Stephanie Lichtenstein, President & Founder of Micro Media Marketing
www.linkedin.com/in/stephanielichtenstein
www.instagram.com/micromediamarketing
social@micromediamarketing.com
I'm thrilled to introduce the wonderful Stephanie Lichtenstein as our next Female Power Player! Stephanie has been a trailblazer in the affiliate marketing industry since 2007, and her journey has been nothing short of inspiring. We initially connected in the private Affiliate Family Facebook group started by Missy Ward and Shawn Collins, who also founded and grew the Affiliate Summit trade show before it was sold to Clarion Events. Today, Stephanie is the President and Founder of Micro Media Marketing and recently launched MicroSocialContent.com, a platform dedicated to providing hassle-free social media content. Join me as we dive into Stephanie's journey, her vision for the future, and get to know her a bit better.
Stephanie, your journey in affiliate marketing began in 2007, and since then, you've achieved remarkable success. Reflecting on your early days, what inspired you to enter this field, and how did your initial experiences shape your career?
In 2007, while working with an online marketing agency specializing in affiliate marketing management, I leveraged the early days of social media to recruit and market our affiliate programs. During this time, I recommended to Andy Rodriguez's team that we introduce social media services to our clients. This initiative marked the beginning of our social media journey.
In 2009, driven by my passion for social media and its potential to grow eCommerce brands, I launched Micro Media Marketing at the age of 23. Reflecting our expertise in the field of social media for eCommerce. Over the years, we have successfully partnered with brands such as StickerGiant, HarperKids, and PuffCuff, helping them thrive through our tailored social media management services.
In 2024, to celebrate our 15th anniversary, we just launched MicroSocialContent.com. This new venture leverages our extensive expertise to deliver high-quality content and video with zero hassle to in-house social media teams, helping them enhance their strategies and drive better results.
The launch of MicroSocialContent.com marks an exciting new chapter for your business. What specific services does your new platform offer, what challenges does it solve, and which types of businesses or professionals should consider utilizing these services?
With 15 years of experience in social media management, we've frequently been asked to support internal social media teams. To address this need, we crafted tailored solutions for strategies, content, and video, leading to the launch of MicroSocialContent.com. This new platform tackles the challenge of consistently creating high-quality, engaging content by offering strategic social media content templates and authentic User-Generated Content (UGC) videos.
UGC, created by everyday users rather than influencers, provides a more genuine and relatable brand narrative. It is not only more cost-effective than traditional influencer marketing but also builds trust and drives engagement through authentic customer experiences. Our strategic templates further streamline content creation, helping brands maintain a strong social media presence and achieve impactful results.
In a competitive market, standing out is crucial. How does MicroSocialContent.com differentiate itself from other social media content providers?
Our services are highly personalized and unique to each customer’s brand. Each strategy, video campaign, and branded template is tailored for your success.
Our approach integrates insights from years of working with brands and creators, allowing us to perfect our tools and strategies. Our hands-on experience with social media channels like Instagram and Pinterest and their algorithms will enhance your social media efforts to drive success.
With 15 years of expertise in the industry, we have worked on strategies and campaigns across Instagram and X for clients such as #DitchtheBand for hair care brand The PuffCuff and "Every Sticker Has a Story" with StickerGiant. During this time, The PuffCuff's fan base grew to over 100K followers with 2 million website views. StickerGiant grew from a five-person team to a $25 million company.
We can apply these strategies and manage everything for you, or we can offer these services to your in-house team.
Mentorship often plays a critical role in professional growth. Have there been any mentors or influential figures in your career who have significantly impacted your journey?
Affiliate Summit played a significant role in my mentorship. I met many talented online marketers, including Gary Vaynerchuk and the “Affiliate Family” group. Thanks to Missy Ward and Shawn Collins, I have spoken at several Affiliate Summits.
Meeting GaryVee was pivotal in launching my business. After reading his book Crush It and discussing it with him at a book signing, I shared that I had just started my own social media company and sought his mentorship. He graciously invited me to work out of his VaynerMedia offices in Tribeca, which had just been founded that same year. This opportunity was invaluable.
His memory and attention to detail when talking to you are second to none. One standout memory was selling Crush It on the streets of New York with his team—talk about hustle! Observing their large-scale campaigns for brands like NHL and Sour Patch Kids provided me with experiences that were crucial during the launch of Micro Media Marketing.
Bootstrapping and learning at VaynerMedia was priceless for the start of my entrepreneurial journey, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity GaryVee provided.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of Micro Media Marketing and MicroSocialContent.com?
At Micro Media Marketing, our vision is to continue growing brands while empowering our amazing team of women. We specialize in social media management with high-quality content and personalized strategies that propel brands forward. Our team of women and stay-at-home moms have a track record of working with us for an average of 5 years. Their dedication, deep understanding of our target audiences, and ability to work remotely have been key to building long-term partnerships with brands that deliver impactful results. For more details, visit micromediamarketing.com.
At MicroSocialContent.com, we are committed to continually improving our services and responding to customer needs. We provide strategic social media content templates and user-generated content (UGC) videos to simplify tasks for in-house teams. As social media platforms evolve, we stay very adaptable, delivering new content and services to keep up with changing trends. Our goal is to empower in-house teams with effective blueprints for social media growth and explore additional deliverables to enhance their capabilities.
Achieving a work-life balance is essential for sustained success. How do you ensure you maintain this balance, and what hobbies or activities help you unwind?
When I’m not working, to maintain balance and unwind, my husband and I have been enjoying Montreal’s European charm this summer. Its art, music, and walkable streets have been a refreshing change of scenery. We go on daily bike rides, and I stay active with my OrangeTheory classes, which keeps me energized. A passion of mine has been taking French classes, which I’ve found challenging; learning a new language can be humbling but rewarding. The ability to work remotely enhances our travel experiences and makes online marketing so special.
The journey of entrepreneurship is often filled with ups and downs. Can you share a significant challenge you faced and how you overcame it?
For me, a significant challenge was transitioning Micro Media Marketing from a boutique agency to one capable of scaling more effectively. My most important goal was to provide substantial value and a strong return on investment for our clients. To achieve this growth, I recognized the need to elevate the quality and personalization of our content while justifying higher pricing.
To address this, I made a strategic decision to reinvest in the business by hiring more experienced team members. This not only improved our service offerings but also allowed us to raise our pricing structure. Taking this newly strengthened team to exhibit at a major conference was one of the best decisions I made. Although it was a substantial investment and took about eight months to see a return, the results eventually came back tenfold. Another crucial lesson for long-term success has been working with brands that align with our values. Ensuring a good fit is key, and it’s also important to trust your instincts and know when to say no to opportunities that could lead to burnout for our team.
The social media landscape is constantly evolving. Based on your experience, what emerging trends or shifts do you anticipate will influence the future of social media marketing?
With the constant influx of social media content and changes, capturing attention and engaging users has become increasingly challenging. To address this, we've developed a strategy focused on User-Generated Content (UGC), which consists of relatable content created by consumers. UGC is not only more cost-effective compared to influencer marketing but also provides a more authentic and relatable brand narrative.
We’re prioritizing UGC video content because its storytelling resonates deeply with consumers. Studies from Shopify show that UGC-based content achieves a 4x higher click-through rate in ads, and we’ve observed even greater results with our UGC campaigns. For example, within 2 months, we saw a 457% increase in impressions, a 139% rise in profile visits, and a 77% boost in external link taps with a natural skincare line. Additionally, two campaigns produced 30 engaging influencer videos which are being leveraged across social media, website content, and advertising to drive purchase decisions. This underscores UGC’s effectiveness in driving engagement and connecting with audiences on a personal level.
Your journey is such an inspiration to many. What advice would you give to women who are considering a career in affiliate marketing or social media management, and what key lessons have you learned that could guide them?
One key piece of advice is to focus on choosing a niche to stand out. By specializing in e-commerce and working alongside my amazing team of women and stay-at-home moms, we’ve been able to cater effectively to our target audience. Our expertise in fashion, beauty, and home decor further sets us apart. Connecting authentically with your audience is crucial for creating meaningful engagement and offering unique value.
Thank you for letting me share my journey. Many online marketers have inspired and supported me along the way, and I am very grateful for their help. My wish for those considering a career in this field is to go for it and take risks. With the wealth of resources, courses, AI, and online tools available, there has never been a better time to learn and grow.
(Photography by Frank Ishman)
