In September 2023, the Hutt City Council engaged Mint and Honey to support the Riverbank Market in enhancing its operations and digital presence. This partnership focused on increasing brand awareness, building an engaged online community, driving foot traffic to the market, and encouraging vendor registrations. The collaboration aimed to leverage Mint and Honey’s expertise in systems development and social media management to achieve these goals.

With a commitment to delivering engaging marketing content, Mint and Honey set out to modernise vendor onboarding processes, optimise the market’s social media platforms, and produce high-quality content that showcased the market’s vibrant offerings. Mint and Honey worked closely with the Council and market management over a three-month fixed-term duration to lay the groundwork for sustainable growth and build a stronger connection between the Market and the Lower Hutt community.

Mint and Honey identified a need to streamline the vendor application process, which had previously relied on manual systems. A comprehensive digital vendor sign-up form was drafted to simplify and modernise this process. The form captured all essential details required by the market’s management, including vendor category (such as produce, bric-a-brac, or food trucks), compliance certifications, social media links, and websites. Additionally, it included professional references, contact details, logos, imagery, and NZBN numbers to provide a complete profile of each applicant. Once implemented, the form will provide a scalable and efficient solution to improve vendor management and onboarding.

Mint and Honey worked closely with the Hutt City Council to enhance the Riverbank Market’s digital presence and engagement through a comprehensive approach to social media strategy. This included conducting a thorough platform audit, implementing a vibrant and consistent content schedule, engaging actively in Riverbank Market’s online community, and capturing authentic onsite content.

To maintain an active and responsive online presence, Mint and Honey managed the Riverbank Market’s social media accounts with a focus on community engagement. This involved promptly replying to comments and direct messages, building conversations via comments, and actively managing spam.

Leveraging the power of lo-fi video, Mint and Honey created dynamic montages that showcased the essence of the market. These videos tapped into viral content formats making the market relatable and engaging to a broader audience. The casual, unpolished style of these videos resonated particularly well with a younger demographic, fostering a sense of connection and spontaneity.

Vendor interviews provided a personal touch, spotlighting the people and stories behind the market’s unique offerings. These short vox pop-style interviews captured vendors in their element, sharing their passion for their crafts or explaining what makes their products special. The interviews added depth to the market’s narrative, giving followers a behind-the-scenes inside look at the Market.

During each on-site visit, Mint and Honey also published real-time stories on Instagram and Facebook to bring followers directly into the action. These stories provided an immediate and interactive glimpse into the market’s atmosphere, encouraging followers to visit in person in real-time. The inclusion of poll stickers, question boxes, and countdown timers further engaged the audience, turning passive viewers into active participants.

Mint and Honey’s work with the Riverbank Market delivered significant improvements across key digital and engagement metrics. During the engagement period, the introduction of a TikTok channel achieved exceptional results, with video content such as vendor interviews and market montages garnering record engagement and reach.

Instagram saw its highest-ever levels of shares and likes, largely drawn from the introduction of vendor interviews and lo-fi video content, helping to foster a deeper connection between the market and its community.

Deploying a growth strategy approach including real-time stories, vendor-generated content, and strategic content scheduling maximise engagement, immediately boosted Riverbank Market’s online presence and demonstrated the transformative power of strategic content creation and community-focused engagement in driving growth, both online and in-person.