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Growing Brand Loyalty through Organic Social Media

Written by Addison Guskey on . Posted in Blog, Case Study, Stories.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Road and Museum is known for its history preservation work through scenic steam train rides operating on a National Historic Landmark, concluding the journey with a stop at the museum. 

Setting the Scene

The Durango Train and its authentic 1882 railroading adventure captured many hearts through the decades, creating a dedicated fan base. But why stop there? 

We knew that with the limitless potential social media holds today, we could reach new streams of audiences and widen brand awareness. 

Our Approach

Building awareness is critical for brands. But what sets long-term results apart is making sure the digital content and experiences are engaging, making audiences want “more.” 

In 2023, the team implemented structural strategies for the @dsngrr Facebook and Instagram pages. Focusing on content intractability and consistency, the positive changes were clear.

Based on the success, later in 2023, our team branched out to TikTok, which shows promising and healthy growth.


Results Earned

Increase in page likes and follow*

+9100
Page Likes

545.8%↑
Since 2022

+25,800
Followers

52.6%↑
Since 2022

Followers and total organic reach:  

44.7k
Total Followers

+5900
Gained

+280k ,
Reached

Three months since the launch: 

+53.1k
 Engagement by reach,

7.3%
(↑3.14% benchmark**)

*Duration is from January 1, 2023, to November 30, 2023, comparing traceable data from February 1, 2022, to December 30, 2022
**Based on a study by RivallQ

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Increasing YOY Ridership for One of the Most Popular Scenic Trains in the Country

Written by Jason Herzog on . Posted in Blog, Case Study, Stories.

For those who have visited Durango, you likely have been or heard of the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad really. As one of the town’s most popular attractions, it’s responsible for a sizable amount of regional tourism spend annually. Having worked closely with American Heritage Railways and their respective railways on numerous projects over the last few years, our team has a passion for marketing these unique and historic attractions. 

2018 was a challenging year for DSNGRR. Due to nearby forest fires, they were forced to limit operations during the peak of their summer season, the attraction’s busiest time. After reviewing their marketing efforts in Q4, we made a handful of suggestions which included a revised plan for paid search efforts utilizing Google Search (formerly AdWords). We recommended a modest budget increase and were handed the reigns. By the end of 2019, we increased average ROAS by 48% to 69x, conversions increased by 223%, and we saw a 45% increase in conversion rate to 5.06%. 

Since then, we’ve continued to optimize and strengthen these efforts and are still yielding a desirable return today in 2020.

Earning Over 8x ROAS on Loveland’s Early-Bird Season Pass Campaign

Written by Jason Herzog on . Posted in Blog, Case Study, Stories.

It’s no secret that the ski resort business is hypercompetitive. When resorts aren’t concerned about weather forecasts, they’re focusing on reaching new audience segments and growing their skier base; a challenging task when ski resort conglomerates like Alterra Mountain Co. and Vail Resorts are absorbing market share. Loveland Ski Area, located 53 miles west of Denver Colorado, sought out our team to help plan and execute a paid social media campaign to drive their season pass sales. The “season pass” product is launched annually in a highly competitive landscape as most ski resorts execute their own campaigns around the same timeframe. Responsible for the majority of annual product revenue, the success of this campaign is crucial in helping the resort reach its annual goals.

When this campaign was said and done, we earned over 8x the return on ad spend. This success was made possible by combining our agency’s deep understanding for the snowsports industry and prowess in serving highly detailed, precise ads through Facebook and Instagram. Our paid social campaign leveraged key audience segments, lookalike audiences, and retargeting strategies while communicating Loveland’s highest value points through a tone that was on brand.