Shouting Online Without Caps Lock

Shouting from rooftops may be passé, but the impulse to share exciting news is as modern as ever. This is the story of how TwineSocial’s UGC platform for marketers helped a city celebrate – without waking the neighbors.

It began a few years ago when longtime Bentonville, Ark., resident Dana Schlagenhaft noticed friends posting online about special moments enjoyed around town. Foodies raved about new restaurants, artists invited friends to gallery shows and pottery workshops, couples shared engagement photos from historic downtown streets, and families showed off fresh finds at the farmer’s market. Together, but separately, they were telling the story of their city.

With a background in broadcast television, Schlagenhaft saw an opportunity for connection.

“I wanted to create a website that told the story of our city through various viewpoints of residents and visitors,” she said. “I thought it would be an interesting idea to aggregate all of the posts into one stream and let that stream paint an accurate picture of our city and what it’s like to live, work, and play here.”

Schlagenhaft dubbed the grassroots venture Bentonville Love. Printing t-shirts with the #BentonvilleLove hashtag, she spread the word through giveaways and social media posts. Residents and visitors embraced the idea and began sharing the love on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

bentonvillelove

Behind the scenes, TwineSocial’s visual marketing platform made it possible to scan major social media networks for any use of the hashtag and related content, then seamlessly import posts onto the campaign website. Optional moderation tools, rules, and filters maintain the quality and integrity of the social hub.

In empowering the people to define their own city, the TwineSocial stream reflects the true charm and collective passion of the community. It’s become a virtual rooftop, where residents and visitors gather to hear from one another, share ideas and experiences, and celebrate what makes Bentonville special. Not only is that authenticity bringing people together, but it also makes the Internet a better, happier space. Well done, Bentonville Love.

For more ideas on how to promote shared enthusiasm around an idea, product, or community, check out our solutions gallery. Then, kick off your own success story with a free 7-day trial of TwineSocial. Let us know how we can help!

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