In today’s business world, there’s no denying the power of social media–and that’s especially true in a city like Nashville, where there’s such a strong sense of community, both on and offline. Here are a few several Nashville-area people and businesses making headlines recently for capitalizing on social media in their marketing efforts, in diverse industries from music to politics–using it to set themselves apart, distinguish their brands, connect with customers, and promote business.
- Nashville Electric Service: Recently named one of the top utilities in use of social media by 2011 E Source Utility Social Media Survey, NES has leveraged social media in a variety of ways, from disseminating flood information in May 2010 on Facebook and Twitter to connecting rodeo fans through a Facebook page for the 2011 Public Power Lineworks Rodeo.
- Governor Haslam: Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is the first-ever Tennessee governor to make full use of social media in his own public outreach efforts and also through a push on state departments to do the same. “Social media offers powerful tools that invite the public in and promote discussion,” Haslam said last month at the Tennessee Digital Government Summit. The governor’s online presence currently includes 40K+ Facebook fans, 8K+ Twitter followers, 1+K LinkedIn connections, and close to 100K visits to tn.gov/governor since he took office.
- Dolly Parton: With over one million Twitter followers to date, the Queen of Country Dolly Parton recently told The Sunday Telegraph that “you have to roll with the punches or you get left behind. “ Seeing social media as the latest bandwagon, Parton is quick to jump on, promoting her brand.
- Metro Nashville: Not only does Metro Nashville have a Facebook page giving info about events involving government, but also, as of last month, all Metro meetings will be available on the YouTube channel run by the city, so the government can encourage openness and transparency in the way it does business. “We are harnessing new technologies to ensure that more Nashvillians have more access to information about how our government runs,” Mayor Karl Dean said. “With access comes engagement, and that is always a good thing.”
- CMT: A unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks, CMT is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. Just last month, it launched a social-interaction-based game on Facebook called Platinum Life™: Country, designed to enhance the company’s method of connecting with fans. The game links country music fans with their favorite artists and music in meaningful ways and is the first social network game based on the country music lifestyle.
Interested in seeing how social media marketing can enhance your brand? We’d love to help–contact us today to see what Brady Mills can do for you.
