Coleraine Connect And The Changing Role Of Modern Town Centre Marketing

The relaunch of Coleraine Connect, formerly known as Coleraine BID, represents more than simply a new name for the town’s Business Improvement District. It reflects a wider shift that is taking place across town and city centres throughout the UK and Ireland, where organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of digital communication, community engagement, and modern place marketing.

For many years, Business Improvement Districts were often viewed primarily as operational organisations focused on levy collection, events, and physical improvements within town centres. While those responsibilities remain important, the expectations placed on BIDs have evolved significantly. Businesses now expect stronger communication, increased visibility, more digital support, and clearer engagement from the organisations representing them. Residents and visitors also interact with town centres differently than they did even five years ago, with social media, websites, digital campaigns, and online experiences now playing a major role in shaping public perception.

At Triovia, we worked alongside the organisation from 2019 through to 2025, helping deliver a wide range of digital and creative services during a period where the role of town centre marketing was rapidly changing. Many of the ideas and systems introduced during that time were designed around a simple principle: town centres now need to operate with the same level of communication, storytelling, and digital infrastructure as modern brands.

One example of this was the introduction of festive radio broadcasting in the town centre. We initially proposed securing a 28-day FM licence during the Christmas period to launch a dedicated festive radio station that would broadcast music, promotions, and community messaging throughout Coleraine. The public response to the idea was extremely positive and eventually helped lead towards a more permanent year-round audio solution. Over time, this developed into streaming through the town centre speaker system, online web streaming for home listeners, and integration with Alexa devices, creating a unique communication channel that connected businesses, visitors, and the wider community in a different way.

Alongside this, significant focus was placed on improving digital communication between the organisation and businesses operating within the town centre. Prior to the re-ballot for the BID’s second term, we recommended developing a secure digital member hub and self-service portal. The reasoning behind this was straightforward. Businesses increasingly sought easier, faster ways to engage, submit promotions, share updates, and access important information without relying solely on traditional communication methods.

The result was a more streamlined digital experience that allowed businesses to contribute content for town centre speaker broadcasts, events, newsletters, and printed materials while also providing direct access to updates and feedback opportunities. These types of systems are now becoming increasingly important for Business Improvement Districts, particularly as businesses expect more immediate and accessible forms of engagement.

Social media also became a central part of how the organisation communicated with both businesses and the public. Over the years, consistent content strategies focused on business spotlights, event coverage, local campaigns, and community storytelling helped grow the BID’s Facebook audience to more than 10,700 followers. The content created during this period was regularly distributed across a wide range of regional media and community platforms including Coleraine Chronicle, Ballymoney & Ballycastle Chronicle, The News Letter, Coleraine Times, Love Ballymena, Love Belfast, Fuse FM, Ballymoney Buzz, Causeway Coast Community, Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, and Explore Causeway Coast & Glens.

This level of visibility matters more today than ever before. Town centres are no longer only competing with neighbouring towns. They are competing for attention online every single day. Businesses increasingly rely on strong digital visibility to drive footfall, awareness, and customer engagement, while events and campaigns now gain much of their momentum through social sharing and digital promotion.

Another area that became increasingly important was visual content and editorial storytelling. During this period, we recommended the creation of a high-quality printed magazine designed to better showcase businesses, events, and initiatives taking place across the town centre. A freelancer was recommended to lead the publication, which later evolved into an award-winning magazine supported through photography, videography, editorial content, and wider campaign support. The publication helped strengthen the BID’s visual identity while also giving local businesses a stronger platform to tell their stories.

Modern place marketing increasingly depends on this type of storytelling. Businesses and visitors engage more deeply with authentic content, visuals, and experiences than they do with traditional promotional messaging alone. As a result, Business Improvement Districts are increasingly operating as content publishers and media brands alongside their more traditional operational roles.

Another important part of the strategy involved extending the reach of BID campaigns beyond the town itself. Through our own external media platforms and digital networks, BID-related content was amplified to audiences totalling more than 120,000 followers across Northern Ireland and beyond. This significantly increased exposure for local campaigns, hospitality businesses, events, and seasonal initiatives, helping position Coleraine more prominently within wider regional conversations.

Technology also played an important operational role behind the scenes. One example of this was the implementation and management of an online booking and payment system for the town’s Santa experience, one of the busiest seasonal events within the town centre calendar. Introducing digital ticketing helped improve customer experience, streamline operational management, and reduce pressure during peak periods. Increasingly, these kinds of systems are expected by the public and are becoming essential parts of how successful town centre events are delivered.

The relaunch as Coleraine Connect now signals a broader commitment to transparency, communication, collaboration, and modernisation under a new Board structure. According to the organisation, the rebrand is intended to better reflect its role in connecting businesses, opportunities, initiatives, and the wider community across the town centre. The launch of a refreshed identity and new website also demonstrates an understanding that perception, accessibility, and communication now play a major role in how town centre organisations are viewed by businesses and the public alike.

More importantly, the relaunch reflects a much wider conversation happening across Business Improvement Districts throughout the UK and Ireland. Town centres are changing rapidly. Consumer behaviour has changed, digital expectations have changed, and the way communities engage with towns has changed. Organisations representing town centres now need to think far beyond traditional marketing and focus on building connected ecosystems that integrate communication, storytelling, digital infrastructure, events, and community engagement into a single, consistent strategy.

From 2019 through to 2025, our work alongside the organisation provided a clear insight into how modern town centre marketing continues to evolve. While the name may now be changing from Coleraine BID to Coleraine Connect, the wider shift beneath it reflects something much larger taking place across the industry, as Business Improvement Districts increasingly embrace modern, digital-first approaches to supporting businesses and strengthening town centres for the future.

To find out more about how Triovia helped shape the digital communications, marketing infrastructure, and creative direction of Coleraine BID between 2019 and 2025, visit the link below:

Learn More About Our Work with Coleraine BID