INVEST & GROW:
A SOCIAL STRATEGY FOR PATCH SUCCESS
A strong social strategy aimed at core growth, local networking and high engagement will be crucial to growing the audience of a new Patch site.
How will Patch do it?
Invest dollars into a targeted, clear and engaging campaign. Be specific about what Patch is. Be specific in targeting geographically relevant, community-oriented fans who will be a long-term gain for your audience. I would suggest putting aside $3k to $5k for each new Patch town, depending on the size, geared at growing the fan base. This is a long-term and sustainable investment for both the audience of that Patch and the long-term value of Patch.
Set your sights on engagement. Someone with a strong, positive and outgoing personality should be interacting with the other social presences in the community to make sure they "Like" and support Patch online, especially the social pages. Like all the other small businesses in town. Tag the nonprofits on your page. Give a shout out to the schools, community orgs, park district and more.
Use LocalStream to your advantage. Brian has basically gathered up thousands of potential social fans and advocates in the data-gathering process for LocalStreams. Use those in every way you can.