Paradise Coast x Partner Stories

2023 Adrian Award-Bronze Winner for Social Media Strategy

Overview

On September 23, 2022, Hurricane Ian, a devastating Category 5 hurricane, made landfall in Southwest Florida. It left behind a trail of destruction, ranking as the costliest storm in Florida's history and the third-costliest in US history. With over 150 direct and indirect fatalities and causing over $112 billion in damages statewide, its impact was profound.

In Collier County, homes and businesses bore the brunt of Ian's fury, with many suffering severe damage or complete destruction. In the aftermath, the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB) collaborated closely with the Collier Emergency Operations Center (EOC) department to offer crucial support and guidance to affected residents and partners.

To communicate their recovery efforts and encourage tourism, a campaign was launched on Florida's Paradise Coast social channels. This campaign, divided into phases of recovery, comprised seven episodes featuring local partners and their determined efforts to bounce back from the storm's aftermath.

How did I make an Impact?

Role: Senior Content Strategist, Senior Social Strategist, Content Producer

In my role, I closely collaborated with public relations, production, creative, and social media teams to develop and implement comprehensive strategies across multiple channels. This involved crafting a crisis communication strategy aimed at effectively managing and mitigating potential crises. Additionally, I contributed to producing a video series that spotlighted community resilience and provided destination updates, integrated within a direct email strategy designed to drive traffic to social channels. I also played a key role in developing a platform strategy for organic and paid social media, continually refining content to achieve optimal results.

Results

The post-Hurricane Ian campaign by the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB) was a triumph, resonating in both metrics and meaningful community impact. Despite a modest budget of $8,000, our strategic social media initiative reached millions, fostering significant engagement and cultivating a spirit of unity and resilience. Beyond numerical achievements, the campaign restored community spirit and reaffirmed Florida’s Paradise Coast as a welcoming destination.

Key Achievements

Campaign Reach and Engagement: Surpassed goals with a remarkable 42% increase in impressions and exceeded the click-through rate goal by 30%, effectively amplifying our message of resilience and recovery.

Community Engagement: Achieved exceptional engagement metrics, including a 45% increase in total engagements and a 47% overachievement in reaching our target audience, enhancing the campaign’s impact and outreach.

Organic Outreach: Organic content played a crucial role, surpassing goals with a 15% increase in impressions and a notable 17% increase in clicks, underscoring its effectiveness in community engagement and interest generation.

Impact:

Positive Sentiment and Visitor Return: Successfully communicated Florida’s Paradise Coast reopening and readiness, generating positive sentiment and encouraging visitor return.

Economic Revitalization: Contributed significantly to local economic recovery as visitors returned to the region.

Community Support: Strengthened by collaborative efforts with local partners and businesses, demonstrating a shared commitment to recovery and sustainable tourism growth.

Through strategic digital storytelling, our campaign not only revived tourism but also showcased the resilience and unity of the destination’s community post-crisis. The measurable success in reach, engagement, and economic impact underscores the transformative power of effective digital strategies and collective community resilience.