Just the “Deets” From Our 2-Year Contract:
- 1,217 total new followers to the HCEDA’s social media accounts
- 364.3% increase in MIC’s Instagram followers
- Expanded MIC’s LinkedIn engagement from 7.77% to 17.56%
“I’ve been following with interest and admiration what MIC has been up to recently via LinkedIn—very impressive. (BTW, whoever you have managing your social media presence is outstanding; make sure you don’t lose them)”
– A MIC client via email to Chuck Bubeck, Former Executive Director of the Maryland Innovation Center
By harnessing social media’s dynamic potential, economic development organizations can unlock their potential and expand their reach to a new audience of businesses, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
A public-private partnership located in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and Baltimore, the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) aims to promote economic growth and stability in Howard County, Maryland. To propel its mission forward, HCEDA leveraged PPR Strategies’s expertise in marketing strategy and social media to create a presence for the brand and its subsidiary organization, the Maryland Innovation Center (MIC), that would attract each entity’s unique audience and lead to greater engagement.
The PPR team managed eight total social media accounts for the HCEDA and the MIC, developing unique messages for each that targeted distinct segments of the Howard County business community. Despite the differentiation, PPR Strategies ensured both brands were presented as cohesive partners.
To attract, grow, and sustain businesses in the county, PPR created content for the main HCEDA accounts to promote their vital resources, business visits, events, and news significant to local businesses. The messages conveyed professionalism and were informational at their core.
To position the MIC as an innovative hub and attract an audience of emerging businesses, PPR emphasized the resources available to help entrepreneurs develop leadership skills, nurture groundbreaking ideas, and grow their small businesses. The messages were motivational and sought to inspire a sense of community, while the graphics sparked creativity to captivate the imaginative individuals that the brand aimed to attract.
PPR distributed six to ten unique content pieces for both brands each week, organically cross-promoting across all platforms. PPR oversaw most content pieces from start to finish, which included writing, designing, and uploading the content. To further enhance the community relationship fostered through social media efforts, PPR actively responded to comments and direct messages across all platforms. PPR executed several tailored social media advertising campaigns for various MIC initiatives, promoting mentorship opportunities and programming for underrepresented businesses. Additionally, PPR devised a LinkedIn and digital programmatic advertising campaign for available office space, which resulted in a waiting list for these facilities.
From the start, a keen eye for analytics allowed the PPR team to pivot tactics if necessary to hone content and messaging for amplified engagements. Monthly reporting illustrated to the HCEDA and MIC how their audiences engaged with the content.
Some highlights from this 23-month-long partnership include:
- 1,217 total new followers to the EDA’s social media accounts
- 186% increase in engagements on Facebook
- 152.4% increase in LinkedIn impressions.
On the MIC’s side, similar impacts occurred:
- 364.3% increase in Instagram followers
- Grew Facebook impressions from 2.7k to 5.9k
- Expanded their average LinkedIn engagement rate from 7.77% to 17.56%
Knowing that the PPR team crafted distinct presences for HCEDA and its MIC to drive consistent engagement, awareness, and brand recognition was the best compliment to receive—solidifying the value of social media marketing even further!
