Jacksonville, IL, is a city full of stories waiting to be experienced. Located mere minutes from Abraham Lincoln’s hometown of Springfield, the historic charm and legendary stories of this small, Midwestern city stand watch over its expansive town square, a symbol of both the stories that shaped this community and those still being written today. As locally owned boutiques and eateries make their home in Jacksonville, the city has positioned itself not only as a prime destination for leisure visitors, but as a place to put down roots.
McDaniels Marketing had previously worked with the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation during the rebranding for Jacksonville, IL. In early 2024, the EDC approached McDaniels Marketing to develop a video series and digital ad campaign focused on attracting new talented workers, residents and new businesses to Jacksonville. This included Make My Move, an online platform enticing remote or out-ofstate workers to consider moving to and starting or continuing a career in Jacksonville.
The campaign began with a series of video interviews with city leaders and residents from all walks of life — including lifelong residents, those who had left the city and returned, and even families who have moved to Jacksonville from out of the country. Interview subjects were asked to provide their insights on location advantages (i.e., accessibility), the relatively low cost of living and doing business in Jacksonville, the city’s safe environment for families, an unparalleled history and culture, work ethic, education and training programs, and the diversity of job opportunities. Videos and digital ads also promoted relocation incentives available through Make My Move, including more than $5,000 cash to anyone relocating in addition to numerous other special offers around the community. All videos incorporated brand colors and logos.
Using this input about what makes the city such a desirable place to build a life and a career — including downtown development and investment opportunities, quality of life, and leading employer stories — the McD Creatives crafted a series of digital ads to run on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn with a twofold approach:
McD developed four distinct ad sets that drove to the EDC’s dedicated page on the Make My Move website as well as the EDC job board, which hosts job postings from around Morgan and Scott counties. Two sets promoted the healthcare and manufacturing opportunities available in Jacksonville, while another promoted numerous incentives being offered to new residents moving to the Jacksonville region. The fourth used a video produced by McD in which city stakeholders and residents shared their insights on the benefits of living and working in Jacksonville.
Facebook/Instagram and LinkedIn campaigns were deployed May 22, 2024, and ran through Aug. 31, 2024. On Facebook and Instagram, ads received 11,300 clicks on 507,995 impressions for a click-through rate (CTR) of 2.22% and an average cost per click (CPC) of $0.18. Meanwhile, the LinkedIn campaigns collectively received 773 clicks on 146,564 impressions for a CTR of 0.53% and an average CPC of $2.59.
Additionally, the EDC reported tremendous success in terms of the campaign’s potential economic impact. More than 200 people applied for the relocation incentive with five chosen — the potential economic impact of those chosen, according to Make My Move, equaled $325,000. The EDC also reported 450 potential new residents having applied or at least showing interest with a potential economic value of $10.8 million. Of those potential residents, those who are eligible displayed an economic impact valued at nearly $2.2 million.
