144 residents and over a million views: Celle di San Vito’s social media gamble
On Wednesday 19 August, the outcome of this experience will be the focus of the event ‘People: beyond the figures, countries are made up of people’, which will bring mayors, journalists, producers and film-makers to Celle di San Vito
Key points
One hundred and forty-four residents and 1.2 million views in just over a month. This is the outcome of the social media experiment that has transformed Celle di San Vito – the smallest municipality in Puglia, in the province of Foggia – into a case study in communication for small towns. Since July, the ‘Celle di San Vito Informa’ page has published a series of short videos featuring the residents themselves, who have become the town’s unwitting ambassadors.
The event featuring mayors, influencers and film directors
On Wednesday 19 August, the outcome of this experience will be the focus of the event ‘People: beyond the numbers, towns are made up of people’, which will bring mayors, journalists, producers and film-makers to Celle di San Vito. Joining them will be the residents themselves who appeared in the videos, to share their first-hand accounts of the campaign’s impact on the village.
The arrival of tourists
According to the local council, the response went beyond the online figures. “The videos were a huge success and, this summer, we welcomed many visitors from far and wide,” explains Mayor Maria Palma Giannini, who links the initiative to a broader objective: “The aim is to secure a future for Celle di San Vito, which is why we are shining a spotlight on our potential, our hospitality, the beauty of the village and the woods, and our climate, which always offers a refreshing, invigorating breeze in the evening.”
Projects for small towns
Wednesday’s meeting will not be limited to a discussion of the social media campaign. It will also focus on projects designed to provide a stable future for small towns in inland areas, which are often reliant solely on seasonal tourism. These include the ‘Celone Valley Digital Library’, promoted by the Municipality of Celle di San Vito and developed by Officineventi, funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the Attractiveness of Villages.
