As working from home has become the norm, plenty of employees are no longer required to live where their company is based. This is creating an opportunity for cities around the country to attract remote workers and they are turning to influencers to help woo that talent.
The pandemic has created a desire and need for employees to move to places where they can afford more space to fit their families that are working and going to school at home, or find a city with a lower cost of living.
“The job market is clearly shifting and more people can work remotely, which is also giving creators the opportunity to live and work anywhere,” Ali Fazal, VP of marketing at Grin, an influencer marketing platform, wrote in an email. “Some cities have older demographics, but have a lot to offer younger professionals, so those cities are turning towards social media as a way to appeal to the younger populations.”
Many people have moved to have more space for their families or to find a city with a lower cost of living. Places like Jacksonville, Florida, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Virginia’s Fairfax County, are using new social media marketing skills to reach these young professionals.
“I am a classic Gen X, so while social media isn’t my go-to, we know it is for millennials and Gen Z, and that’s who we want to attract,” said Aundra Wallace, president of JAXUSA Partnership, Jacksonville’s economic development agency. “We need to reach those people where they are, and they look to influencers.”
JAXUSA enlisted the help of two influencers who each spent a week in separate areas of Jacksonville at different times of the year. The goal was to show that Jacksonville is great for digital nomads and remote workers by boasting its lower cost of living, more space, and pleasant year-round weather.
Natalie Barbu, a 24-year-old creator and podcast host who grew up in Miami, stayed in Jacksonville Beach with her best friend, going to coffee shops, the beach, taking yoga classes, listening to live music, and, of course, working remotely.