Social media during times of COVID-19

Urlaub am Bauernhof

Corona content as a chance

Who’s behind the project?

Urlaub am Bauernhof (“Holidays on the Farm”) is the place to go for nature-oriented and authentic farm holidays in Austria. The hand-picked farms are all quality-tested. The Federal Association of Urlaub am Bauernhof provides a platform for two stakeholders: hosts all over Austria and, of course, holiday guests. The central organisation of the association assumes responsibility for the marketing activities of individual federal states. Each federal state receives attention on social networks without neglecting the umbrella brand.

The challenge

The challenge in 2020 is obvious: Corona! "What will tourism of the future look like? Are people's needs changing? And what can local tourism protagonists do about the uncertain situation in their own country?" These were the questions that Hans Embacher, managing director of Urlaub am Bauernhof, asked himself. His answer: "A proactive approach – despite all the adversities we’re facing during the corona crisis. Because times aren’t easy in marketing either: There is plenty of uncertainty, the phases of the customer journey are changing, and measures that were effective just a few months ago no longer work."

The special nature of the project & results

"We’ve made a conscious decision to let our brand 'speak' even under these exceptional circumstances – to signal that we take the situation seriously. All of our communication has been geared towards our community and their (current) needs. After all, a brand must be credible and authentic in order to become stronger – not just now, but in the future as well", says Hans Embacher. 

Especially now, the regional and sustainable values of Austria take centre stage for Urlaub am Bauernhof. The specifically defined 2020 summer campaign puts the spotlight on these values once again and places them at the centre of attention for holidaymakers. The campaign no longer focuses on farm holidays as such, but on daily life on the farm, which still continues despite the coronavirus. After all, farmers must carry on with their work! Values, tradition, and customs shown in words and pictures make farm life transparent for the user. 

To take the pressure off the marketing team of Urlaub am Bauernhof, user-generated content was used. The member farms were called upon to share their contributions and continue the campaign. This created a real sense of unity within the Urlaub am Bauernhof community – both on an internal level between the various farms and externally between their guests.

The numbers speak for themselves: 

Since the end of March 2020, which marks the beginning of the new content measures, the number of Instagram fans has increased by more than two percent. This happened despite the current “springtime fatigue” in tourism. Instagram story impressions also increased by 130 percent. However, the brand awareness is particularly striking. It serves as an indicator of how often the Urlaub am Bauernhof brand or the hashtag #urlaubambauernhof were used in recent weeks. An impressive increase of 30 percent was achieved here.

Project services 

  • concept & idea
  • strategic social media consulting 
  • editorial planning for Instagram & Facebook

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