Meet Haley Barcus

In September we spoke with Haley Barcus, Senior Social Media Manager for the fashion brand, GUESS. Read on to learn how she started their career in social, how she stays on top of social trends and so much more.

‍Tell us a little about yourself:

As the Senior Manager of Social Media, I lead the global social media strategy at GUESS?, Inc., with an audience of nearly 20M followers across all GUESS-owned brands. Through my 7+ years at the global brand, I have helped launch over 150 Global Advertising Campaigns featuring talent like Hailey Beiber, Jennifer Lopez and J Balvin.

What do you love about working in social?

No day is the same in the world of social media. Every new social media trend is a challenge to our creativity.

How do you stay on top of social trends?

My team and I touch base twice weekly and always start with what’s trending on social media. Nothing is off-limits because I believe you can find inspiration from anything. I’m lucky to lead a team of dynamic creatives with different perspectives.

"No day is the same in the world of social media. Every new social media trend is a challenge to our creativity."

Haley Barcus

Senior Social Media Manager at GUESS

What social campaign are you most proud of from your time with GUESS?

It’s hard to choose one, but the first project that comes to mind is being a part of creating #DestinationGUESS, our series of global influencer events. My boss at the time really believed in us and let us lead everything from event production to content creation. During the first year, we increased the @guess following from 2.7M to 5M (the account is now at over 8M followers), attributing most growth to the five #DestinationGUESS trips we hosted. It felt good seeing our hard work pay off, plus we got to have a little fun while doing it — always a bonus.

Top tips on how to be a successful social media manager?

Choose a hard-working, diverse team. Another tip for creating your team is working with people you can rely on who bring different skills to the team. It’s also important to have solid communication across all internal departments to ensure all marketing efforts are aligned.

Regarding social, channel intention matters — Don’t be afraid to test new trends on the platforms where it makes the most sense.

What future social trend or feature excites you most?

The advancement of video storytelling excites me. I can already see how brands and creators are increasing the quality of their content. I love seeing the evolution of edited pictures to elevated video content that feels almost cinematic. As someone whose passion is storytelling, this ignites my creativity.

What is your favorite Dash Hudson feature?

I love how easy it is to pull Social Media Analytics and make a report. It’s vital to have easy accessibility to this because not all teams have a Data Analyst. I have each team member pull reports for their owned brands, allowing them to learn a lot in the process. I also love how Dash Hudson listens to their customers' needs and finds solutions quickly.