YAC.so's dashboard provides direction on the digital media highway

The rise of social networks has been both a boon and a bane for marketers, especially in small business.

The ability to connect and listen to customers, anywhere at anytime, is unprecedented -- and a marketer's dream. At the same time, if you are a small business owner with limited time and resources, how do you manage all these connections without becoming overwhelmed?

Enter YAC.so, a West Michigan marketing firm that has created an easy-to-use dashboard where marketers can manage all their social media, website, email and text campaigns.  

YAC.so, which is shorthand for "your area code," was started in 2007 when the company's founder created a media site that helped bar and restaurant owners handle social media within the 616 area code.

Listening to their customers, the firm began adding different modules to their dashboard and now offers a multi-faceted service designed for small businesses.

James Matthews, vice president of marketing and partner programs, says YAC.so now services over 600 customers. He says the core business is focused on restaurants, bars, specialty retailers and other entertainment venues. He says their service thrives in the business-to-consumer market, where these companies customers are active and engaged with social media.

According to Matthews, a key to their growth has been innovation. "One of the main things is for us to continually innovate our product by listening to our customers. Add new services with  our existing services and  push out to new markets. Keep adding value to the end user and make it simple for their business," he says.

Another key to growth is their ability to recruit top talent to their team. Matthews says their company is close to finalizing a move to a downtown office, which is part of their overall strategy of creating a vibrant culture and bringing the firm closer to the growing urban tech community.

Currently YAC.so has 11 full time employees, contracts out to another 15 developers, and has several full-time job openings for software developers.

To learn more about YAC.so, you can visit their site here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor