The NC State Fair & Social Media

The crisp air and the cozy smells aren’t the only telltale signs of autumn’s arrival in Raleigh, NC. The State Fair is a fall staple for many North Carolinians, but for those who are less familiar with it or less inclined to go, social media is an excellent way to entice and excite them. The State Fair’s social media profiles capitalize on the experience of fall and the Fair itself. It’s important to the people that follow the Fair on the internet to be consistently involved in Fair conversation. The N.C. State Fair utilizes several aspects of social media, including Instagram, Flickr, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter. Across the board, the State Fair has great consumer engagement by using photos, events, and encouraging users to be excited about all the relevant Fair goings-on all year long. Lately, most of the Fair’s tweets and Facebook posts have been regarding new things at the Fair: vendors, rides, events, etc. By doing this, users that are familiar with the Fair are tempted by the recently added attractions and new Fair-goers can learn a little bit about what to expect. In preparation for the Fair’s opening, its Facebook page has been leaking concert information and event attractions. The Facebook page also asks users to become engaged with contests that the Fair itself is competing in. This prompts people to learn more about the Fair and participate in a prideful and traditional activity regarding the Fair and ways in which users have been impacted by it. Similar posts can be found on the Fair’s Twitter page. The Fair’s Twitter also participates in a lot of user “retweet” engagement, meaning that any mentions of the State Fair get retweeted and subsequently appear on the Fair’s Twitter profile. This is direct engagement with interested Twitter users–putting the Fair at the forefront of these users’ minds. To compliment its Twitter presence, the Fair has also creatively utilized Instagram in order to partner with featured artists and promote novelty foods and rides. The Fair’s Google+ page connects to their YouTube account which features videos about upcoming concerts and on-the-ground interviews, food tastings, and more. The Fair also utilizes newer social media platforms like Snapchat and Periscope, both of which are mobile-only. It’s exciting to see local business using more contemporary social media sites to engage their clientele. Essentially, it’s important for seasonal businesses to stay relevant year-round. The State Fair does a great job of this by creating engagement that is relatable for locals and enticing to those who live further away. The Fair utilizes its intrigue to a wide client base and creates appealing posts that will be as memorable as the Fair experience itself.

Tags: Community • Digital Marketing