Small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities, yet they often face the challenge of limited visibility and resources to compete in today’s digital landscape. As a marketing agency deeply committed to fostering community growth, we recognized this challenge and sought to harness the power of social media to uplift the stories of one of our tourism clients during the holiday season.
Atascadero is located on California’s Central Coast, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The city is near wine country, historic missions and an easy drive to beaches along the Pacific coast, and also has a unique and charming small-town feel that enchants locals and visitors alike.
When Atascadero was looking for a way to promote the importance within the community of shopping local, we crafted an engaging social media campaign, a #ShopLocal mini-series on Visit Atascadero’s social channels kicking off on Black Friday highlighting a variety of mom-and-pop shops. In carousel style, each post had multiple images with branded elements and inviting copy to encourage shopping in town. We ran the campaign through Cyber Monday and it reached more than 3,800 people in four days, exceeding our goal of 2,000. 
Three Strategies To Amplify Your Content
Our #ShopLocal series got a positive response and strong engagement, so what can we learn from this example? Here are some strategies to consider for your next campaign:
- Branded Content Creation: Develop compelling content that highlights the unique stories, products or services offered by local businesses. Authentic storytelling through photos, videos and testimonials can forge stronger connections with the audience and bring interest and energy to the messaging. Use a branded graphic to unify the campaign and create recognition.
- Tagging Businesses to Amplify Reach: Actively engage with local businesses on social media by tagging them in posts, collaborations or stories. This benefits everyone, boosting visibility and increasing impressions and engagements.
- Foster Open Dialogue with Partners: Establish a dialogue with small business owners to form a reciprocal relationship, furthering sharing and collaboration. By building relationships and actively listening, you can tailor your social media strategies to have a bigger impact.
Our campaign sparked a surge in local support through engaging storytelling and captivating visuals. Not only did it generate heightened awareness about these businesses, but it also cultivated a sense of community pride and a desire to patronize local establishments.
We are passionate about what we do. If you work for an organization who’s mission is to bring growth and success to your community, we would be thrilled to learn about your efforts. Reach out to Mary Verdin at [email protected].