Southern Maryland National Heritage Area
Destination Southern Maryland is comprised of four counties in the region of Southern Maryland represented by the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium. We rebranded the Consortium to engage with current visitors highlighting the unique history and points of interest throughout the area.
Alchemi Design’s comprehensive strategy for Destination Southern Maryland, encompassing social media, website, and brand identity, yielded remarkable results in boosting tourism across the region’s four counties. Through vibrant visuals and compelling storytelling, the client’s message of community pride and heritage has been effectively conveyed, leading to significant increases in social media engagement and website traffic. Alchemi Design’s collaboration not only enhanced Destination Southern Maryland’s online presence but also solidified its reputation as a premier destination for residents and tourists alike in Southern Maryland.
Process:
Starting with a thorough audit of brand materials already in use, Alchemi Design began gathering information regarding the target audience and objectives of Destination Southern Maryland. The process involved looking at current methods implemented to reach the target audience, and researching effective methods to boost this reach using visuals and verbal identity.
Strategy:
Alchemi Design determined the use of colorful graphics, images, and videos in social media would allow Destination Southern Maryland to be viewed as a more friendly, approachable brand. The brand identity should reflect the family and community atmosphere by incorporating illustrations in the logo and throughout marketing materials. Following suit, the website should become an information source that welcomes the viewer with colorful images and easily-consumable history.
Results:
Social Media saw a reach of 56,000 accounts on Instagram within a month from the launch of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. Within a year from the launch, Instagram follower count has steadily increased by over 200 followers. Facebook has seen a growth of interactions with posts, peaking at 1,756 views with 162 engagements and averaging 880 views per post. The website previously averaged 58 clicks daily and has since produced a steady growth to 110 clicks daily within the first 5 months of launching. High monthly impressions since website launch peaked at 10,589 and average monthly impressions are 7,640.