COUNTY OF AUGUSTA, VIRGINIA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP # 81050-24-01
Project Title: Tourism Digital Marketing Services- GART
Proposals will be received subject to the Conditions attached hereto until April 1st, 2024 at 2:00 P.M. from qualified firms to provide digital marketing and social media services for the Greater Augusta Regional Tourism Board (GART).
Where to submit Proposals:
Greg Evans, Purchasing Assistant
County of Augusta, Finance Department
18 Government Center Lane
Verona, VA. 24482
Link: file:///C:/Users/cbettencourt/Downloads/RFP_Beerwerks_Digital_Project__81050-24-FINAL%20(1).pdf
OVERVIEW
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail (a program of the Greater Augusta Regional Tourism Board (GART) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide digital marketing services. The purpose of the proposal is to increase awareness of the
Shenandoah Valley (defined as the Beerwerks Trail footprint which is currently: the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, Lexington, Buena Vista, and the
Counties of Augusta, Rockbridge, and Rockingham) as a visitor destination in our target markets, stimulate overnight stays, promote our partner destinations, increase visitor spending and have a substantial economic impact for the Shenandoah Valley. The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail uses our 19 and growing craft brewery footprint to pull in visitors to enjoy our craft beer AND outdoor recreation, food, attractions, arts & culture, shopping, scenery, etc.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
I. Specific Requirements
A. Serve as Shenandoah Beerwerks’ Trail digital marketing agency:
The successful contractor or contractors will work in conjunction with the Beerwerks Trail to conduct a digital marketing program to attract potential visitors from our primary target markets of, but not limited to, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Richmond, Norfolk, and Hampton Roads.
Other markets include Harrisburg/Central Western Pennsylvania, Raleigh/Durham, Winston-Salem, Eastern Maryland and Chicago. Contractor shall develop and execute creative concepts based on strategic analysis and research and input from the Beerwerks Trail. These services shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Act as creative lead – producing concepts and ideas, brainstorming, and generating content.
2. Analyze local, regional, and national research to recommend the best strategies and promotions
and target markets.
3. Provide advice, counsel, and assistance on matters pertaining to digital marketing to ensure the
Beerwerks Trail benefits to the fullest extent possible. Including facilitating a marketing review
during the Beerwerks’ Annual Retreat and attending the annual Brewery Meeting.
4. Establish campaign goals in relationship to regional tourism.
B. Social Media Campaigns
Set up and manage Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns using the following delivery methods to test ad variations:
1. Facebook newsfeed ads testing unique combinations of images, headlines, and copy. Link to each of the landing pages produced by contractor(s) or existing landing pages.
2. Instagram photo ads using eye-catching visuals to boost awareness, increase social
and engagement, and drive website visits.
3. Instagram Story ads to reach audiences with full-screen branded photos and/or video in their Story Feed.
4. Required conversion should include social media engagement (likes, shares, comments, post saves), newsletter sign-ups, website usage, and increased traffic to tourism partners.
5. Submit necessary paperwork required for VTC co-op reimbursement.
C. Campaign Optimization:
Optimization campaigns on a regular basis to continually increase performance and marketing Return on Investment (ROI).
1. Bid Optimization: monitor and adjust keyword bids to attract visitors who are more likely to convert.
2. Budget Allocation: analyze performance of the various campaigns to pull budget from low performers and increase budget for campaigns that provide the greatest ROI.
3. Ad Testing: Test ad creativity to discover what variables (e.g. headlines, images, descriptions, display URLs, sitelink extensions, and call-outs) prove most effective in attracting high quality visitors to the beerwerkstrail.com website.
4. Audience Targeting: Test and optimize ad messaging and/or images shown to targeted audiences to serve the most relevant and compelling ads based on known interests, demographics, and likely decision-making criteria.
D. Landing Page Designs & Development:
1. Design and develop campaign landing pages on the existing website to capture email addresses, www.beerwerkstrail.com, for use with the digital campaigns.
2. Provide content review and outlines. Images provided by Beerwerks Trail.
3. Mobile responsive dynamic CSS styles that change layouts depending on the device and
screen size.
4. Browser Compatibility: the website will work on the latest stable version of all modern
browsers that account for the vast majority of US web traffic: Internet Explorer 11, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, iOS & Android browsers.
5. Analytics: any new landing pages must be developed using the existing content management system and must utilize Google Analytics to track page traffic
E. Analytics tracking Set Up:
1. Build onto the existing Google Tag Manager installation and set-up key goals and conversion events to quantify user engagement and compare the quantitative and qualitative value of visitors from each advertising source. Final tracking parameters will depend on the back-end flexibility of the current website’s content management system (CMS). Deliverable will include documentation of new goals and conceptual analytics-based visitation funnel.
F. Video Campaign(s)
1. Create social ads to promote existing and potentially new video content, and run and optimize ad campaigns.
2. Edit and repackage video content to maximize video and produce additional content.
G. Google Adwords:
1. Create, run and optimize Google AdWords.
H. Retargeting
1. Create ads for retargeting.
2. Deploy retargeting campaign to reach previous website visitors who have not resulted in conversions.
I. Performance Reports: Produce monthly reports summarizing campaign performance and key insights including:
1. Overview of KPIs like spend, clicks, CPC, CTR, and CPA (where applicable)
2. Highlights of top performance areas of campaign will be included
3. Overall analytics of performance with key insights and major action items (as needed)
J. Purchase Media per Campaign(s) including but not limited to Google, Facebook, and Instagram as part of the agreed-upon strategy and target markets.
K. Budget: The Beerwerks Trail has established an annual budget, beginning on July 1, 2024, and ending on June 30, 2025, of $40,000 for digital marketing, including paid media spend. Proposals should incorporate the above scope of services within this budget and indicate how it would be allocated. If the agency utilizes a ratio of management fees to social media spend, please indicate that ratio (For example, 30/70 for management fees to social media spend, respectively).
L. Branding: The Beerwerks Trail intends to continue the use of established branding currently in use on www.beerwerkstrail.com and our social media channels.
