A destination marketing approach can elevate the marketing of small downtown areas by emphasizing their unique experiences and vibrant community. Whether it’s the charm of local shops, scenic streets or community events, downtown districts can inspire visitors to picture themselves enjoying the atmosphere by focusing on the emotional appeal of the area. These areas can use storytelling, video content and other marketing efforts to position themselves as inviting destinations, fostering a sense of connection and trust that attracts tourists and boosts economic growth in the area.

Emotional Storytelling: The use of carousels and reels with compelling imagery and videos can help you connect with your audience more deeply. User engagement is higher with carousels since users spend more time swiping to see what’s next. Reels capitalize on the fact that videos are king on social media, which means they’re more engaging – especially when they’re entertaining or educational. Creating shareable reels enhances this effect, expanding businesses’ reach beyond likes and comments.

Collaborative Marketing: Influencer partnerships and collaboration reels allow businesses to reach new audiences while leveraging the trust and credibility established by influencers. A collaboration reel enables you to add a “collaborator” to your post, ensuring that the content reaches both your audience and theirs. This strategy enhances brand visibility and encourages cross-promotion, maximizing reach and driving engagement within both partners’ communities. A partnership with an influencer provides access to the influencer’s audience and reach, enabling it to increase brand awareness.

Collaborative reel with influencer to highlight diversity for Visit Alexandria:

Local Guides and Recs: Utilizing the carousel feature on social media to showcase local coffee shops, boutiques and art murals is a great way to highlight main street areas’ unique offerings and to increase tenant awareness. Bringing these local gems to the attention of businesses can encourage both visitors and residents to explore their own neighborhoods.

Event Marketing: Promoting festivals and farmer’s markets on social media is key for main street or downtown events. Promoting these events with Facebook’s boosting options is an excellent way to reach a broader audience, especially with a small budget. Tools like Eventbrite can be used to sell tickets for paid events, making it easier to manage attendance and drive engagement. Attendees may be more likely to share their experiences online the addition of unique elements such as photo booths, interactive art or play areas are included in these events.

Downtown Milwaukee promoting a “Happy Hour” where employees can take advantage of a BOGO deal:

Use Data to Improve: Main street or downtown marketing efforts can be refined and strengthened by using data such as email click-through rates and social media content shares. By analyzing this data, you can identify what types of content drive engagement and attract more visitors, allowing them to concentrate on strategies that drive engagement. Data-driven marketing ensures marketing efforts are not only effective but also improving.

Interested in boosting social media engagement for your town, business district, main street or hotel? Reach out to us!