Industry
Tourism/Destination
Service
Social Media
Using Visual Storytelling and Tourism Experiences for Visit Finger Lakes Social Media
Visit Finger Lakes came to 29 Design Studio to manage their social media channels, focusing on aesthetics and engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Recognizing the demand for professional destination services, we also worked with Visit Finger Lakes and its meeting and event planning arm under Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, to develop a presence on LinkedIn.
Focused on Ontario County in Upstate New York, Visit Finger Lakes’s social media needed to share the story of the Finger Lakes to continue to establish the area as a premier destination for travel.
We knew we could leverage the region’s world-class wine and authentic experiences around food, culture, and outdoor adventures. Sharing these experiences and helping visitors to see themselves as part of the Finger Lakes story would help us create attractive and enticing media to share on social platforms.
The Challenge
Our team knew we had to leverage the region’s authentic experiences and shine a spotlight on the attractions in a way that resonated with the audience. Not only that, we wanted to get the stories from Ontario County and Visit Finger Lakes in front of the audience organically.
The Results (March 2021 – Jan 2023)
reel views
increase in engagement rate for Facebook, year over year
increase in followers on Instagram, year over year
increase in impressions on LinkedIn, year over year
increase in LinkedIn followers, year over year
How We Did It
We worked with Visit Finger Lakes to maintain a tone for each social channel that would reflect the users on that platform while ensuring the brand remained approachable and engaging.
Understanding the inherently visual nature of social media, we worked with Visit Finger Lakes to gather authentic photos from Ontario County businesses and attractions. We supplemented these with user-generated content, working with locals, tourists, and influencers to share their boots-on-the-ground perspectives of the Finger Lakes region.
Sharing user-generated content not only saves on professional photography fees, but the tagging and attribution on each post helps to boost engagement and reshares. We approached both tourists and tourism operators for authentic imagery from Ontario County attractions.
We take pride in staying up-to-date with the latest news and releases from social media platforms. With Instagram’s push to vertical video content (Reels), we worked with Visit Finger Lakes to lean into this algorithm-pleaser. In sharing a mix of Reels, galleries, and static images, we provided the content that algorithms reward.
As a newcomer to LinkedIn, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection needed to establish a presence on the channel. We positioned Ontario County as a professional destination, a must-go for meetings, conferences, and team retreats. We leaned into a more professional tone of voice, introduced a liaison at the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection to add personality as well as a concierge experience, and created content unique for the channel.
Visit Finger Lakes / Finger Lakes Visitors Connection is the official tourism promotion agency for Ontario County in the State of New York. Organized in 1984, the mission of our 501(c)(3) is to stimulate economic growth through both leisure and meeting travel and increase the number of overnight stays in the county.
In addition to social media management, 29 Design Studio also provides strategic assistance with events, speaking engagements and special projects.
Our relationship with 29 Design Studio allows me to trust that Visit Finger Lakes’ social media channels will be strategic, aesthetic, and engaging – allowing us to focus on the bigger picture of tourism destination management in the Finger Lakes. 29 brings us ideas, User Generated Content, analytics insights, recommendations and a true collaborative approach that we value and are assured of a productive partnership in a competitive arena. Valerie Knoblauch, Visit Finger Lakes President and CEO, Visit Finger Lakes
About the Client:
Visit Finger Lakes / Finger Lakes Visitors Connection is the official tourism promotion agency for Ontario County in the State of New York. Organized in 1984, the mission of our 501(c)(3) is to stimulate economic growth through both leisure and meeting travel and increase the number of overnight stays in the county.
In addition to social media management, 29 Design Studio also provides strategic assistance with events, speaking engagements and special projects.
