Visit Mankato working with influencers to promote Greater Mankato as a travel destination

It’s no secret that “word of mouth” has always had a strong effect on consumer behavior. If John Doe is patronizing a business and just scarfed up the #WorldsBestPizza, social media is going to know about it. On the contrary, the door of publicity can swing both ways especially if Mr. Doe had to wait a few extra minutes in line to receive his car rental and then plasters his negative review all over the Internet. So in reality, influencers are everywhere sharing their #BestTimeEver and #NeverDoingThatAgain experiences. Anyone can be a critic, but who’s to say they are a credible source? Some have even gone so far as to “arrange” negative reviews on their competitors (UFF DA!).

Influencer marketing has been a strong initiative of Visit Mankato and developing effective strategies through research of our local markets. We have built relationships with notable influencers from around the country that align with our destination’s assets. From there, we work with local businesses to build an itinerary and create an experience for these influencers to promote Greater Mankato by sharing their story through various mediums to followers from all around who share similar interests.

Earlier this summer, our team brought in outdoor and adventure travelers, Jenna and Micah from “Wander the Map,” who explore destinations all over the globe and share their story throughout social media while capturing quality footage of their authentic experience.

Jenna and Micah’s outdoor and urban adventure in late June, was filled with an itinerary packed with activities along our trails, river systems, Minneopa State Park, CityArt, in addition to the experiences provided by local business, many of which are GMG members. @WandertheMap shared their Mankato experiences on social media while tagging our area’s businesses and incorporating trending hashtags. They have also put together a video and blog post capturing their three-day excursion that we will use in future promotions to attract tourists outside of our region.

Jenna and Micha’s Adventure included memorable experiences from these member businesses:

• Bent River Outfitters
• Blue Earth County Historical Society
• Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery
• LocAle
• Nicollet Bike & Ski
• Number 4
• Olives by Massad’s
• Pub 500
• River Hills Hotel