"Nepal Tourism Board & USAID Unite to Host Capacity Enhancement Workshop on Social Media Marketing and Storytelling"

KATHMANDU, May 28:On May 26, 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board and USAID Trade and Competitiveness Activity collaborated to host a capacity-building workshop on social media marketing and storytelling. This program aimed to enhance and strengthen the private sector's ability to leverage innovative media and digital storytelling platforms to boost media outreach and support marketing initiatives.

A diverse group of participants from the tourism industry, including travel agencies, hotels, and even clothing brands attended the workshop. They were provided with insights on the latest trends and techniques in social media marketing and storytelling, which are essential for promoting tourism in Nepal.

The first session of the workshop was presented by Mr. Kennan Murphy-Sierra, former Product Manager at Meta Platforms, Inc. He shared his expertise on how to effectively use social media platforms to reach a wider audience and engage with them through compelling storytelling.

The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to network and share their experiences and ideas. They exchanged valuable insights on how to use social media marketing and storytelling to promote tourism in Nepal, and how to overcome the challenges faced by the industry.

The participants were asked to bring some of their own questions; these focused on their brands, along with potential gaps in the current market. All the queries focused on social media and gave rise to a stimulating conversation. In the wake of this session, advice was given to focus on crafting compelling content that tells a story relevant to their target audience. To capitalize on social media, they were advised to interact with customers, be consistent with branding messaging and adjust their content to fit the platform and its followers.

The second session of the workshop was presented by Lindsay Stevens, Eric Matt, and Allison Wolf. The focus of this session was on how to build your brand and audience on social media. The presenters emphasized the importance of increased brand visibility through two-way communication and enhanced customer engagement. They highlighted the need for providing a platform for customers to communicate and share their experiences, which can help achieve viral potential and increase brand awareness.

The presenters emphasized the importance of increased brand visibility through two-way communication and enhanced customer engagement. They highlighted the need for providing a platform for customers to communicate and share their experiences, which can help achieve viral potential and increase brand awareness. They also focused on how a piece of content can strike a chord with users and go viral, leading to increased engagement and brand recognition. They provided examples of successful social media campaigns that achieved this through creative and engaging content.

One of the presenters, Eric, shared a valuable insight with the participants, saying, "We must believe in ourselves and the process, as content-creating and brands need a niche and able to trust in what they do." This quote resonated with the participants, who were inspired to create content that is authentic and true to their brand. The workshop provided people with the knowledge and skills they need to build their brand and audience on social media and leverage innovative media and digital storytelling platforms to boost their media outreach and support their marketing initiatives.

In short, the capacity enhancement workshop on social media marketing and storytelling was a valuable learning experience that provided participants with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today's digital landscape. By leveraging innovative media and digital storytelling platforms, businesses can boost their media outreach and support their marketing initiatives, and engage with customers in new and exciting ways.