Social Media Strategy Transforms Public Perception of Major Municipal Project
Executive Summary
The City of Lloydminster needed to build community support for a brand new community facility, Cenovus Energy Hub, while addressing concerns about project cost. Starting in August 2023, we transformed their social media presence with authentic, behind-the-scenes content. This strategy grew their combined following from 1,249 to over 2,400 and established their accounts as the trusted source for project information.
The Challenge
While the Lloydminster community was excited about the entertainment and recreation possibilities of the new Cenovus Energy Hub, there was some hesitation about the taxpayer cost, and misinformation circulating about the project.
Social media accounts had been created in February 2022 for the project, but were underutilized, with a primary focus on major milestone announcements with no regular community engagement or behind-the-scenes content. This led to lost opportunities to build community support and establish an audience that would last beyond the construction phase into future facility event marketing.
Any social media strategy needed to address both excitement for the facility and public sensitivity about project costs. The risk of negative public perception could affect the project’s success if the City couldn’t effectively counter misinformation while building trust through authentic engagement.
Our Approach
We started by listening closely to the community. While there was clear excitement about the new facility, many residents also voiced concerns. That insight guided our strategy. We leaned into an intentionally informal and authentic tone to build relatability and community relationships.
Drawing from audience data on the existing social media channels and broader project research, we crafted a content approach that felt cost-conscious, transparent, and grounded. Our goal was to build trust by showing real progress in real time, focusing on exciting milestones and benefits to the community, and highlighting support from community leaders.
We used quick photos, videos, and milestone highlights captured on-site to provide an insider’s view of the construction. The tone of the content was warm, personable, and down-to-earth. We celebrated key milestones, shared community stories, and spotlighted partners and sponsors in ways that encouraged participation and connection. A regular posting schedule and monthly analytics reviews allowed us to focus on what resonated most and keep building engagement.
Results + Impact
Platform-Specific Results:
Facebook achieved the highest growth rate at 107.8%, increasing from 421 to 875 followers
Instagram also delivered a strong performance with 95.4% growth, expanding the follower base from 517 to 1010 followers
Twitter/X demonstrated strong momentum with 47.3% growth, growing from 129 to 190 followers
Our efforts generated 1008 new followers, and overall growth reached 94.5% across all platforms, establishing a robust foundation for future social media marketing and ongoing engagement
Business Outcomes:
Successfully established accounts as a trusted, go-to source for project information
Built a strong foundation audience for future facility event marketing
Maintained a cost-effective approach that aligned with taxpayer cost concerns
Qualitative Wins:
Community Trust: Behind-the-scenes approach built transparency and trust
Narrative Control: Became an authoritative source, reducing the impact of misinformation
Community Engagement: Regular updates made the community feel included in the project
Authentic Voice: A focus on a relatable approach instead of polished marketing resonated with cost-conscious taxpayers
Long-Term Impact:
Established a sustainable social media presence for ongoing facility promotion
Created a replicable model for future municipal infrastructure projects
Built an engaged community ready for the facility's grand opening marketing
Demonstrated effective balance between transparency and cost-consciousness
Key Takeaways + Lessons Learned
Sharing simple, real-time updates from the construction project made the community feel included and helped build trust.
Starting with clear benchmark data gave us a solid baseline and helped measure what was working throughout the project.
Testing different post formats and tracking engagement allowed us to refine content based on real audience response.
Collaborating with partners and community members made the content more authentic, shareable, and far-reaching.
Showing up consistently with timely updates positioned the accounts as reliable sources of information.
Using a warm, friendly tone made the content feel approachable, human, and easy to engage with.
Hit us up!
Let's do something impossibly cool together!
