Explore Georgia Marketing During COVID-19

In August 2020, Explore Georgia tested “Explore Your Georgia,” an integrated marketing campaign targeted to residents of Georgia. The campaign’s goal was to capture Georgians who are actively planning travel and inspire them to stay in-state for their trip. The campaign was a test to evaluate the effectiveness of travel advertising and the receptiveness of the audience. While we’re not in recovery, and that may be a long way off, research shows us Georgians are traveling, taking trips up to 300 miles from their homes.

The campaign was 100% digital, allowing us to quickly pivot to respond to evolving traveler sentiment. The campaign also was carried through new landing pages on ExploreGeorgia.org, email, and organic social. The successful test lasted four weeks and is continuing into the fall.

For Phase II, we’ll continue with a focus on Georgia residents while expanding to include select DMAs throughout central and north Florida. We’ve seen significant increases in engagement and interest in the state from these Florida markets. Phase II of the campaign will run through the end of October. If successful, and if the health data supports it, the campaign may continue through the end of the year to leverage the anticipated increase in travel during the holiday season.

Register for Extranet Training

The Brand + Content Studio team is here to help you prepare for recovery and maximize your reach when travel resumes. To do so, we’ve arranged to host one-on-one Zoom training to update or create your listings on ExploreGeorgia.org. During this time, you’ll work with our team to review, improve, or establish your listings on our website using our partner extranet. Your listings on ExploreGeorgia.org are an important tool that drive traffic back to you and allow us to share your listing on our own platforms. The training sessions are available for one hour, Monday through Friday. To schedule, contact Lori Hennesy, partner content specialist, at lhennesy@georgia.org.

VIC Reopening Signage

Below is a link to download the signage we will be using in the state Visitor Information Centers. There are two versions of each file: one for in-house printing and one to send to a professional printer. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Manager of Regional Visitor Services Nija Torrence at NTorrence@georgia.org.

Explore Georgia VIC Reopening Signage Files (updated 6/17/20)