The number of fans on VSPC’s Facebook page has skyrocketed in recent months. While the page had some 9,000 ‘likes’ as of Aug. 1, it now boasts nearly 80,000.

That number compares favorably with other Florida DMOs, like Tampa Bay & Company (11,335), Visit Pensacola (22,164) and the Beaches of Ft. Myers & Sanibel (48,448).

The growth is largely due to a highly-targeted Facebook campaign surrounding VSPC’s ’100 Days of Summer’ and ‘Visit Winter the Dolphin’ promotions. With the help of Gammett Interactive, the ads were able to reach a variety of groups including parents, people ages 24 to 54, and users who already like similar destinations on Facebook.

The ads—along with content posted to VSPC’s page—reached millions, including a high mark of 1,924,538 unique users from 10/7 – 10/13. Messages posted to the page adhere to a strict no-ad policy, instead focusing on the promotion of current and upcoming events and area highlights.

As the number of users who like a page rises, so too does the number of ‘friends of fans.’ This metric—which is currently more than 23.5 million users for VSPC’s page—is key for marketers as it shows how many users are one degree away from their fan page.

When someone comments on a fan page, that activity will appear on their wall and possibly in a News Feed where it can be seen by all of their friends, potentially resulting in the conversion of new fans.

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