Here at Ilkley Carnival HQ we use social media to share carnival updates and news with the local area, whether we’re encouraging businesses to get involved or asking residents to purchase tickets, enter competitions or join in with the spectacular annual parade. This year’s TV theme has allowed us to get creative to engage and bring the whole community together – we’re expecting this year’s event to be the biggest and best yet (watch this space)!
For all businesses and organisations, community engagement should be at the heart of your social media strategy regardless of size or industry and here’s our top three reasons why!
- Love thy neighbour
Social media is a great way to connect and work with your neighbours. Share reviews of other great local businesses and encourage your followers to pay them a visit or use their services too. You’ll build longstanding, beneficial relationships with those organisations which have been right next door the whole time.
- Celebrate your local community
Here in Ilkley, Bradford and West Yorkshire, we love to celebrate our best bits! From our wonderful countryside to our favourite eateries (cough, Bettys) and friendly faces, social media is a great way to showcase the best of what your local community has to offer. The Tour de Yorkshire is fast approaching with Ilkley being the finishing line on day two. This is a perfect example of an opportunity where the business community can come together to show support and celebrate its region on social media.
- Local groups and area hashtags
Social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, have brilliant community groups and regularly used hashtags that are there and ready to ustilise. Here in Ilkley, we have the wonderful Ilkley Chat, a great channel which connects residents to businesses and keeps the community up to date with all local ‘goings on’. These platforms are a great place to share promotions, make recommendations and interact with new and existing customers.
Community involvement is at the core of Approach’s ethos, we give a lot of time to local organisations and are in our seventh year of supporting Ilkley Carnival. If you’d like a helping hand engaging with your local area, get in touch today!
Image sourced from Pixabay
