'Shop Local' social media campaign reaches 175,000 people

"The stats from our #Warksmas campaign are really amazing; to reach 175,000 people is testament to the power of social media"

A ‘shop local’ message sent out across social media as part of a campaign to promote independent businesses in Warwickshire has reached 175,000 people.

Between 20 November and 15 December, the Facebook and Twitter pages of the Warwickshire Towns’ Network’s (WTN) worked their way through the alphabet in an A to Z of local businesses, products and services. The idea was to create the perfect Christmas gift list from independent retailers across the region.

The posts were all tagged with #Warksmas and the relevant town name, and also included a series of written and video interviews with business owners from all areas of the county.

During the campaign, a combined 350 posts went out across both channels, reaching 175,000 people, with 5,300 likes, comments or shares, 3,000 video views, and a combined 100 new followers to the WTN’s social media accounts.

The scheme was designed to celebrate businesses across the county and encourage residents to seek out services and products from their local retailers following the lifting of the second national lockdown and in the lead up to Christmas.

It follows the successful #BuyEatLocal campaign which ran earlier this year.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “We know that social media is becoming an essential marketplace for all businesses and as a result the digital profile of a retailer is more important now than ever before, particularly during the COVID-19 restrictions when click and collect services have become the norm.

“The stats from our #Warksmas campaign are really amazing; to reach 175,000 people is testament to the power of social media.

“If everyone who this campaign reached went out to their local high street and spent just £10 at one of the independent businesses on high streets across Warwickshire that alone would amount to a £1.75million boost to the economy - what an amazing Christmas present that would have been for them.

“This campaign has been a lot of fun, and is one of the many ways in which the Council is supporting local businesses, and for those on the high street we hope it led to more customers going through their physical doors and that they enjoyed a fruitful end to what was a difficult year.”

Follow @WarksTN on Twitter or like Warwickshire Towns Network on Facebook to take a look back at the A to Z. The business profiles are also available on the campaign web page: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/buyeatlocal