BC Farmers’ Market Trail 2024 Marketing Campaign
With the summer farmers’ market season fast approaching, the BCAFM core team have been busy developing a robust marketing and communications campaign for the 2024 season to help promote our valued member markets and vendors, with key objectives including:
- Increase direct sales revenue generated at farmers’ markets and promote BC farmers’ markets as tourist destinations.
- Increase the number of local and tourist shoppers to BC farmers’ markets, especially in rural regions and communities.
- Elevate the brand equity of BC Farmers’ Markets.
We are so excited to share a jam-packed schedule of promotional and marketing activity planned for 2024, aimed at strengthening BC farmers’ markets through raising public awareness of BCAFM member farmers’ markets across the province, generating excitement through the development of important strategic collaborations and cross-promotions, and sharing the stories of unique, home-grown farm and food vendors in BC.
The Story So Far…
We launched the BC Farmers’ Market Trail in 2018 as the ‘go to’ farmers’ market digital platform in BC where 145+ BCAFM member farmers’ markets are promoted, in all 10 regions and in 100+ diverse communities in which markets operate. As we expand our BCAFM communications team, our goal is to continue to invest in, and leverage, the BC Farmers’ Market Trail to anchor our exciting annual marketing and engagement activities.
The BC Farmers’ Market Trail receives ongoing funding support from BCAFM and the Destination BC Cooperative Marketing Program, along with numerous local and regional tourism and economic development partners.
2024 Marketing Campaign Activities:
- BC Farmers’ Market Tasting Passport: We’re thrilled to announce that BCAFM is launching a BC Farmers’ Market Trail Tasting Passport mobile app, with support from Destination BC and in collaboration with destinations across the province. The Tasting Passport app is designed to encourage tourists and residents to “taste and do” across BC, with opportunities to check in at farmers’ markets, challenge friends and earn rewards.
- Media relations: With the support of our PR agency, our goal is to promote the BC Farmers’ Market Trail and drive visitors to farmers’ markets through range of media channels including TV, radio, print, digital and podcasts.
- Storytelling: We’re investing in featuring unique farm and food vendors selling at BC farmers’ markets through promotion in our newsletters and on our social media channels, as well as dedicated blog content on our BC Farmers’ Market Trail website, which will feature market itineraries to inspire, and vendor success stories. Want to share you story? Reach out! Send your high res photos and your unique business story – plus the market people can find you at – to info@bcfarmersmarket.org
- Digital Advertising:
- Search Engine optimization so that BC Farmers’ Market Trail webpages can become easily findable, more relevant, and popular towards user search queries, with higher search engine ranking.
- Paid social media to boost engagement, followers and audience reach on Facebook and Instagram, driving traffic to the regional contest page on BC Farmers’ Market Trail, as well as promoting regional markets.
- Social media strategy: Organic content and coordination on key socials platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as influencer marketing to amplify markets during the summer season.
- Ongoing Website Development and Updates: Extensive development updates to the BC Farmers’ Market Trail website to refresh the home page and key landing pages to increase dynamic functionality and content.
- Collaborations with Industry partners:
- Deepen existing cross-promotions and collaboration with partners including, Camping RV BC, Evo Car Share and Wines of BC through targeted cross-promotions of FM Trail website.
The BC Farmers’ Market Trail will continue to grow and serve as a hub for agri-tourism in BC, celebrating the diverse people who quite literally ‘Grow, Make, Bake BC’ on the ground in every corner of the province. We’re thrilled to be able to continue to invest in the BC Farmers’ Market Trail so that we can continue to drive footfall to member markets, increase vendor sales and strengthen the visibility of BC farm and food products.
What Your Market Can Do to Promote YOUR Farmers’ Market and Others
As a BCAFM member, your farmers’ market is promoted on the BC Farmers’ Market Trail website and on the BC Farmers’ Market Trail Tasting Passport. We need your help to promote your farmers’ market and others across the province.
Share your stories with us along with promoting BCAFM led campaigns, social media posts and website content with your networks and please use the dedicated hashtags, including our contest-specific hashtags!
- Tasting Passport App: https://bcfarmersmarkettrail.com/get-the-app/
- Website: bcfarmersmarketrail.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/BCAFM
- Instagram: @BCFarmersMarket
General Hashtags (use for all posts related to BCAFM member markets and vendors):
- #BCFarmersMarketTrail
- #BCFarmersMarket
- #exploreBC
BC FARMERS’ MARKET TRAIL TaSTING PASSPORT Hashtags:
- #TastingPassportApp
- #BCFarmersMarketApp
- #FarmersMarketPassport
- #Bcfarmersmarket
- #Bcfarmersmarkettrail
- #ExploreBC