<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"In the spirit of March Madness,  Mashable  and Capital One Spark have teamed up to seek out America's Most Social Small Business. Earlier this week we announced our Sweet Sixteen, and after another round of tough deliberations, we're down to the Elite Eight. \nFor those of you just joining us, our bracket-style elimination system is based on a variety of factors, including social reach and engagement, short answer responses, company size, brand voice, social influence, cohesive design, style of online conversation and quality and ratio of interactions.\nSee also: Most Top Brands Still Don't Engage With Twitter Followers\nThese companies may be small, but they sure know how to work it on social media \u2014 especially on Twitter, which is why this round was particularly close in almost every match-up. \nWhile the 16 small businesses that went head-to-head in this round are all impressive leaders in the social media scene, only eight can progress to the next round, where we will be examining each brand's use of visuals and imagery in their social efforts. To keep up with the challenge online, follow along with the hashtag #SocialSmallBiz.\nWithout further adieu, here are our match-ups that determine who's moving on to round three.\n\nImage:  Mashable compositeThe Play-by-Play\nBelow, we go into a little detail on our deliberations to determine each brand's overall Twitter strategy and level of success. \nLegendary Whitetails vs. ShortStackWinner: Legendary WhitetailsIt's evident that Legendary Whitetails, or @DeerGear, has one of the most engaged, supportive and loyal fan bases out there. Every tweet that the brand sends into the Twittersphere gains a great deal of traction and triggers rounds of conversation. DeerGear uses many clever hashtags that appeal directly to its target market (the brand sells whitetail hunting apparel), such as #WeAreLegendary, #YouMightBeFromTheCity, #EatVenison and #TraditionTuesday. \nThis hunter\u2019s haven speaks well to its audience, and through the course of this competition has received tremendous support from its Twitter followers, who are singing the company's praises in 140 characters. The brand does an effective job of utilizing giveaways, engaging in friendly banter with its followers and responding to issues or inquiries promptly \u2014 and we're also impressed with the custom-designed Twitter background, profile photo and cover photo, which adds an aesthetic appeal to the page.\n\nRT &amp; Follow @DeerGear for a chance to #win this #thermal henley! Men's size MED. #WeAreLegendary Winner picked 3/5/14 \n\u2014 @DeerGear March 4, 2014\n\nThe challenger, @ShortStackLab, is very attentive when it comes to curating a page that will hold value for its intended audience \u2014 marketers and other companies looking to capitalize on social. ShortStack links to external marketing sources and to its own blog Socially Stacked, and makes a point to respond to followers\u2019 queries and comments. We're particularly impressed with ShortStack's sportsmanlike efforts in offering to feature Legendary Whitetails\u2019 mobile applications on the ShortStack blog \u2014 true sportsmanship right there. We've got to give them a nod of appreciation at taking the challenge as it's intended: a friendly competition.\nUltimately, Legendary Whitetails wins this one with its large audience, unique brand voice and enthusiastic follower engagement. \nThe Mailbox vs. Blue Bottle CoffeeWinner: Blue Bottle CoffeeTwo very different companies, The Mailbox and Blue Bottle Coffee utilize noticeably different Twitter strategies \u2014 but each is in line with their respective target audiences, industries and brand voice. While The Mailbox connects with its followers (presumably teachers and other education professionals) via industry news, Blue Bottle Coffee takes a step further and uses the platform to be quirky, conversational and tastefully promotional all at once. \n\nCare to join us for a free public cupping at our Oakland roastery at 2 p.m. today? pic.twitter.com/XD0ymYZu1m\n\u2014 Blue Bottle Coffee (@bluebottleroast) January 21, 2014\n\nWith an audience five times the size of @TheMailbox's, this larger brand could easily lose sight of its approachable tone and style \u2014 however, @BlueBottleRoast strikes up online conversations with in-store customers and shares information about its company culture to increase transparency and build a rapport with its audience. Additionally, the brand promotes its products and social presence across all platforms: for instance, this tweet references an Instagram promotion. \nThis isn't to say The Mailbox doesn't do a great job as well; indeed, the educational magazine tweets interesting insights, resources and even playful riddles. Yet, Blue Bottle Coffee emerges as the victor in this particular round, with an impressive grasp on managing a large audience with a personal touch.\nSevenly vs. Out Of PrintWinner: SevenlyThese two clothing companies both have commendable goals \u2014 philanthropy and storytelling. In this round, we had to focus more on engagement levels and audience reach; had we deliberated only on the quality of content, we would have had a stalemate. Both Sevenly and Out of Print engage in unique, impressive ventures on and off social media, and their Twitter presences reflect the thoughtfulness, creativity and individuality of each brand. (And it even looks like they like each other \u2014 check out the tweet below.)\n\nWe're in round 2 of @mashable's #SocialSmallBiz! \u2026 Good luck, @OutofPrintTees :) We love what you do! #GivingBack\n\u2014@Sevenly March 4, 2014\n\n@Sevenly has a Twitter following of more than 34,500 followers, and yet follows only 302 users \u2014 a follower-to-following ratio that suggests the legitimacy of the brand\u2019s reach (a.k.a. they are likely not engaging in a mindless \"follow me and I'll follow you\" approach to social; the growth is probably organic). Almost all of Sevenly's tweets receive high levels of engagement with many retweets and favorites, and there\u2019s a nice balance between product promotion, cause-related calls-to-action and general \u2018wake up and smell the flowers because life is pretty sweet\u2019 content.\n@OutOfPrintTees is a curator of literary history, and \u201Ccelebrates the world\u2019s great stories through fashion.\u201D The brand does a pretty incredible job getting to know its Twitter followers and giving them opportunities to share their passion for literature \u2014 their own version of March Madness, deemed \u201CBook Madness,\u201D for example. \nWhen it comes down to the buzzer, however, Sevenly is the lucky winner advancing to round three.\nJuil vs. KicksOnFire.comWinner: KicksOnFire.comBoth Juil and KicksonFire.com are all about footwear \u2014 but the way the brands interact with their audiences and sell their products are quite different. Juil does a nice job of following up with recent customers and utilizes a mixture of alluring images and inspiring quotes. They follow prospective customers and reach out to them, offering advice and ultimately seeking a follow-back. \nThis competition, @kicksonfire, has a truly impressive fan base \u2014 since the brand entered this competition, KOF fans have really upped their game. The #SocialSmallBiz Twitter stream is overflowing with tweets from KicksOnFire.com followers, praising the brand\u2019s social media prowess, snapping pics of their favorite shoes and declaring their love for the brand. And the sneaker magazine cleverly caught on: as a \u2018thank you\u2019 to the brand's tweeting fans, KOF is giving away a pair of the Air Jordan 3 \u201CInfrared 23\u201D to those who RT and voice their support. \n\n@kicksonfire you don't just give updates on sneakers, you connect with your followers like we're one big sneakerhead family #SocialSmallBiz\n\u2014 @Maydan_America March 5, 2014\n\n\nDon't forget to tweet #SocialSmallBiz. Let the sneakerhead voice be heard. \n\u2014 @kicksonfire March 5, 2014\n\nAside from their more recent #SocialSmallBiz efforts, KicksOnFire has a long history (over 126,000 tweets to date) of showcasing products, interacting with fans and responding to follower's questions, comments and feedback. Even more impressive: President Obama himself follows the company. With a huge audience, high engagement and emphasis on its fans, KicksOnFire.com takes the win in this match-up.\nSuja Juice vs. Grado LabsWinner (by a hair) : Grado LabsJuice-cleanse company @SujaJuice is beginning to make a name for itself in the beverage industry, and this is evident in the positive feedback the brand receives on Twitter. Suja posts informative nutritional resources, responds to nearly every @mention and posts many colorful product images. Grado Labs \u2014 @grado \u2014 has a similar audience size, content quantity and quality and brand recognition. The two small businesses were staunch competitors and made this match a tough one to call. \nMuch like KicksOnFire.com, Grado Labs has grabbed the opportunity to encourage its fans to engage in conversation about the #SocialSmallBiz challenge by hosting a giveaway sweepstakes.\n\nWe made @mashable's Top 16 Social Small Businesses so #GradoGiveaway time! To Enter: RT &amp; Follow! #socialsmallbiz pic.twitter.com/GwwhCJBbG3\n\u2014 @grado March 4, 2014\n\nThe headphone company runs RT giveaways, responds promptly to customer tweets and throws in some humor along the way. When you sell a great product, like Suja Juice or Grado headphones, you\u2019re likely to gain social traction; we see great potential in both brands, but ultimately, this round goes to Grado. \n\nYou're the best thing that ever happened to headphones/earphones damn grado labs i love you so much pic.twitter.com/ZMxcQwWihv\n\u2014 @exameatsix March 3, 2014\n\nAngel City Brewery vs. Beekman1802Winner: Beekman1802\nThere is no doubt that @AngelCityBeer is a superb brewery with a small \u2014 but strong \u2014 audience and customer base. The business capitalizes on the social aspect of grabbing a drink with friends in a casual, fun environment that draws you in, and this conversational tone is present on the brewery's Twitter account. Angel City promotes its staff, customers and \"Tacos &amp; Trivia\" nights \u2014 but while the company's efforts are strong, the results can\u2019t compare to that of @Beekman1802Boys. \nThe \"Beekman Boys\" goat farmers promote not only their business (a farm in upstate New York), but also themselves and in doing so, create a friendly atmosphere on their page. They post about cooking and decoration, hold video live-streams where they speak directly to fans and provoke interesting conversation. \n\nKeep your chin up! pic.twitter.com/giSj5IdvCU\n\u2014 @Beekman1802Boys February 12, 2014\n\nMud Puppies vs. SerengeteeWinner: Serengetee\nPuppies and clothing \u2014 very different, but both equally as cherished by their fans. Mud Puppies, with a small-sized Twitter following, uses the platform differently than most brands.  The account belongs to and is managed by the company\u2019s owner, which could occasionally lend itself to seeming a little too personal. Yet putting that aside, the company connects with its audience the way they want to be approached \u2014 with kindness, cuteness and promptness. Customers love them and can\u2019t get enough adorable puppy pics, like this one, for example: \n\nHanging at the @Love_A_Bull Pints for Pits event. It's St. Pittie's Day! Like me hat? #stpatricksday #pitbull pic.twitter.com/4TXrxhcDfX\n\u2014 @Kaxan_KXAN March 1, 2014\n\nClothing brand @serengetee might have one of the most rambunctious audiences of all the businesses in the competition. The company is on top of its game \u2014 Serengetee is utilizing the hashtag #SocialSmallBiz well and its fans seem to truly support everything the company stands for. Serengetee highlights its customers, gives away clothing every week and promotes global causes \u2014 \"Wear the World, Change the World.\" The company also has celebrity partnerships in its target demographic who broaden audience reach and raise money for their favorite causes (e.g. Tyler Posey, the Buried Life, Jimmy Tatro). Props to Mud Puppies for maintaining a strong, loyal audience, but this round goes to Serengetee. \n\nRETWEET to enter to WIN $50 to http://www.Serengetee.com ! Must be following us to win. #WearTheWorld #SocialSmallBiz pic.twitter.com/nNbqx9Vudw\n\u2014 @serengetee March 4, 2014\n\nPlated vs. RecruitMilitaryWinner: Plated\nThis bracket pairing was also a very tough one to call, as Plated and RecruitMilitary have similar audience sizes and devoted fan bases. Plated creates all of its food imagery in-house and makes sure that its posts are consistent, authentic and alluring \u2014 what the brand cleverly terms the \u201Cmise-en-plate.\u201D RecruitMilitary\u2019s overarching purpose is to provide veteran job-seekers with tools and information they need while looking for employment. Whether it\u2019s sharing job listings, answering questions or aggregating relevant news stories, RM pays attention to what its followers want and need. \nWhat stands out, however, is the higher level of RTs and conversations on @plated\u2019s page.\n\nPlated Poll: What's your favorite cheese?\n\u2014 @plated February 26, 2014\n\nRecruitMilitary is a great business that does amazing things for veterans in need of professional advice and assistance; however, when visiting the company's website it\u2019s hard to even find the link to its social media accounts. On Twitter they are really rocking customer service, as they respond to every query, comment and piece of fan advice. They have great success stories and should continue to do what they do best \u2014 connecting with its fans with poise, passion and persistence. As the buzzer rings, Plated clinches the win and moves on to round 3, the Image Showdown.\nComing up: Round Two Winners and Round Three Match-Ups\n\nImage: Mashable Composite\nRound 3: Use of imagery \u2014 this round will focus on how each brand utilizes visuals, including platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube, as well as how the business incorporates visuals into its overall social media presence.\nRound 4: Brand voice \u2014 we'll look at how each brand has developed its online voice, including cohesiveness, humor, engagement, uniqueness, etc.\n\nDates to Remember\nMarch 10: Mashable Most Social Small Business Final Four announcedMarch 13: Mashable Most Social Small Business National Championship Game announcedMarch 18: America\u2019s Most Social Small Business crowned\nWhich small business do you think should take the title of America's Most Social? Tell us in the comments\n      window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement('script');js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);};\n_msla(\"//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\",\"twitter_jssdk\");"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/03/06/most-social-small-biz-twitter/>