Goals: Clearly state your marketing goals. What did you strive to achieve using this piece or program?
Visit Williamsburg introduced influencer marketing to its media plan in 2020; the program was introduced as a key tactic in shifting consumer perception and showcasing the safe manner by which Williamsburg was reopening. Through an authentic voice, influencers increased awareness, introduced consumers to lesser-known aspects of the destination (food and beverage, outdoor recreation, shopping, and more), connected Williamsburg to potential new social media followers, and contributed to content creation.
Visit Williamsburg identified influencers who fit key criteria; subject matter expertise, follower counts, and geographic location (to line up with ad campaign target markets, when applicable). Itineraries are assembled to reflect the region's diverse range of backdrops and activities within close proximity and complement the influencer's style and tone.
Since July 2020, Visit Williamsburg has hosted 44 influencers. A combination of mega (more than 1 million followers), macro (100,000 – 1 million followers), and micro (1,000 – 100,000 followers) influencers were activated, reaching a diverse array of ages, personas, and travel markets.
Results: Which of your original goals did you achieve and how? How did you measure the effectiveness of the piece or campaign? Entrants should provide quantifiable results of their tactics or campaigns. (for example, click through rates or ad equivalency)
The success of influencer campaigns is measured by capturing insights such as engagements, impressions, audience sentiment, and content. To date, Visit Williamsburg’s influencer marketing campaign has achieved the following metrics:
• 18,206 new Instagram followers
• More than 3 million engagements and more than 46.5million impressions on influencers' social media posts tied to the destination
• Top influencers include:
o The Busby Family – 5,930,390 post and story impressions; 1,213,081 engagements
o Shawn Johnson East – 16,709,231 post and story impressions; 498,285 engagements
o Tori Roloff – 1,997,826 impressions; 246,783 engagements
• #VisitWilliamsburg has been used 68,058 times
• 8,074 people have clicked the visitwilliamsburg.com link in Visit Williamsburg’s Instagram bio
• Influencer marketing drove 17,800 website sessions; 89.7% of those are first-time visitors to visitwilliamsburg.com
• More than 120 local industry partners have been featured including: attractions, unique experiences, food and beverage outlets, and lodging properties
The momentum built from Visit Williamsburg’s ongoing marketing efforts throughout the pandemic is starting to crest. Hotel occupancy rivals record-setting 2019 numbers, rates are higher than 2019, and attractions are experiencing strong ticket sales and attendance.
Budget: Please include total budget vs. total actual cost. How much revenue has the piece or campaign generated and how does this compare to your goal? What was the return on investment?
This tactic is 7% of Visit Williamsburg's paid media budget (approximately $500,000).
Division
Public Relations - Influencer Marketing