Eighteen Years of WideFoc.us — and I'm Still Into It

By Eric Elkins

Eighteen years ago, I was a recently unemployed single dad with some decent interviews under my belt, zero dollars in the bank, and looking down the barrel at the emerging economic downturn. Rather than go to work for someone else (again), I started WideFoc.us with my laptop at a local coffee shop in the hours between dropping my little girl off at school and picking her up at the bus stop later that day. 

Even then, I knew that this whole “social media for business” thing would be a thing, but I also knew back then that it would be an uphill battle to prove the value of strong social strategy in an uncertain economy. (Sound familiar?)

And while I’d love to say I’ve been sipping coconut water on a hammock ever since, running WideFoc.us has meant answering client calls on an otherwise lazy Saturday afternoon, talking down a frustrated team member before my morning cappuccino, telling my daughter to “just give me a few more minutes” while I cook dinner and crank out a proposal for the next day’s free strategy session with an exciting lead, and sweating over making payroll while sweating out the Korean rice wine and spicy tteokbokki I’d just consumed at 2am in a Seoul hotel room. The joys and aches of being a business owner are as closely related as a triple espresso and heart palpitations — one keeps you going and the other reminds you you’re alive.

And even after all this time — after 18 years of hustle and thrills — I keep finding new things to be excited about. 

And this year is no different.

1. AI Search Optimization (AIO) is real, and social media matters more than ever.

It’s wild to think about, but your next customer might not be finding you through Google’s blue links — they’re asking ChatGPT for a recommendation. And when AI starts pulling content, guess where it’s pulling from?

Strong social. Smart blog posts. Real engagement.

We’re helping our clients show up in AI-driven search because we know how to craft content that resonates and ads that drive ROI — and now, we know it can “rank,” too. 

Transparently? One of our biggest challenges has always been the perception that “anyone” (intern, marketing manager, business owner) can “do social” and it’ll be fine. You don’t hear about companies bringing SEO or media buying in-house, but they’ll often muddle through social media marketing because they don’t understand that consistent, strategic content posting, real-time monitoring, and paid campaigns can be revenue drivers. 

Now, we can confidently say, “Hey! Your socials are key components of AIO, so you’d better get it right, or you’re going to be invisible.” It’s a new way of describing the advantages that hiring a team of professionals can bring to a brand.

That's powerful.

2. Demonstrating the value of what we do is getting more robust. 

Our clients have always received more than an “Impressions are up!” analysis of their social media performance. We are constantly researching and testing tools that connect the dots: content to clicks to customers. We're finding new ways to show what’s working, tweak what’s not, and refine strategies in real time — because likes are cute, but revenue is cuter.

I love the fact that Molly, our ad strategist, is always working with our team to find new and clearer ways to share the impact of the work we’re doing with our clients. I just put her on the hunt for a tool that measures our AIO effectiveness and integrates with our reporting software, and I’m very excited to add that to our comprehensive monthly insights reports.

3. Our scroll-stopping content is crushing it.

I’m going to get to my team appreciation down this list a bit, but I love how our creative peeps are working with (and always testing) new content generation — from lo-fi UGC-style video to animated explainers to short-form storytelling that hooks people (without feeling like a used car ad).

We get to play. Test. Surprise and delight (clients, consumers, B2B decision-makers — you name it). Help the perpetually-online feel something in seven seconds or less. And we’re always improving our tools and deliverables. 

It’s so fun for me to be impressed by something a team member created — I love the excitement of a Reel or TikTok that makes my benumbed marketing veteran heart go pow.

4. New clients = new stories and new challenges.

Our whole team finds something magical about diving into a new industry or brand — learning what makes our clients tick, what their customers are up against, the lingo and the technical terms, and how to bring it all to life on social.

Whether it’s a B2B SaaS platform, a home services company, an ecommerce supplements brand, or a nonprofit fighting to make the world just a little bit better, we get to tell stories that matter and engage. We elevate voices, drive visibility, and help real humans connect and make an impact.

5. This team, though!

After 18 years, I’ve learned to recognize how every person on our team brings something unique to what we do — and we’ve created a culture where we treat each other with respect and warmth. Our value of open, honest, and direct communication means we collaborate, we challenge each other, and we grow together. We laugh a lot. 

And (most importantly), we’re aligned in our goal to do meaningful work — for our clients, for the growth of WideFoc.us, and for each other.

It’s pretty awesome.

6. We’re building something to last.

It’s not just about me anymore (and hasn’t been for a long time). I get real joy in learning from and empowering our team, evolving our offerings, and thinking about the ways WideFoc.us will continue to grow and serve — even after I’m no longer the one writing the anniversary blog posts.

7. I’m always growing.

Nearly two whole decades in, this job demands that I keep learning — about leadership, about new platforms, about myself. It pushes me to get uncomfortable sometimes. It reminds me how to listen. And it continues to make me a better human. (Even if I'm still on my phone too much.)

A heartwarming moment as Bill shares a supportive and encouraging bond with his human.

So yeah — 18 years in, and I’m still here for it.

And I’m deeply grateful to every client, team member, collaborator, and cheerleader who’s been part of this wild, joyful, exhausting, incredible ride. 

We wouldn’t be here without you.

(And if you need social media that drives growth, well… you know where to find us.)

Eric Elkins is the founder and CEO of WideFoc.us Social Media. An author of a few books, he also likes to write odes to Denver’s best dishes and drinks at denverlicious.com.