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SOMERS POINT — Somers Point Economic Development Advisory Committee Chairman Chuck Westcott provided City Council with an update on 2023 marketing efforts.
According to the data provided, online marketing through Facebook reached 171,225 people in 2023, an increase of 31.2 percent compared to 2022, and the number of visitors reached 19,157 people, an increase of 131.8 percent.
The total of 293 posts was an increase of 9.7% compared to 2022, with an average of 48.8 posts per month.
The city’s contracted marketing firm, Performance Marketing, created 86 scheduled social media posts in 2023. This equates to an average of 14.3 per month.
The median number of reactions, comments, and shares per post in Q4 was 2,100, an increase of 111.2% compared to the previous 90 days.
Performance Marketing also distributed 7 news releases to local media, generating 44 media placements, averaging 6.2 placements per release.
The company also created and launched a new e-newsletter for email sign-ups collected on the Somers Point website, visitsomerspoint.con/sign-up, which was completed in October, November and December.
As a result of that effort, the contact database grew from 0 to 322 deliverable emails, with an average open rate of 55 percent (versus an average open rate of 38.49 percent for all industries) and an average click-through rate of 15 percent (more than 38.49 percent for all industries). had an average CTR of 8.29). percent).
Westcott said Councilman Charlie Haberkorn was instrumental in creating momentum for progress last year when he was EDAC co-chair.
“My role as chair is to maintain this momentum and work on some additional projects,” Westcott said on Jan. 25.
Performance Marketing was awarded a contract last year to promote Somers Point through news releases both online and in local publications. That contract expires at the end of the year, and Westcott said a request for proposals for a new deal was sent last week, noting that he is working with Performance “on a temporary basis.”
“I look forward to a prompt response,” he said.
Westcott said the city has had “great success with performance marketing.”
“We got a lot more value than we spent. They were really good at their job, very responsive, and provided us with a lot of data,” he said. Told. “There has been a big movement in terms of public interaction with our promotions.”
He said another element of the marketing effort is the city’s website, which now features a calendar that is “very up-to-date and almost completely accurate.”
Westcott said EDAC has presented the budget to the City Council and expects it to be approved.
Rob Hopkins, who oversees the farmers market on the grounds of Somers Mansion, currently serves as vice chairman of the board. In addition to operating the market, Hopkins and his wife Desiree own a yoga studio and founded the Wyatt Strong Foundation. The organization is holding toy sales and other events to benefit hospitalized children in memory of his son Wyatt, who died a week before his fifth birthday in November 2017.
“I’m very pleased to welcome Rob Hopkins as vice chairman. He’s younger and has tremendous energy. He deserves credit for a very successful market.”
He said his goal this year is to continue marketing efforts and “expand as much as possible at minimal cost.”
One of last year’s marketing successes was the creation of QR codes that people could scan and link to the city’s calendar. Collect email addresses, expand your city reach, and target frequent visitors.
Westcott said a big initiative this year is a partnership with the Atlantic County Economic Alliance, which will provide access to Vineland’s planning firm, Triad Associates. Last week, Mr. Westcott was elected to the Somers Point Business Association board for one year.
“We really feel that the relationship between ACEA and Triad will pay off at very limited cost,” he said.
Councilman Howard Dill, a member of EDAC, said he looks forward to moving forward with the effort.
“We have a full agenda for this year’s EDAC,” Dill said. “The volunteers on that committee work very cohesively to get things done, and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
Written by Craig D. Schenck/Sentinel Staff
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