Social media effectiveness for micro-destination marketing organizations: a case study of Vermilion, Ohio, USA

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) play a pivotal role in promoting tourism, and in today’s digital landscape, social media has emerged as one of the most influential and accessible marketing tools for this purpose (Hays, Page, & Buhalis, 2013; Roque & Raposo, 2016; Sano, Sano, Yashima, & Takebayashi, 2024). Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) allow destinations to share their unique stories, foster audience engagement and inspire travel decisions through real-time, peer-driven content. While larger DMOs often have dedicated teams and substantial budgets, micro-DMOs typically operate with fewer than ten staff members and serve small towns or rural destinations (Zainal-Abidin, Scarles, & Lundberg, 2023), and they face distinct challenges. For these micro-DMOs, social media provides a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional print-based marketing channels, enabling them to extend their reach and impact despite limited resources. This study therefore asks: Can consistent, original social media activity by a micro-DMO meaningfully increase destination visibility and tourism outcomes? Using Vermilion, Ohio, USA, as a representative example of a small-town micro-destination, this study positions itself as a single-case, proof-of-concept investigation that examines how a resource-limited organization can leverage social media to enhance its marketing effectiveness.

Over the past decade, tourism research has demonstrated that social media marketing, especially content that is visually original and interactive, can shape travelers’ decisions, extend stays, alter planned activities and increase in-destination spending (Park, Nicolau, & Fesenmaier, 2013; Pratt, McCabe, Cortes-Jimenez, & Blake, 2010). To translate these outcomes into organizational value, marketing effectiveness studies are essential: they help DMOs assess the return on their efforts, justify resources and refine future strategies (Bieger, Beritelli, & Laesser, 2009; Volgger & Pechlaner, 2014). However, sophisticated tools such as conversion studies, analytic models, and experimental approaches are typically resource-intensive and beyond the practical reach of small or micro-DMOs. Models like the Destination Advertising Response (DAR), eye-tracking experiments and bundling-effect studies, while effective, are not easily adaptable for micro-DMOs (Park & Nicolau, 2015). In contrast, social media activities generate accessible analytics that allow even resource-limited DMOs to assess performance, track engagement, and measure return on investment (ROI) using tools such as Meta Business Suite, Instagram Insights and TikTok Analytics, capabilities not feasible with traditional printed materials (Li, Kim, & Choi, 2021).

Without accessible evaluation tools, many micro-DMOs are unable to track their marketing performance. This gap leaves them vulnerable to budget cuts and missed opportunities, as they are unable to demonstrate the return-on-investment (ROI) for their efforts (Arbogast, Deng, & Maumbe, 2017). Furthermore, many micro-DMOs do not actively utilize social media platforms (Alizadegan & Liu, 2022; Hays et al., 2013). Given this, there is a critical need to demonstrate the effectiveness of social media activity and develop an evaluation model tailored to social media marketing and designed particularly for the constraints and needs of micro-DMOs (Li et al., 2021).

Conceptually, this study is grounded in two complementary theoretical perspectives. First, it draws on destination advertising and marketing effectiveness research, particularly the DAR model, which links promotional exposure to cognitive, affective and behavioral outcomes. However, this model has been developed primarily for large or state-level DMOs with substantial budgets and data infrastructures, leaving a gap in understanding how marketing effectiveness can be conceptualized in micro-DMOs (Woodside & Dubelaar, 2003). Second, the study incorporates the data–information–knowledge–intelligence (DIKI) hierarchy (Rowley, 2007) to examine how micro-DMOs transform raw social media metrics into actionable organizational learning. Together, these frameworks clarify how a micro-DMO can evaluate whether consistent social media activity translates into meaningful tourism outcomes.

Small towns represent a unique and underutilized segment of the tourism landscape. Despite offering authentic, community-driven unique experiences, many have yet to fully leverage social media to promote their destinations (Fortezza & Pencarelli, 2018). Existing research largely focuses on national and regional DMOs with substantial resources, leaving micro-DMOs in small towns – often operating with minimal staff and basic analytics – underrepresented. As a result, both their everyday social media practices and the ways they can credibly link online engagement to tourism outcomes remain insufficiently understood. There is a particular need for empirically grounded examples that show how simple, platform-based metrics can be organized into a practical tool for assessing social media effectiveness (Li et al., 2021).

To address this challenge, the present study has two primary goals: (1) to demonstrate that consistent social media activity involving original content can be an effective and practical tool for micro-DMOs to increase visibility and attract tourists and (2) to introduce a simplified and replicable social media evaluation model that micro-DMOs can easily adopt to assess their performance. Using a case study of a small town that has recently adopted an active social media strategy, the research analyzes how engagement metrics, such as views, likes, comments and shares, can help develop a simple measure of social media marketing success. The study also examines how these forms of engagement relate to actual visitation behavior. By grounding the model in a real-world example, this case study aims to provide practical insight that micro-DMOs can use to enhance the effectiveness of their social media campaigns. At the end, the potential of cross-sector collaboration between micro-DMOs and tourism and hospitality college programs is suggested to support micro-DMOs through internships and knowledge exchange.

Small town tourism plays a crucial role in diversifying regional economies and preserving local heritage. Unlike major urban destinations, small towns often offer intimate, place-based experiences that emphasize authenticity, tradition and a slower pace of life (Mitchell & Shannon, 2018). These towns typically attract visitors seeking cultural festivals, local cuisine, natural scenery and historical landmarks. However, despite their rich offerings, many small towns face considerable challenges in promoting tourism due to limited marketing budgets, lack of dedicated tourism staff and infrastructural constraints (Yachin & Ioannides, 2020). This creates a significant gap between the potential appeal of small town destinations and their actual visibility in the broader tourism marketplace.

Marketing in small town tourism has traditionally relied on grassroots strategies such as brochures, travel guides, local newspaper advertisements and word-of-mouth promotion (Reeder & Brown, 2005). While these methods can be effective in fostering community-driven tourism, they may not be sufficient in attracting a broader, digitally connected audience. Scholars have increasingly emphasized the importance of digital marketing approaches to enhance the competitiveness of small-town tourism (Briedenhann & Wickens, 2004). However, the adoption of such approaches remains inconsistent. Many small towns underutilize online platforms, particularly social media, which now play a central role in shaping travel decisions and enabling real-time interaction between destinations and tourists (Mariani, Di Felice, & Mura, 2016).

Recent research highlights social media as a cost-effective, high-impact tool for small towns to build awareness, engage visitors and develop destination branding (Liu, Wang, & Zhang, 2024). When original content is created and shared consistently, these platforms enable small towns to showcase their unique character, promote events and foster meaningful engagement.

Yet despite its potential, many small towns remain passive often reposting content from other communities sporadically rather than developing and consistently sharing their own (Li et al., 2021). This lack of strategic planning and limited resources hinders their ability to maintain consistent, interactive communication with potential visitors (Liu et al., 2024; Shen & Wall, 2021). These limitations underscore the need for more research into how small towns can more effectively harness social media to enhance engagement and tourism outcomes. Given the limited empirical evidence on micro-DMOs and the highly localized nature of small-town tourism, a single-case, proof-of-concept design provides an appropriate foundation for examining how basic social media analytics can inform marketing practice in resource-constrained destinations.

The emergence of social media has triggered a communication revolution in the tourism industry, fundamentally altering how DMOs engage with audiences. Traditionally, destination marketing was a linear, top-down process where DMOs acted as the sole gatekeepers of destination narratives. However, the rise of digital platforms has shifted this paradigm toward a dynamic, two-way interactional model characterized by real-time engagement and participatory culture. Today, DMOs are no longer just broadcasters of information; they have evolved into facilitators of “experiential systems” where the destination is co-created between the organization and its visitors.

Social media has introduced a fundamental shift in marketing dynamics, distinguished from traditional media by four key structural dimensions: cost of communication, cost of acquisition (Tsimonis & Dimitriadis, 2014), immediacy (Buhalis & Sinarta, 2019) and alterability (Marchand, Hennig-Thurau, & Flemming, 2021). While traditional print channels involve high production and distribution costs for static messages, social media enables low-cost communication that can reach niche global audiences with ease. In addition to cost advantages, social media provides immediacy, allowing for real-time responsiveness that traditional brochures or billboards cannot achieve. Perhaps most strategically significant is alterability: content can be continuously refined based on performance data, ensuring that messaging remains relevant and aligned with the evolving expectations of prospective visitors.

Modern destination marketing increasingly follows an integrated digital approach, exemplified by the 4E framework: excitement, education, experience and engagement (Grewal & Levy, 2021). Social media triggers excitement (Buhalis & Sinarta, 2019) through high-impact visual storytelling, such as short-form video, while simultaneously educating visitors by providing instantly accessible information about a destination's unique offerings. It also enables potential tourists to virtually experience a destination’s atmosphere before travel occurs. Finally, these interactions foster engagement (Aydin, 2020), transforming traditional one-way marketing into a two-way dialog in which visitors can contribute content and provide feedback, effectively co-creating the destination brand.

The majority of research in this area has traditionally adopted a demand-side perspective, examining tourists’ motivations (Llodra-Riera, Martínez-Ruiz, Jiménez-Zarco, & Izquierdo-Yusta, 2015), behaviors (Jones, Miles, & Beaulieu, 2021), reviews (Kwak, Shin, Lee, & Back, 2023) and user-generated content (UGC) (Lim, Chung, & Weaver, 2012) as drivers of engagement and travel decisions to a destination. While these insights are valuable, they provide limited understanding of the organizational and strategic practices that underpin social media management from the perspective of DMOs. Another body of literature addresses this supply-side perspective, exploring how DMOs design content, manage engagement and develop strategic approaches for destination promotion (Alizadegan & Liu, 2022) (Table 1). For example, Hays et al. (2013) analyzed national tourism organizations’ social media adoption and identified best practices for engagement, content diversity and interactive communication. Similarly, studies by Mariani et al. (2016) and Uşaklı, Koç, and Sönmez (2017) examined Facebook strategies of European DMOs, highlighting how content type, posting frequency and multimedia usage affect online engagement. Longitudinal studies, such as Del Mar Galvez-Rodriguez, Alonso-Cañadas, Haro-de-Rosario, and Caba-Pérez (2020), further identify specific content strategies that maximize user interaction, while Taecharungroj (2023) illustrates how DMOs adapted their communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic reviews, such as Alizadegan and Liu (2022), synthesize findings on organizational challenges, adoption barriers and strategic levels, offering guidance for effective social media implementation.

To contextualize how DMOs have approached social media from an organizational perspective, prior research has examined the strategies, content practices and engagement patterns adopted by tourism organizations across different destinations. The studies included in Table 1 were identified through searches in Google Scholar and EBSCOHost using keywords such as “destination management organization,” “DMO,” “social media” and “destination marketing,” and only peer-reviewed articles that explicitly examined social media use from the DMO perspective were included. Table 1 provides an overview of these key studies, highlighting how content design, posting frequency and platform-specific tactics shape audience engagement. Research indicates that social media allows destinations to leverage UGC, increase visibility and foster two-way communication, which are critical factors in influencing travel decisions and tourist behavior (Hays et al., 2013; Mariani et al., 2016).

As shown in Table 1, existing studies offer valuable insights into how DMOs structure their social media activities, yet they primarily focus on national, regional or otherwise well-resourced organizations (Chandrasekaran, RV, & Annamalai, 2023). This leaves open important questions about how micro-DMOs with limited resources can apply similar principles in practice. The following discussion builds on these insights by examining the specific challenges and opportunities faced by small-town destinations.

Despite these advantages, micro-DMOs often face unique challenges in utilizing social media effectively. A key barrier is the lack of financial and human resources needed to manage consistent and strategic digital engagement (Shen & Wall, 2021). Smaller destinations may struggle to create high-quality content, respond promptly to interactions or evaluate campaign performance. Existing models for measuring marketing ROI – such as conversion studies and the DAR model – are typically designed for larger organizations and may not scale effectively to smaller destinations (Arbogast et al., 2017; Pratt et al., 2010).

Nevertheless, the literature emphasizes that micro-DMOs can achieve significant impact through targeted and authentic social media strategies (Trunfio & Della Lucia, 2019). Studies highlight the potential of UGC as a low-cost promotional asset that enhances credibility and emotional connection with potential visitors (Leung, 2013). Scholars have also called for simplified, scalable evaluation frameworks that allow micro-DMOs to monitor social media effectiveness using metrics such as engagement rates, content shares and digital sentiment (Zainal-Abidin et al., 2023).

Over the past several decades, DMOs have increasingly relied on advertising conversion studies to assess the effectiveness and ROI of their promotional efforts. Conversion studies, which aim to quantify how many potential travelers exposed to destination advertising actually follow through with a trip, offering actionable insights into the efficacy of campaigns. These studies often examine changes in visitor behavior, such as travel intention, length of stay, spending patterns and brand perception.

One of the most widely recognized frameworks used in this context is the DAR model, which emerged in response to the need for more standardized and rigorous evaluation techniques (Vogt & Fesenmaier, 1998). The DAR model integrates elements of consumer behavior theory with practical marketing analytics, providing a structured approach to measuring the cognitive, affective and behavioral outcomes of destination advertising. The DAR model typically follows a sequential logic: awareness → interest → desire → action. It begins with the exposure to an advertisement, which leads to awareness and interest, followed by changes in attitudes or emotional engagement and ultimately results in travel-related behavior. Researchers have demonstrated that the DAR model can accurately estimate the number of trips influenced by advertising, the incremental impact of campaigns and visitor expenditures attributable to marketing efforts (Pratt et al., 2010).

Despite its robustness, the DAR model has primarily been applied in the context of large or state-level DMOs, where substantial budgets support comprehensive data collection and multichannel campaign evaluation. For instance, Stienmetz, Maxcy, and Fesenmaier (2015) updated the DAR model to include cost-benefit analyses and incorporate new data sources, such as digital engagement metrics and geo-location data, which further improved its applicability in complex media environments. However, limitations in applying traditional DAR-based conversion studies to small and micro-DMOs have been consistently noted (Woodside & Dubelaar, 2003). This limitation is not only operational but theoretical: existing conversion and advertising response models implicitly assume data, budget and infrastructure conditions that do not hold for micro-DMOs, leaving unanswered how marketing effectiveness should be conceptualized and measured in highly resource-constrained settings. These organizations often lack the financial and technical resources required to implement full-scale advertising tracking and survey deployment. Park and Nicolau (2015) explored variations in message bundling and its effect on ad recall and conversion, signaling a shift toward more nuanced and scalable approaches that might benefit smaller organizations. Other studies have employed eye-tracking techniques (Scott, Zhang, Le, & Moyle, 2019) and digital behavior analytics to supplement or replace traditional survey-based models, but these also too often remain out of reach for smaller operations.

The gap in the literature suggests a clear need for adapted versions of the DAR model or entirely new conversion frameworks tailored to the constraints and realities of micro-DMOs dedicating to social media engagement. These organizations require lightweight, cost-effective tools that can still generate credible data to justify social media activity and support funding, justify marketing expenditures and refine strategy. Therefore, this study introduces a simple conversion study tool that micro-DMOs can adopt to keep track of the effectiveness of social media efforts in converting visitors’ awareness into actual behaviors, thereby extending DAR-based evaluation logic to a micro-DMO, social media–driven context.

This study employed a case study of Vermilion, Ohio, a small town on the south shore of Lake Erie with a population of approximately 10,000. Known for its maritime heritage and promoted under the slogan “Harbor Town 1837,” Vermilion attracts most of its visitors during the summer season, when outdoor recreation and lake-related activities are most viable. The town’s destination marketing efforts are led by Main Street Vermilion (MSV), a nonprofit organization committed to downtown revitalization through historic preservation, community engagement and tourism. MSV is affiliated with Main Street America and Heritage Ohio, both of which support economic development in historic town centers.

In summer 2024, MSV hired a part-time college student intern – who later contributed to this study as one of the authors – to manage its social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and TikTok (Table 1). Although these accounts had previously been established, activity was minimal and inconsistent, with most Facebook and Instagram posts consisting of forwarded or shared content from other communities and no prior activity on TikTok. Beginning May 28, 2024, MSV launched a semi-structured social media campaign that emphasized consistent, original postings tailored to each platform. On TikTok, the campaign featured introductory videos highlighting Vermilion’s natural and cultural assets, followed by event updates and light entertainment. Facebook and Instagram prioritized visual and text-based content, such as event flyers, photo highlights and video reels. Across all platforms, posts incorporated both textual elements (e.g. captions and hashtags) and non-textual elements (e.g. images, videos and music) and were organized into themes, including destination introductions, event updates, entertainment and visitor recommendations.

To increase initial visibility on TikTok, early posts were informally shared through the intern’s personal network, and custom hashtags were developed to enhance discoverability. The first video introducing Vermilion received 1,562 views and 65 likes, while the most successful post – a video montage of downtown Vermilion set to “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears – reached 34,500 views, as of April 5th, 2025.

To assess the impact of this social media initiative, data from the 2024 campaign period (May 28 to August 21) were compared with the same timeframe in 2023, when MSV had minimal activity mainly due to the absence of dedicated staffing. Visitor data to Vermilion, Ohio, in the same period were also collected using Placer.ai, a location analytics platform that measures foot traffic and dwell time based on anonymized smartphone signals. Placer.ai defines a visitor as someone who remains in the Main Street district for at least 10 minutes. Although this count includes both residents and tourists, it provides valuable insight for MSV efforts to evaluate tourism and support local businesses. Consent for conducting this case study was obtained from MSV through one of the authors who had served as an intern with the organization during the campaign period. The comparison period of May 28 to August 21 was selected because it represents Vermilion’s peak tourism season, when outdoor recreation, lakefront activities and community events generate the highest visitor volume. This period also aligns with the timeframe during which MSV’s 2024 social media campaign was implemented. The same dates in 2023 were used as a baseline because MSV had minimal social media activity that year due to the absence of dedicated staffing, providing a natural contrast between a low-activity and high-activity period. No paid advertising, boosted posts or sponsored content were used during either period, ensuring that all engagement metrics reflected only organic reach and user interaction.

In addition to comparing social media and visitation metrics between 2023 and 2024, the case study also examined how MSV’s internal practices evolved as the organization gained experience using digital platforms. This perspective was incorporated into the methodology to capture not only changes in output (e.g. number of posts and engagement metrics) but also changes in organizational learning processes. During the 2024 campaign, MSV began systematically observing analytics from Meta Business Suite and TikTok Analytics, experimenting with different content formats, and adjusting posting strategies based on performance feedback. These iterative adaptations provided qualitative evidence of learning – such as recognizing the superior reach of video content, identifying platform-specific audience demographics and refining the timing and thematic structure of posts. By documenting these shifts, the study was able to trace how raw engagement data were transformed into actionable information and, ultimately, into operational knowledge that informed MSV’s marketing decisions. This progression reflects the DIKI hierarchy, in which raw data are systematically converted into information, knowledge and ultimately intelligence that guides organizational decision-making.

Meta offers a free, readily available tool called Meta Business Suite, which allows businesses to manage their presence on both Facebook and Instagram in one centralized platform. Similarly, TikTok provides a built-in analytics feature, TikTok Analytics, accessible to all users with a Pro or Business platform. These tools offer valuable insights into content performance, audience demographics and engagement metrics. In addition, both Meta and TikTok support a range of third-party tools that provide more advanced analytics, though many of these come with associated costs.

Along with manual record tracking, we used Meta Business Suite and TikTok Analytics to track the number of posts and user engagement metrics, including reach, likes, shares, and comments, between May 28 and August 21, in both 2023 and 2024. During the same period, visitor data to Vermilion, Ohio, was collected using Placer.ai, a location analytics platform that measures foot traffic and dwell time based on anonymized smartphone data. Placer.ai defines a visitor as someone who remains in the Main Street district for at least 10 minutes. While this measure includes both residents and tourists, the data provide a valuable indicator for MSV’s efforts to evaluate and support local tourism and businesses.

Table 2 presents the comparative reach metrics across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok between May 28 and August 21 for both 2023 and 2024. Overall posting activity remained relatively stable, with only a slight increase from 125 posts in 2023 to 132 posts in 2024. However, the nature of the postings changed noticeably. In 2023, most of the Facebook activity consisted of forwarding or sharing posts from other community groups, showing less direct engagement. By contrast, in 2024 the majority of the Facebook postings were original content created by MSV itself, reflecting a more intentional and active approach to using the platform. Despite posting slightly fewer times on Facebook, the platform experienced a significant increase in audience reach (1,294.24%) and video views (2,154.50%), indicating that content became significantly more effective at engaging users. TikTok also exhibited strong growth, with notable increases in both audience reach (181.56%) and video views (2,196.00%), suggesting that short-form video content continues to resonate strongly with its user base. Instagram, while showing moderate growth in posting frequency, experienced substantial gains in video views (1,066.59%), even though reach data were not available. Collectively, these results suggest that 2024 content strategies were more efficient at generating exposure across platforms, particularly through video-based formats.

For posts shared between May 28 and August 21, 2024, engagement metrics were collected, as of April 4, 2025. During this period, video was the most popular format across all platforms. The top-performing TikTok – a simple montage of downtown Vermilion – had 4,670 views, 228 likes and 40 shares. On Instagram, a similar montage captioned “Weekends in Vermilion, OH,” reached 4,623 views and 175 likes, while static posts such as flyers for the Chalk it Up! event and new merchandise generated the highest number of likes. On Facebook, the same “Weekends in Vermilion, OH,” video was posted as a reel and achieved a total reach of 50,704, with 3,732 views from followers and 47,533 from non-followers. The reel generated 945 total interactions, including 759 reactions (likes or loves), 26 comments, 146 shares, and 15 saves.

Customer engagement metrics (Table 3) highlighted substantial growth across platforms between 2023 and 2024. Facebook recorded notable increases in likes (up 155.11%), shares (up 54.90%) and comments (up 239.88%), along with an 18.69% growth in new followers. Instagram showed the most dramatic growth, with likes surging by over 2000%, shares increasing by more than 1,500%, comments by 5,400% and new followers by 1,330%. TikTok also demonstrated steady engagement, with likes rising by 76.80% and comments increasing from 4 to 12, reflecting a 200% growth, although overall comment activity remained modest compared to the other platforms.

Taken together, the findings indicate that while Facebook remains a dominant platform in terms of reach and visibility, Instagram shows the strongest relative growth in fostering active engagement. TikTok continues to be a high-performing platform for exposure, but the increase in comments from 4 in 2023 to 12 in 2024 suggests a rising potential for user interaction that could be further cultivated. These patterns highlight the importance of tailoring platform-specific strategies: prioritizing video content for reach on Facebook and TikTok, while leveraging Instagram’s growing potential for interactive engagement.

It is worth noting the different demographic distribution across social media. Facebook’s followers are predominantly older, with nearly 70% aged 35 and above and overwhelmingly female (82.3%), whereas TikTok attracts a much younger audience, with over two-thirds of followers aged 18–34 and a more balanced gender distribution (54.8% female and 45.2% male) (Table 4) These patterns highlight the importance of tailoring platform-specific strategies: prioritizing video content for reach on Facebook and TikTok, while leveraging Instagram’s growing potential for interactive engagement and considering the age and gender composition of each platform’s audience.

A qualitative review of MSV’s 2024 campaign activity revealed clear evidence of organizational learning emerging alongside the quantitative increases in engagement. In 2023, MSV’s social media presence was largely passive, consisting mainly of forwarded posts from partner organizations and sporadic updates that generated modest interaction. With the introduction of a dedicated intern in 2024, MSV began systematically monitoring analytics from Meta Business Suite and TikTok Analytics, interpreting performance patterns, and adjusting content accordingly. This iterative process marked a shift from data – such as likes, views, impressions and foot-traffic counts – to information, reflected in MSV’s ability to identify which posts performed better across platforms (Aydin, 2020). As the organization recognized, for example, the consistently stronger reach of video content and the demographic differences between Facebook’s older audience and TikTok’s younger users, these insights developed into knowledge about why certain formats and messages resonated. By late 2024, MSV was also demonstrating early forms of intelligence, applying this understanding to guide decisions about content themes, platform prioritization and posting strategies. This evolution from observation to interpretation and strategic action contributed directly to the substantial increases in reach, engagement and cross-platform visibility documented in the analysis.

This study confirms that micro-DMOs, even with limited budgets, can enhance destination visibility and tourism performance by deploying consistent, original and platform-tailored social media strategies. In the case of Vermilion, Ohio, strategic content across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok correlated with significant gains in both digital engagement and foot traffic to downtown. This outcome mirrors findings by Hays et al. (2013), who emphasized social media’s vital role in cost-effective DMO marketing under constrained conditions. By bridging online engagement metrics, likes, shares, comments and views with Placer.ai visitation data, this study validates a simplified evaluation model adaptable for micro-DMOs, providing them with a scalable mechanism to track performance and justify resource investments. In short, social media has emerged not merely as a communication channel but as a potent engine for storytelling, economic development and community visibility (Li et al., 2021).

The case of MSV illustrates that even micro-DMOs with minimal staffing can develop meaningful marketing intelligence through iterative learning and low-cost digital tools. By actively interpreting engagement metrics and adjusting content strategies in real time, MSV demonstrated how raw data can evolve into actionable knowledge. This process enabled the organization to tailor messaging, optimize platform use and justify marketing decisions with evidence-based insights. For micro-DMOs, this approach offers a replicable model for building internal capacity and enhancing tourism outcomes without requiring complex analytic infrastructure. The findings suggest that intelligence-driven social media management is not only feasible but also essential for small-town destinations seeking to compete in a digital tourism landscape.

This case study contributes to destination marketing studies by demonstrating how micro-DMOs can effectively operationalize simplified social media conversion models to gauge marketing impact (Woodside & Dubelaar, 2003). It advances the field by shifting the focus from large, resource-rich DMOs to under-studied micro-DMOs. Prior studies, such as the cross-platform analysis of Indian DMOs by Chandrasekaran et al. (2023) and the single-platform study of Italian regional destinations by Mariani et al. (2016). Moreover, this case reinforces prior findings that social media engagement can influence visitation behavior, aligning with Martins, Martins, and Morais (2025), who found social media significantly influences tourist decision-making in emerging destinations such as Cape Verde. At the same time, the findings extend marketing effectiveness theory – particularly the DAR model – by showing how basic social media metrics can serve as a lightweight proxy for advertising response in contexts where traditional conversion studies are not feasible.

The study further contributes to theory by demonstrating how the progression from data to information, knowledge and intelligence can be understood through the DIKI hierarchy, a foundational model explaining how raw observations gain meaning through interpretation and application. In this framework, data represent isolated metrics, information emerges when patterns are identified, knowledge develops when those patterns are understood in context and intelligence reflects actionable understanding that guides decisions (Ackoff, 1989; Rowley, 2007). Although originating in information science, the DIKI model offers a useful lens for destination marketing, where DMOs increasingly rely on digital analytics to inform strategy. The MSV case illustrates this transformation: engagement metrics such as likes, views, impressions and foot-traffic counts were first organized into information through identifying high-performing content; these patterns were then interpreted to generate knowledge about why certain messages resonated, and this knowledge ultimately informed intelligence-driven decisions about content themes and platform use. By tracing this evolution empirically, the study extends the DIKI framework into the context of micro-DMO practice and highlights how micro-organizations can build intelligence capacity through iterative learning and low-cost digital tools.

Additionally, the findings underscore the value of recognizing platform-specific strengths when designing social media strategies (Hussain, Alam, Malik, Tarhini, & Al Balushi, 2024). Facebook proves highly effective for broad reach and visibility, Instagram excels in fostering interactive engagement and TikTok demonstrates strong appeal to younger audiences. These insights provide guidance for micro-DMOs seeking to tailor their social media efforts strategically, emphasizing platform-appropriate content types and engagement approaches to maximize marketing effectiveness.

The dramatic growth observed in Vermilion’s digital reach – such as the 1,200% increase in Facebook reach and 2,000% surge in TikTok views – serves as a powerful empirical justification for micro-DMOs to prioritize the immediacy (Buhalis & Sinarta, 2019) and alterability (Marchand et al., 2021) of social media. These findings suggest that micro-DMOs should move away from the “static” communication of traditional print and instead address the implication that real-time, original content is the primary driver of visibility. Because social media allows for instant content adjustment, practitioners can respond to current trends or visitor feedback immediately, a flexibility that directly correlated with the higher foot traffic during the active campaign period, as recorded by Placer.ai.

Micro-DMOs should also integrate the 4E Framework into daily operations to replicate these results. The success of the Vermilion downtown montage illustrates how short-form video can trigger excitement with minimal investment. Providing a virtual “preview” of the town’s maritime heritage and local events addresses the education and experience stages, reducing information barriers for potential visitors. By applying these four pillars, micro-DMOs can transform digital engagement into measurable tourism outcomes, using accessible analytics to demonstrate economic impact to stakeholders.

For resource-limited organizations, these cost-efficient digital advantages (Tsimonis & Dimitriadis, 2014) are essential for long-term sustainability and legitimacy. Monitoring the 4Es through engagement metrics – likes, shares and comments – provides credible data to justify marketing expenditures and secure local funding. Simplified evaluation approaches, such as combining engagement metrics with visitation data, offer micro-DMOs a realistic way to demonstrate ROI and strengthen their relevance in a competitive tourism landscape.

Even modest investments in social media – such as hiring a seasonal or part-time intern (Jolliffe & Farnsworth, 2003) – can significantly enhance a micro-DMO’s digital visibility during peak tourism periods. To address staffing and digital skills limitations of micro-DMOs more systematically, they may benefit from partnerships with local colleges and universities offering tourism and hospitality programs (Chang & Chu, 2009; Solnet, Robinson, & Cooper, 2007). These programs often include coursework in digital marketing and social media strategy, making students well-suited to support DMOs as interns. Structured internships – integrated into capstone projects, service-learning or practicum requirements – create mutually beneficial arrangements: students gain professional experience while DMOs access much-needed digital expertise. Beyond immediate staffing support, these collaborations can strengthen community engagement, foster innovation in marketing practices and contribute to long-term local economic development.

Equally important, this study highlights social media effectiveness evaluations as a practical accountability tool. Many DMOs, including convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), chambers of commerce and nonprofit destination organizations, face chronic funding vulnerabilities (Harris, 2007; Jolliffe & Farnsworth, 2003). Historically, CVBs have often been downsized, merged into other departments or eliminated altogether when they were unable to clearly demonstrate their performance (Reilly, 2025). While large DMOs may justify their activities through extensive conversion studies covering printed materials, websites and advertising campaigns, such comprehensive evaluations are rarely feasible for small or micro-DMOs with limited budgets and staff.

By contrast, simplified evaluation approaches, such as pairing engagement metrics with visitation data, offer micro-DMOs a realistic and defensible way to demonstrate their value. These measures provide concrete evidence of marketing outcomes, allowing organizations to justify continued investment in social media, secure critical funding and strengthen their legitimacy in with stakeholders. In this way, social media effectiveness research not only informs tactical marketing strategies but also supports organizational sustainability by helping DMOs prove their relevance and contribution to local economic development.

Ultimately, micro-DMOs can leverage social media to maximize impact despite limited financial and human resources. By combining empirical evidence, strategic application of the 4E Framework, targeted staffing solutions and simplified evaluation practices, micro-DMOs can enhance digital visibility, drive visitation and substantiate their contributions to local tourism economies. This evidence-based approach empowers small destination organizations to operate effectively in a digital-first marketing landscape while demonstrating clear value to stakeholders.

This study is based on a single case of MSV, which may limit the generalizability of its findings. Its specific geographic, organizational and seasonal context may not reflect the experiences of other destinations. As noted in prior research, micro-DMOs often operate with limited evaluation capacity (Arbogast et al., 2017), a challenge reflected in MSV’s reliance on publicly available analytics and third-party visitor data (Placer.ai), which do not distinguish between residents and tourists or capture the full spectrum of visitor motivations. The absence of inferential analysis and effect size measures also limits the statistical generalizability of the findings. Moreover, while percentage increases in engagement and visitation are reported, the study does not triangulate visitor data with alternative indicators such as lodging occupancy, event attendance or sales tax revenues – metrics often used in tourism impact studies (Stynes, 1999). Platform demographics are presented descriptively but not formally linked to content strategy or engagement behavior. Additionally, because MSV relied exclusively on organic social media activity with no paid advertising or boosted posts, the findings may not fully translate to destinations that use mixed paid-and-organic strategies. Finally, the campaign was managed by a single intern, introducing variability in content creation and platform management that may not be replicable across other organizations.

Future research should explore how micro-DMOs in diverse geographic and cultural contexts adopt and adapt social media strategies. Comparative studies across multiple small destinations would help address the contextual variability highlighted in earlier DMO (Mariani et al., 2016; Zainal-Abidin et al., 2023). Researchers might also integrate visitor surveys, interviews or ethnographic methods to better understand how social media influences travel decisions and destination perception. Additionally, longitudinal studies could examine how micro-DMOs evolve their digital strategies over time, particularly in response to changing platform algorithms, audience behaviors and organizational learning (Del Mar Galvez-Rodriguez et al., 2020). Finally, partnerships between micro-DMOs and tourism and/or hospitality academic programs – such as internships or collaborative analytics projects – offer promising avenues for both practical support and scholarly inquiry (Alizadegan & Liu, 2022).