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Welcome back to another edition of #2Steamstories! We’re glad that you’ve been enjoying this series of short interview articles where we get to know more about the 2S family members.
From internships, UI/UX design to content marketing, #2Steamstories aims to help everyone understand more about life at an agency. We also hope to provide insights into the each specialisation and encourage aspiring marketers to join this dynamic and exciting industry.
In this edition, we have with us John Tan, who’d be sharing with us his journey as a content and social media marketer. In 6 questions, let’s uncover what it’s like to work with social media and learn what it takes to connect and engage customers in this digital age.
Connect with John!
Hi John! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello everyone! I’m John, also known as the unofficial bro in our team. It all started with a casual remark from one of our clients and this title has been conferred to me since then.
I’ve spent most of my life living overseas in China, Hong Kong and the US. I completed my degree in Sports Management from Drexel University in the US back in 2015. Many think that it’s a coaching-related degree, but it’s really a business degree with an emphasis in the sports industry.
Since moving back to Singapore, I’ve worked with several global brands such as Oakley and Lenovo on social media management, content creation/strategy, and paid media planning.
It’s been 5 years since I started working in and around social media, covering all aspects of social media from content creation, channel management, and paid media.
I am passionate about social media because it’s at the forefront of how consumers’ are exposed to content. What particularly interests me is how brands (particularly in industries of my interests – sports, gaming) portray themselves on social media to meet their needs.
What made you decide on a content marketing/social media marketing career?
Initially, I always wanted a career in sports (or sports-related field), with a particular interest in marketing. My first gig in social media marketing was for an events company, branding a zombie themed marathon online. I then moved on to the agency side, crafting my trade in content creation from copywriting to even doing some design work. Be it on the brand or agency side, what interests me the most about the role is fusing the creative/strategic processes and seeing it come to life in a campaign visual/content.
What attracted you to 2Stallions?
In my opinion, 2Stallions’ greatest strength as an agency is our technical prowess across digital platforms. When I was looking for a new role, this was one skillset I felt needed improving. Through proper mentoring and opportunities, I’ve been able to develop my technical skills tenfold to a point where I am confident to impart my knowledge to others as well.
What excites you the most about the industry?
The industry, especially social media, is ever changing. Although the basics will more or less stay the same, it’s important to keep up with trends/technical updates and see what other brands and other agencies are doing. Even when I’m casually browsing social media in my free time, it’s something I keep my eyes out for. People are on social media in their free time anyway, so this is the best time to learn what can work and what doesn’t. If these ads work on me, who knows who else they could work on.
Learn more about social media marketing on our blog
What did you learn about yourself and the industry over the years?
Aside from constantly learning about new technical updates and trends of social media, I’ve come to learn that the real joy comes from the collaboration with my teams and our clients. Oftentimes, the reason why clients look for an agency is because they need assistance in navigating the digital landscape. Being able to guide them and teach them how social media weaves into their grand plans can be very rewarding.
What do you think is the most challenging/fulfilling part of your job?
I’d say the most challenging part is also the most fulfilling part of my job. To sum it up, it’s about keeping clients happy. What it means to be happy is not limited to the results we produce for their campaigns, but it also means that our clients are happy with working with us day to day. Over the course of my career (so far), I’ve been fortunate to build solid connections with many great people from various brands and backgrounds. These connections have been a result of developing good relationships both work wise and casually.
Wrapping Up
Get to know our #2Stallionsfamily with the #2Steamstories tag. Discover the works done by our diverse team of digital marketing professionals. Browse and download our case studies now!
If you’re looking for a content marketing or social media marketing expert, don’t hesitate to contact us.
