If it weren’t for her sister’s persistence, Allie Osmar might not have thought to consider a return to East Lansing, or to come with the company she created in 2009,
Loudpixel, in tow.
"Every time we came back to visit family, she would give us brochures and feed us stories on the new innovations and new economy in
East Lansing, and tell us how exciting they were," says Osmar.
It just so happened that this prodding lined up with a desire she shared Loudpixel co-founders, Jeff Siarto and Ryan Abbott: to find a new location.
"Finally, she introduced us to
Jeff Smith with the
Technology Innovation Center," she says. "He was the final draw that got us here."
So what exactly does a “social media monitoring, analysis and reporting company” like Loudpixel do?
"I think the best comparison we can make is comparing what we do to a focus group, as far as our research goes," says Osmar. "We go into online conversations—like blogs,
Twitter and online news sources—and we find trends. We see how people feel about brands, trends and what our clients’ competitors are up to."
It took a happy accident for Osmar to stumble upon the market for such online sleuthing. While working for a PR agency in Chicago, she was doing similar work to measure the effects of her own agency’s work.
"I had clients coming to us and saying, 'You’re going to launch a campaign and then you’re going to measure it. So how do we know you’re not biased?'
"Now," Osmar says, "we’re able to show them unbiased information that will help them with their decisions in advertising, product development and PR."
Though the company is working in cubicle space at the TIC while waiting for a full office to open up, they already employ three part-time freelancers and anticipate hiring new freelancers and MSU interns in the near future.
Source: Allie Osmar, Loudpixel
Writer: Natalie Burg, Interim News Editor
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