The BRTDA offers many resources to help with marketing and promotions for our local tourism partners!
BRTDA Website (this one!)
BlowingRock.com is the official visitor information website for Blowing Rock. Qualifying tourism-related businesses in Blowing Rock, such as accommodations, restaurants, and shopping, are listed on the website free of charge. High Country attractions within a 15 mile radius may also eligible for listing on the website free of charge. Each business is listed with eye-catching photos to attract visitors, and has a link to that business’s website. We rely on industry partners to keep their information on the website current and relevant.
How does this help me?
A listing on the BRTDA’s website provides additional exposure for your business thanks to the 478,000 unique users who visit the website each year. Having your business listed also increases your own website’s search engine optimization (SEO).
What do I need to do?
Contact Lindsay Garcia with your business details if you are not currently listed on our site! Some businesses are automatically added to the website. Accommodations need to confirm occupancy tax compliance with the Town of Blowing Rock Finance Department (located at Town Hall) before being listed. Each listing needs an image, description, contact information, and a web link.
Visitor Guide
This brochure-style publication helps visitors plan their trip to and within Blowing Rock. Local attractions, activities, restaurants, and accommodations are listed for free.
How does this help me?
Your business may be listed or featured in the Visitor Guide, giving you added exposure. Approximately 75,000 printed Blowing Rock Guides are distributed annually, with additional digital copies downloaded from our website. Additionally, these Guides are available (in any quantity) without charge for you to display and give to your guests.
What do I need to do?
Make sure your business is listed on our website and up-to-date. We will announce in the Village Tattler e-newsletter as we update the Visitor Guide, so double check the accuracy of your listing then as well. For copies, come to the TDA offices on Park Avenue.
Online Calendar of Events
As a service to visitors and the community, the BRTDA maintains a listing of events happening in the area on our website. We encourage all our partners to submit special events and upcoming activities for listing. Events must meet certain guidelines, like being open to the general public.
How does this help me?
In addition to putting your event in front of potential visitors, the online calendar is how the BRTDA learns about your events. We use the online calendar to develop the calendars that are distributed in other communications and in the Information Center. It helps us know what to promote on our social media channels, too.
What do I need to do?
You can find the criteria for being included on the calendar and a submission form here. >>
Submit your events as far in advance as possible, giving as much information as possible.
Glow Time and Other Seasonal Promotions
The BRTDA coordinates “Glow Time” promotions from Thanksgiving to Christmas. This features festive activities and holiday shopping with free listing opportunities for a “favorite thing” from each participating store. The Glow Time theme is promoted in seasonal paid ads and many social media features, all directed to a special web page that highlights seasonal activities. Similar promotions have been coordinated for Valentine’s Day and other special events.
How does this help me?
For retailers in particular, the Glow Time promotions can help increase visibility, especially on social media as we use our web content to build features. Lodging and attractions partners can also list specials or packages, all free of charge. Holiday travel and messaging is always a great theme to gain extra promotion for any business.
What do I need to do?
Keep an eye on announcements in The Village Tattler Newsletter to learn when seasonal promotions are happening. Retailers should choose an item to feature as their “favorite thing” and send details to Lindsay Garcia. All businesses should send their holiday features to us around the beginning of November. We will find the best fit for promoting it!
Information Kiosks in Town
The Blowing Rock TDA maintains the four information kiosks in town. Local businesses are marked on the maps, and a bulletin board is available for event posters
How does this help me?
Having a presence in the kiosks boosts visibility and knowledge of businesses. These kiosks are located in the center of town and at three main parking areas. Lots of visitors see these and stop to check them out!
What do I need to do?
Businesses are listed on the maps automatically, but keep us notified of location changes for your business. To post an event poster, the event must be open to the public and of potential interest to visitors. Contact Tracy or Amanda to inquire about current space on the bulletin board, and provide copies of the poster for posting.
Social Media Shares & Features
The Blowing Rock TDA has 82,000+ followers on Facebook, 41,000+ followers on Instagram, and a growing following on Tiktok and Pinterest. Fresh content is posted multiple times a week, and we love to highlight our local businesses!
How does this help me?
Being included in our social media posts can increase your reach on social media platforms. We regularly reshare business posts on Facebook and Instagram. We will also create original content that features businesses, from announcing big news at that business, to including them in seasonal promotions.
What do I need to do?
Tag us in your posts so we can find your content to share and repost those that will interest our audience. Reach out to our social media manager, Tyler Graves, via email or direct message on social platforms to ask about collaborating on a new feature. Also, participate in our other promotions to stay on our radar for inclusion in roundups or features on social media!
Social Media Event Promotion
Invite Blowing Rock, North Carolina to co-host your event on Facebook! Any event geared to attract visitors and located in Blowing Rock may be eligible. (Please note, not all will be approved.)
How does this help me?
If your event is approved, this will help it reach a larger audience: the 82,000+ followers of Blowing Rock, North Carolina on Facebook.
What do I need to do?
When creating an event, add Blowing Rock, North Carolina as a co-host.
E-Newsletter Spotlights
The BRTDA’s monthly eblast goes out to a mailing list of over 8,000 people who are interested in news from Blowing Rock. We use this publication to keep people up-to-date on events and activities, but also new businesses and unique local stories. Local businesses may be spotlighted with their events, in the “New around town” section, or in a feature if they have a special story to tell.
How does this help me?
This is a great, free way to get the word out about your business to people who are already interested in visiting Blowing Rock. Plus, it keeps you on the BRTDA’s radar for other ways to promote an event you are hosting, or a story about your business.
What do I need to do?
If you would like to be featured, send your content or idea to our content manager, Lindsay Garcia, to get the conversation started. Note that time-sensitivity is a big consideration for events since this is a monthly publication, so get us your event details as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on inclusion!
Visit NC Listings & Connection
The official tourism marketing organization for the state, Visit North Carolina, relies on local tourism contacts to maintain information on their visitor information website. The BRTDA is the local tourism contact for Blowing Rock. In addition to maintaining local listings on VisitNC.com, we serve as a point of contact for relaying new and exciting activities and pastimes for visitors. The staff at Visit NC use this information to craft pitches and plan trips for visiting travel writers and influencers.
How does this help me?
If your business qualifies for listing on Visit NC, this can increase your reach to new audiences, and the listing is free! Additionally, being included in pitches from our friends at the state tourism office can sometimes lead to mentions in national media or publications.
What do I need to do?
Make sure your listing on blowingrock.com is up-to-date as we use this information to maintain other online listings! Keep us up to date on any new features or special interest stories at your business so we can promote it to Visit NC among other outlets. Send updates for your listing on BlowingRock.com or VisitNC.com to Lindsay Garcia.
Public Relations Efforts
The BRTDA frequently pitches ideas and story concepts to writers and editors, both freelance and at publications. Keeping us up-to-date on news at your business increases your likelihood to be featured on social media, online news outlets or in print publications created by the influencer, blogger, or journalists that we contact. We invite all our partners to participate in this free, valuable, and effective method of promoting our destination.
How does this help me?
Having someone else talk about your business in a positive light is always more effective than promoting yourself. This is also a great way to get more eyes on your business and attract visitors.
What do I need to do?
Keep our staff up to date about innovations, new experiences and opportunities visitors can have at your business. We will pitch your information to media and reach out to businesses as opportunities arise.
Hosting Media Guests
As a tourism partner, you can offer discounts, free meals, tickets to experiences, or overnight stays to travel writers, bloggers, or influencers when they visit. The BRTDA provides our partners with the opportunity to get involved with regional, national, and international media as we work with influencers, bloggers, or travel writers.
How does this help me?
By offering your good or service, you are likely (but not guaranteed) to be featured in the writer’s work. Travel writers typically want their accommodations and the places they visit to reflect the audience of the publication or their social media followers. Doing so increases the likelihood that your business will resonate with their readers/followers. This means that not every business is right for every writer.
What do I need to do?
Let Amanda Lugenbell know if you are interested in hosting travel writers, influencers, or bloggers so you are in our contacts for these opportunities. This hosting would need to be complimentary or deeply discounted- be open about what you can do or don’t want to offer. We will reach out when we are working with a media guest that may be a good fit with your business!
