We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elle Mersereau a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elle , appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

At ELM Creative, we believe effective digital marketing is never about quick fixes or cookie-cutter campaigns—it’s about building a strong foundation and crafting a strategy that works seamlessly across every platform your audience touches.
What sets us apart? Our process begins with a comprehensive SEO audit—not as an afterthought, but as the cornerstone of your entire marketing strategy. This isn’t just a technical review; it’s a deep dive into our clients’ website’s performance, uncovering strengths to amplify and weaknesses to resolve. Unlike many agencies that silo their services, we take a 360-degree view. A company’s website, branding, SEO, social media, and paid advertising shouldn’t operate as separate entities, they should work together as one powerful ecosystem. This integrated approach means branding feels consistent, user experience flows naturally across platforms, and campaigns amplify each other’s impact.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Every business is unique, so we tailor our strategies to your goals, audience, and industry.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

At ELM Creative, we’re redefining what digital marketing looks like by taking a holistic, strategy-first approach. Founded by Elle Mersereau, a marketing strategist with a deep background in branding and business growth, ELM Creative was born out of a desire to help businesses cut through the noise online—not with flashy trends, but with intentional strategies that actually work.

We primarily work with brands in tech, construction and architecture, and wellness industries, but our process is built to scale for any business ready to invest in lasting results. What sets us apart is our refusal to offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Every strategy is tailored to our client’s goals, audience, and industry landscape.

What I’m most proud of is helping businesses go from feeling stuck online to seeing real, sustainable growth. I’m proud of helping clients not only rank higher on Google but also see their brand reputation strengthen across platforms. For potential clients and followers, I’d want them to know that working with us means gaining a partner who cares about their long-term success as much as they do. We’re passionate about crafting strategies that feel as unique as the brands we serve, and we’re committed to making the digital space a place where great ideas can truly thrive.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

For both ELM Creative and our clients, the most effective strategy for growing a strong, sustainable clientele starts with one key step: building a solid foundation through SEO. Whether we’re editing an existing website or designing an SEO strategy for a new one, this step is critical. It’s not just about improving search rankings—it’s about understanding your ideal audience, where they spend their time, what they’re searching for, and how they’re choosing service providers like you. A properly developed SEO strategy lays the groundwork for your entire marketing ecosystem, ensuring that every other effort—from social media to paid ads—has the support of a strong, discoverable web presence.

From there, we create brand guidelines to unify your voice and visuals across all platforms. This consistency builds trust and recognition with your audience. Once the overarching marketing strategy is in place, it’s time to adapt it to each platform, tailoring content for the unique tone and functionality of Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Ads, email marketing, and beyond. Finally, develop a 12-month marketing calendar that maps out key campaigns, content themes, and touchpoints to keep your brand visible, relevant, and engaging year-round.

For ELM Creative, this approach has been just as impactful. By practicing what we preach—prioritizing SEO, creating clear brand messaging, and executing a consistent cross-platform strategy—we’ve built strong relationships with clients who value strategy as much as results. It’s this intentional, layered process that helps us—and the brands we work with—not only attract clients but retain and grow them over time.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

At ELM Creative, we’ve learned that building an audience on social media isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being where your audience is and showing up with intention. Social media isn’t optional anymore, and when it’s used strategically, it can become a powerful tool for growth. For our clients, we always start by identifying which platforms make sense for their brand based on where their ideal audience spends the most time. Once we know that, we build a comprehensive 360° marketing strategy so their social media presence feels cohesive, aligned with their brand voice, and—most importantly—effective.

It’s also critical to define your goals for using social media. For some businesses, there’s a direct link between engagement and revenue. For others, it’s more about establishing legitimacy in their industry, staying connected with current clients, or attracting future employees. Your goals determine which metrics matter most, whether that’s followers, engagement, impressions, or even website clicks.

For most of our clients, we focus on high-quality content tailored to each platform. On Instagram, consistency is key—posting regularly and leaning into Reels and carousel posts helps us quickly increase reach and engagement. On LinkedIn, we connect with other industry leaders and use features like newsletters to position our clients as trusted voices in their industries. X (formerly Twitter) requires a different approach—less long-term planning and more responsiveness to current events with content that feels timely and on-brand. And while Facebook may feel less trendy, maintaining a presence there adds another valuable touchpoint for educating audiences and making it easy for them to connect.

Our biggest piece of advice? Review your analytics every month. Double down on what’s working, pivot from what’s not, and keep your strategy fresh. Social media platforms and algorithms change constantly, so staying adaptable is crucial. And don’t underestimate the value of hiring a marketing team to manage this for you—it allows you to focus on doing what you do best: running your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elmcreativeinc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmcreativeinc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elle-mersereau/