Backyard Fest (also known as Sunk City) is Nanaimo’s underground music festival — a celebration of local talent, raw energy, and the shared spaces where music communities thrive. Through social media marketing, my mission was to help Backyard Fest stand out in a crowded festival season by capturing its gritty authenticity, fostering local pride, and driving ticket sales.

Here’s how I approached it:

 Strategy & Planning

1. Define the Festival’s Identity
   Backyard Fest isn’t about polished stadium shows; it’s about underground sound, local artists, and community. I centered content around showcasing the festival’s vibe — street-level visuals, artist stories, behind-the-scenes, and the unique venues in downtown Nanaimo.

2. Audience Research
   I identified key segments: local music lovers, fans of underground genres, creatives, and young adults. I found where they hang out online — especially Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook — and studied what kind of content resonates with them: short reels of live performance, artist sneak peeks, and nostalgic “local scene” visuals.

3. Results & Metrics

   • Reach: 45,000 local & regional fans

   • Engagement Rate: 7.8% across posts (well above 4–5% local benchmark for festivals)

   • Click-through to ticketing page: 3,500 clicks (~12% of engaged users)

   • Ticket Sales Uplift: 18% increase over previous year’s festival

   • User-Generated Content: 120 fan posts tagged, shared, or commented on festival content

   • Instagram Growth: +2,300 followers over campaign period

   • Facebook Page Engagement: +1,800 interactions (likes, comments, shares