From Podcasting to PR: How Allie Siarto Built a Career in Digital Media
MSU AD+PR Professor of Practice Shapes the Digital Media Landscape Through Photography, Entrepreneurship and Teaching
By: Allisa Sigmon
In 2003, Allie Siarto began her journey as a student at Michigan State University. It was the dawn of the digital age. Facebook had just launched, and Wi-Fi was a luxury. Today, Siarto is a professor of practice at MSU, at the forefront of social media, photography and technology.
Siarto studied advertising and telecommunications at MSU, where she witnessed the rise of social media. She launched The Creative Career podcast, which focused on networking and connecting with industry professionals. She quickly built an audience and reached more than 100,000 downloads. Then, something even bigger happened.
“They found my podcast and said, ‘Do you want to train all of Edelman across the globe how to use social media in what they’re doing?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I do,’” Siarto said.
The financial crisis hit in 2008, and everything changed. Siarto transitioned to client work but became a leader in social media listening. She used digital tools to monitor online conversations, track consumer sentiment and gather insights to help brands like Pepsi, Olive Garden and Red Lobster refine their marketing strategies.
Siarto developed a passion for social media listening and saw an emerging opportunity in the industry. She left Edelman and took a bold step toward entrepreneurship. She launched Loudpixel, a social media analytics agency, and secured her first client, Wrigley Gum, just days after delivering a pitch.
However, Siarto’s career didn’t stop there. She also pursued her passion for photography at the Chicago Photography Center, turning a weekend hobby into a successful side business. She merged her love for visual storytelling with her branding expertise, launching Allie & Co. Photography. Today, she operates the thriving commercial and branding photography business full-time, blending creativity with strategy.
Siarto returned to MSU in 2012 as a guest lecturer, a pivotal moment in her career. She developed a syllabus for a new course, and her role continued to evolve. Eventually, she joined the MSU AD+PR faculty as a professor of practice.
Her teaching approach emphasizes that success in the digital world requires constant learning and staying ahead of the curve. She adapts her courses each semester to reflect emerging trends, teaching students how to navigate the fast-paced industry. She most recently updated her social media management course to include lessons on using AI to enhance copywriting and assist social media managers.
“My overarching goal that’s always held steady is that I, of course, hope to maintain teaching excellence as much as I can and keep students up on what’s relevant,” Siarto said.
Siarto leads MSU’s annual Advertising and Public Relations a la Mediterranean program. This immersive program allows students to explore international advertising, experience vibrant cultures and make valuable connections in some of Europe’s most iconic cities.
Learn more about the program at comartsci.msu.edu/education-abroad.