With so many exciting events and innovation, Washtenaw County generates millions of dollars in tax revenue every year from tourism.
Those tourism tax dollars are made possible from the help of the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Their Vice President of Integrated Marketing and Communications, Chad Wiebesick, works hard to incorporate digital and social media efforts into their marketing plans to see continous increases in tourism for the county.
Wiebesick has a long history of working in the digital marketing world, where being able to maintain a strong, recognizable social media presence is important. In 2015, Wiebesick was among the nation’s Top 5 Government Social Media Leaders, and his past efforts on the Pure Michigan campaign with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation led Michigan to be among the world’s Top 10 destinations on social media.
How does Wiebesick continue to excel in the world of digital marketing and social media? “Learning by reading books and websites, networking with professionals, and going to regular conference events throughout the year,” he says.
He also attributes his social media success on building relationships with his audience and among themselves. “There’s a lot of distrust in society today, and people don’t trust government brands and corporations. People only trust themselves and people like them,” says Wiebesick. He stresses that the online community tourists build with each other by sharing their photos and memories on social media is what inspires them to keep coming back or visit a destination much more than government advertising does.
With digital marketing jobs continuing to be on the rise, Wiebesick believes that jobs in digital and social media are the ones to go after. “Many organizations, both large and small, are looking for digital and social media talent to hire to accommodate the changes in consumer behavior,” he says.
Wiebesick’s recent efforts in his current role helped create a partnership between the Washtenaw County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Eastern. Together, they created a Youtube video for the college’s #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign that highlights the accepting and diverse culture the city of Ypsilanti has to offer.
On November 17, Wiebesick will further discuss his efforts and success with multiple digital marketing campaigns at the Digital Marketing Workshop. Only a few tickets remain so be sure to get yours today!