Social Media Marketing
Cardinal Greenways Instagram
Before my internship with Cardinal Greenways in 2017, they did not have an Instagram account. It was my job to create their Instagram from the ground up. The screenshot on the left is from a few days after the accounts creation. I focused on following community businesses and influential community organizers who utilized the Greenway and supported their efforts. I was able to amass a small following within the first few days. It seemed that those who loved the Greenway were excited to follow along on a brand new platform.
On the screenshot, you can see the earliest draft of Cardinal Greenways' Instagram bio. I made changes so followers would know to check out the #cardinalgreenway hashtag as a way to interact with the organization online. “Tag #cardinalgreenway” was added to the bio so new followers would know to use it. I also attached their headquarters' address so people could check in on the trail.
Since 2017, Cardinal Greenways has amassed 1,049 followers. I take pride in knowing that I helped set the foundation for Cardinal Greenways Instagram presence.
Hashtag CardinalGreenway
There were different types of posts that I focused on when scheduling content for Cardinal Greenways. Community members loved the Greenway because they love their community and being outdoors. I saw success with posts such as the one on the left. When the schedule didn’t include promotion posts for upcoming events, I would focus on what the Greenway had to offer: nature. The posts would focus on weather patterns, construction and all updates that pertained to the Greenway to keep followers informed.
In these posts, I would emphasize the ‘#cardinalgreenway’ hashtag that would allow us to see followers' pictures of the Greenway. The hashtag was a fun way to follow along with adventures on the Greenway. I would reach out to followers for permission to use their photos and repost them onto the page! It was a special way to interact with followers and show off the beauty of the Greenway.
Summer Event Content Calendar
During the summer, Cardinal Greenways held two community-wide events. The first was the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day event. It consisted of a 5K race, trail cleanup and community picnic. The second, larger event was Cardinal Greenways' annual Bike Fest. This event consisted of a weekend with various events including a community bike ride, bike tours, BMX showcase, criterion race and much more.
When drafting and finalizing a posting schedule, I had to be mindful to give both events proper promotion to reach new and old community members alike. I posted about the events every day using both Instagram posts and Instagram stories. Utilizing stories was an effective way to break up event content in followers’ feeds and make it less overwhelming.
During both events, I was on location, which allowed me to update live through stories. The live function was a fun and exciting new way to interact with followers who could not join the in-person event. Using Instagram stories also allowed me to make quick, accessible updates in the case of bad weather, schedule changes or emergencies.
Posting during events also makes followers feel more connected to the event, whether they attended in-person or watched along from home. Instagram was also a powerful way to revisit the event once it was over. Posting after the event gave Cardinal Greenways the opportunity to thank community organizers, sponsors, volunteers, participants and attendees for making the event a resounding success.