Building an Audience Before You Need It: Digital Growth for Coleraine BID

Most organisations only think about audiences when they need something.

A vote. Attendance. Support.

That is usually too late.

From the beginning, our work with Coleraine BID focused on building an audience before it was needed. An audience that felt informed, included, and connected to the town centre.

We treated digital channels as infrastructure, not campaigns.

Social media became a place for consistent storytelling. Not announcements shouted into the void, but steady reminders of why Coleraine mattered. Who was trading. What was happening. What was coming next.

Email was used carefully. No overload. No spam. Just useful, relevant updates that people actually wanted to open. Over time, nearly 5,000 subscribers opted in because the content respected their attention.

This mattered when it counted.

During reballot periods, seasonal campaigns, and major town-wide initiatives, the audience was already there. Paying attention. Sharing. Showing up.

That is how engagement works when it is earned, not forced.

The lesson is simple. Build slowly. Be consistent. Let attention compound.

That is how digital support becomes strategic support.

https://www.triovia.com/coleraine-business-improvement-district