The past 12 months we have been very busy increasing our digital output. Our community engagement strategy is a team effort and we are delighted to share with you all that we have reached a significant milestone in engaging with 3.4m users so far in 2018. This is an increase of +1.1m during the same period last year (Analytic information is from January 1 to December 17th 2018).
Below outlines some of our key achievements.
Our 2018 Social Reach
Our 2018 Highlights
- 2018 we have reached out to a whopping 3.4 million users across our social networks – a 1.1m increase on 2017 statistics.
- Since launching www.bray.ie website we have had 917k visits & 2.4 million page views
- Our initiatives/campaigns have helped drive a positive upbeat message about our town, its tourism products, offers and experiences
- Bray has become a destination to help celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick and in the past 3 years there has been over 100k visitors. With 30 free events including a fun fair, live music, an open-air céilí, puppet shows, street theatre, walks, trails and of course the main event the Festival Parade https://bray.ie/years-st-patricks-bray-parade-explosion-colour/
- With +40k page views the top search on www.bray.ie for 2018 was ‘Bray Festivals’ https://bray.ie/brays-festivals/
- The #BraveMaeveStoryTrail won the ‘Best Use of Creativity in the Community’ Award at the Business to Arts Awards. The story trail was launched back in November 2017. Read more: https://bray.ie/bravemaevestorytrail/
- Back in February bray.ie was shortlisted for Best Connected Community at the All-Ireland Community & Council Awards. We won the award in 2017. Read more: https://bray.ie/bray-ie-wins-best-connected-community-award/
- Over 1,500 local events have been submitted to our ‘What’s On’ guide. Check out the guide: https://bray.ie/brays-event-calendar/
- Mercury rocketed ? all over #Ireland in June as temperatures peaked at 32C ☀️….. the hottest June weather since 1976: https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comment/2018/0630/974393-weather-heatwave-ireland/
- The @BrayAirShow won Silver in the ‘Best Tourism Initiative’ category at the All-Ireland Community & Council Awards 2018: https://twitter.com/bray_ie/status/1023674786629799940
- Up to 140k attended the @BrayAirShow last July. Its social media reach was an incredible 4.6m. The national media coverage was extensive and the event featured on Virgin Media News
- It certainly was wing-mania in July as thousands of wing lovers from all over Ireland flocked to #Bray for the annual @wingsfoodfest which took place along Bray Seafront: https://twitter.com/wingsfoodfest/status/1020757889764548608
- #TheGreatWingDebate got you all talking…… http://wingsfoodfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Great-Wing-Debate-2018-Infograghic-01.jpg
- Ireland’s favourite wings venue was Mullingar House closely followed by runners-up Draft House Sligo! A massive congratulations again guys! #
- This year Sealife celebrated its 20th anniversary. Read more: https://bray.ie/sea-life-celebrates-20-years-in-bray/
- We have engaged with over 300k users via our @instagram page. Take a look at some spectacular photos of #Bray shared with us https://www.instagram.com/braydotie/
- 15th September the Bray Sailing Club celebrated 60 years as a modern sailing club https://bray.ie/bray-sailing-club-celebrates-sixty-years-growing/
- Back in July firefighters battled with a major gorse fire on #Bray Head, which forced people out of their homes and disrupted train services. A multi-agency approach with the Wicklow Fire Service, the Civil Defence, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Air Corps who worked tirelessly over a number of days in order to make the area safe again. Read about the story here: https://www.thesun.ie/news/2847081/gardai-urge-drones-away-bray-fire/
- The Air Corps dumped more than 150,000 litres of water on #Bray Head during a two-day operation to stop a wildfire that devastated sections of the popular hiking trail. The damage could have been more severe had it not been for their hard work, and the foresight of emergency response teams. We are full of praise and gratitude for the firefighters for their efforts. We are proud to have a team of caring, compassionate and dedicated people. Watch the RTÉ News report here: https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2018/0713/978402-bray-fire/
- A new project for ‘Art on public space’ was launched in May in #Bray. Thanks to guys from Subset Dublin. There’s lots of colour on #Bray Seafront and at the entrance to Bray Wanderers… take a look here: https://twitter.com/BrayTCouncil/status/993510211989188608
- In March Ireland was in the grip of one of the biggest snowstorms in decades. A massive thank you to the Bray Council teams for the clean up ? #TheBeastFromTheEast
- #BreadWatch trended during #TheBeastFromTheEast as shoppers across the country cleared supermarket shelves: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW-3X9_XUAAZoVy.jpg
- Bray regained the Blue Flag status for the 2nd year in a row: https://bray.ie/brays-south-promenade-regained-blue-flag-2018/
- The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk was crowned our No. 1 tourist attraction for the 3rd year in a row: https://bray.ie/cliff-walk/
- In June we launched our summer tourism campaign. This year the strategy promoted #Bray as the ultimate summer destination with a whopping 20 events throughout the season and also highlighted that there’s so much to discover in the much-loved seaside resort. Events included Outdoor Movies, Art & Photography Exhibition, Live Music, the Seafront Fun Fair and more. Read more & listen back to the radio ad campaign: https://bray.ie/herecomesthesummer18/
- #Bray’s annual festivals and events are just spectacular from the Bray Comedy Fest, Bray Jazz Festival, Bray Air Display, Summer In Bray to Christmas In Bray…. They all play an absolutely crucial role in helping boost Bray’s image, showcase our tourism offer, culture and the incredible experiences that you can’t get anywhere else! Thanks to all the organising committees & businesses!
- Our video content throughout our social network was watched by +100k: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTAa5lQwRcWmxqlcYPBBdzQ
- Butler & Barry, Cowfish, The Harbour Bar, Sika Restaurant, Noah’s Ark Restaurant Café & Platform Pizza where all winners at the Restaurant Awards
- We were delighted to have been recognised as a runner-up at this year’s Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Town Awards 2018: https://bray.ie/bray-town-recognised-at-the-enterprise-town-awards/
- Festival fans basked in the July summer sun at the sixth Groove Festival. Read more: https://bray.ie/glorious-groove-weekend-resounding-hit/
- These Wicklow brewers are raising the bar… Literally! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZkDHvhgzQ
- In September Bray in Business initiative launched a guide to assist new businesses looking to trade in #Bray and to support existing businesses by providing advice on what their Council and Town can do for them. Download the guide here: https://bray.ie/town-2/business/
- River Dargle Flood Defence Scheme won Engineers Ireland Excellence Award. Read more: https://bray.ie/river-dargle-flood-defence-scheme-wins-engineers-ireland-excellence-award/
- As a result of the gorse fire on #Bray Head it revealed a WWII ‘EIRE’ sign. It was restored by volunteers. Well done again to everyone involved. Read more: https://www.joe.ie/news/eire-sign-volunteers-639147
- The development of a new Town Centre on the Florentine site located on #Bray’s Main Street commenced earlier this year. It will include two large retail anchors, eight medium-size retail stores, several high-quality restaurants, a modern cinema and parking, and will undoubtedly reinvigorate the heart of #Bray. It is envisaged that the project will be completed by the end of 2019. Read more about the project here: https://bray.ie/florentine-public-notice/
- Did you know that we have shared +6k posts via our network since March 2012
Top 10 most visited pages/posts so far 2018 via Bray.ie were:
- Bray.ie Home Page
- Bray Festivals
- St. Patricks Festival Bray
- Top things to do in Bray
- The Cliff Walk
- Seafront Fun Fair
- Bray Head Walk
- Bray Air Display
- What’s On Guide
- Great Sugarloaf Walk
Thanks…..
A big thanks to the many volunteers, businesses, community groups and local media who helped make our spring/summer tourism initiatives a great success in 2018.
Thanks for helping share our content in 2018 so far. We hope you continue to engage with us at bray.ie throughout the rest of 2018 & beyond.
We look forward to increasing our connections with the local community now and into the future.
View our infographic
Or download our #ThisHappened 2018 full year infographic here.
Bray.ie Background
Bray.ie was launched back in 2011. It was part of the Bray Town’s Economy Think Tank outputs. BETT (Bray Economic Think Tank) was an economic forum established in 2009 its aim was to create a sense of local pride, community spirit and to promote Bray as an ideal place to live, work and do business.