Why Influencer Content Is Winning (But Legacy PR Still Matters)
In a recent conversation with the Director of Marketing at a major BC-based tourism attraction, one insight stood out: influencer-led content accounted for 85% of their ticket sales in May — outperforming traditional PR campaigns, social media ads, and brand campaigns by a wide margin.
This stat is striking, but it comes with an important disclaimer:
📌 This data reflects the performance of a single company in the lifestyle and travel tourism sector. It’s not a universal rule for all industries — but it’s a powerful case study in how digital marketing, social media strategy, and influencer campaigns are evolving for experience-based brands in Canada, the U.S., Toronto, Los Angeles, and beyond.
So what’s working?
The attraction’s strategy didn’t focus on follower count. Instead, their success came from:
High-quality micro-influencer content
Whitelisting for paid social campaigns
Tightly targeted Meta and TikTok ad distribution
This approach blended the emotional resonance of UGC with the precision of digital marketing and paid media targeting — a combo that delivered measurable ROI and sales lift.
But here’s the nuance...
While influencer campaigns are proving highly effective, legacy PR is far from dead.
In fact, traditional PR still plays a critical role in:
Boosting SEO with high-authority backlinks
Earning credibility through coverage in respected outlets like The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, or Global News
Driving conversion through inclusion on curated “Top 10” lists, city guides, or trusted recommendation roundups
These editorial features often function as third-party endorsements, making them particularly valuable for brand trust, digital marketing credibility, and long-term visibility.
What This Means for PR Strategy Today
At Hacker Communications, we believe the most effective strategies blend:
Influencer-powered storytelling
Strategic paid distribution
Earned media through reputable press and PR wins
We’re actively helping clients in Canada and in the U.S., build hybrid campaigns that connect emotionally, drive traffic, and perform in SEO, social media, and digital marketing metrics.
I’ll be diving deeper into this topic during a CPRS event this fall, where we’ll explore real-world case studies and performance data from local and international campaigns.
If you’re a brand in travel, lifestyle, tourism, or a PR or marketing professional navigating these shifts — stay tuned. The future of media isn’t either/or; it’s both/and.
