“Indyfluencers” Accelerate Talent Attraction, Retention by Showcasing Life In Indy
The Indyfluencer program has become an important online asset for Indianapolis and the surrounding nine-county region. The program is part of a broader mission by the Central Indiana business community to drive economic growth and connect residents with prospective newcomers.
At the head of this project is Executive Director of Regional Image Marketing for the Indy Chamber, Joe Pellman, who shared his insights into the program's inception, impact, and prospects.
“The Indyfluencer network was a planned deliverable of the Life In Indy initiative from day one,” said Pellman.
The Indyfluencer program was conceived as part of the Life In Indy initiative which is itself a key component of the Indy Chamber's Accelerate Indy regional economic development strategy.
“The network began as a simple call-out to local residents through Indy Chamber communications channels for those willing to volunteer time to support a livability initiative and connect with prospective residents should they have questions as they consider what life in the Indianapolis region could look like for them,” said Pellman.
The response was impressive with over 200 residents expressing their willingness to participate. After implementing a structured training process, 33 individuals were equipped to engage one-on-one with prospective new neighbors.
The impact of the Indyfluencer network on the local economy has been noticeable.
“Through national advertising campaigns in 17 U.S. markets, Life In Indy content can be linked to the relocation of at least 19 new residents in its two years of digital promotion, equating to roughly $2.2M in economic impact thus far,” said Pellman.
Pellman asserts that it would not have been possible without the availability of Indyfluencers to answer questions and provide valuable insights in the decision-making process.
Notably, Johnson County residents like Paige Bell and Katrina Youngs have actively participated in the network, acting as voices for their respective communities in Greenwood and Franklin.
“Each Indyfluencer has a unique journey as to how they first connected with Life In Indy,” said Pellman. “Many like Katrina Youngs or Shay McCoy were already creating and sharing local content on their social media channels and were obviously not shy to chat about why they love living in the Indy region.”
The diverse backgrounds of the Indyfluencers are a strength when connecting to a wide range of people from all over the world who are considering living in Central Indiana.
“Others like Svitlana Ramer and Serena Planera were international connections made during the tenure of the initiative and welcomed the opportunity to share their journeys with others facing similar paths,” Pellman added.
Looking ahead, Joe Pellman envisions the Indyfluencer network evolving to become more diverse in terms of age, race, industry, and location across the nine-county region.
“It is incumbent upon Life In Indy to represent a level of diversity commensurate with our region in the focus areas previously mentioned. The more voices we uplift, the better Life In Indy becomes,” he said.
Those unfamiliar with the Indyfluencer program but eager to get involved should visit the "Meet Our Indyfluencers” page on LifeInIndy.com and connect with one today.
Participants should also fill out the form provided toward the bottom. Once submitted, a member of the Life In Indy team will reach out to provide information on next steps.