Find out how using social media alongside traditional marketing strategies can help you create sustainable online communities. Perfect when you have a limited budget.

1. Communi-cial
The Art of Using Social
Media to Build a
Community

2. Who we are and what
we do
• Award-winning creative and digital content
agency that has worked with clients across Kent
and the South East since 1993;
• Deliver strategic success for their project,
business or organisation;
• This is what we’ve done with our
“Hello Herne Bay” Campaign.
Lee Winter
Head of Content Pillory Barn
Coralie Pilté
Digital Services Executive

3. The brief
Put Herne Bay on the map
• Stand out from other seaside towns and share the
town’s USPs
• Make Herne Bay a place to visit for everyone within a
20 mile radius looking for a coastal trip (Kent and
London).

4. The objective
Awareness: I’ve been hearing a lot about
Herne Bay
Interest: I’m intrigued, someone said they
visited the other day
Desire: I want to go, don’t want to miss out –
on the list!
Action: A great day out at Herne Bay
Advocacy - Added Benefit:
Creating a strong community around Herne Bay
thanks to an integrated marketing approach

5. What did PB do?
Went to find Herne Bay
and discover what was unique about the
town.
W E L L W O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G

6. What did PB do?
Got to know the audience and the
community
Personas: families, foodies, nature
lovers, dog walkers, romance and
retro, culture vultures
W E L L W O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G
`

7. What did PB do?
Created a brand identity for the
town that could be owned by all
W E L L W O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G

8. What did PB do?
Shouted about Herne Bay:
targeted messaging, PR, social,
advertising
W E L L W O R T H D I S C O V E R I N G

10. Why an integrated approach?
• Reach the maximum amount of people on
a small budget;
• Reinforce the message across
different channels;
• Encourage community ownership to
sustain the campaign, extend reach and
lifespan of the campaign.

11. Our approach?
Online:
Use social media to reach out to the target
audience and build a following.
Create content that resonates with our
different target audiences

13. Online:
Include user-generated and
stakeholder content.
Cost effective method to create
ownership and sense of
belonging, as well as authentic
message and engagement

14. Online
Respond to messages from people living in or
visiting Herne Bay
Create a conversation
Better engagement and more
people returning.

15. Offline: Using Stakeholders
Engage with stakeholders and create advocacy from
people in Herne Bay
Organise stakeholder event to introduce
the campaign
Create ownership of the brand in the local
community

16. Offline: Using Stakeholders
Include stakeholders in our content strategy
Share their news and events on our platforms, which
in turns incites them to share our posts with their
audience
Stronger reach, stronger community

17. Kent Life, Coast Magazine, Café Life
Make sure we catch our audiences wherever they
are and whenever they are available
Promote stakeholders, make sure they
feel engaged
Offline: PR
Target relevant publications for our
target audience

18. Bus & Radio adverts: Reach people when they’re
available on their way to work, whenever they’re in
their car or at home
Strengthen the message, encourage them to
visit and share their experience on
social media
Reinforce the community.
Offline: Advertising

19. The Results
Awareness:
Measured with Reach &
Video views
220% 19,879
Increased video views on
YouTube by 220% (8,226 views
at the end of the campaign)
Unique Views on Facebook.
Views
Reach: Social Media
939,318
People
Reach: PR Campaigns
1,378,987
People
Reach: Advertising
876,520
People
3,194,825Total Reach Both London (17%) and Kent (57%)

20. The Results
Interest & Desire
and Action:
Measured with engagement,
perceived value
2,359 800
Engaged users per month
on Facebook
Uses of the #HelloHerneBay
on Twitter
Engagement
Perceived value of
PR Campaign
£211,716
(50k Initial Target)
People share their interest, the fact they want to visit as well as memories
Stakeholder involvement
• Positive perception on social media both from
visitors and local
• People have visited, taken part and shared
positive feedback

21. Added Benefit à Create a community around the town that used to
be perceived negatively by residents
• We grew their social community by 212% (Initial objective of 20%)
• People comment, share and post on the page. They use the
#HelloHerneBay or #HerneBay to promote the town.
• Our online activity, supported by clear PR and advertising
messages, has created an online community of people who are
interested in Herne Bay, as well as an offline community including
residents, stakeholders and visitors.
The Results
A sustainable community that can carry the
campaign forward.

22. Key Takeaways
Make sure you know your audience, what content will benefit
them and where you can reach out to them.
• Create relevant content on your platform of choice.
• Start a conversation
• User-generated content is key:
• Share positive content from consumers
• Engage with stakeholders and use their content to
promote your own objectives
• Sponsor and boost where necessary to reach out
to more people
• Engage with people in real life and make sure they buy into
your message

23. Questions?