market.
This year’s award, presented at TalTech’s TechExpo at the Florida State University Turnbull Conference Center, went to the Tallahassee Democrat for its efforts in engaging readers across several social media platforms. The Tallahassee Democrat currently has active accounts on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. In addition to the accounts that represent the newspaper itself, several members of the Democrat team – including Bob Gabordi, Gerald Ensley, Leslie Smith, Mark Hinson, Tamaryn Waters, Mark Hohmeister and Byron Dobson – have their own social media accounts that engage readers.
“The impact of social media on a business can be astronomical. However, the Tallahassee Democrat’s social media efforts not only add value to their business, but they also keep local residents informed about their community,” said Michael Winn, Chief Digital Officer of Digital Opps. “We are excited to recognize local businesses, like the Tallahassee Democrat, that embrace new communication technology and engage their audiences”
The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Award was created in 2010 to recognize area businesses, government entities, associations, not-for-profits or other organizations that are successfully engaging their customers in meaningful dialogue and providing the highest level of service through Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and other social media platforms.