How TikTok helped turn local hype into serious momentum
When people think event marketing, they often think big ad budgets, complex funnels, and months of heavy promotion.
But sometimes, the real magic happens when you show up in the right place, at the right time, with content that feels human, local, and genuinely fun.
For Kapiti Food Fair, part of that place was TikTok.
The brief
The goal was simple:
Build excitement, increase awareness, and keep Kapiti Food Fair top-of-mind in the lead-up to the event, especially as December approached.
Rather than over-produced content or hard selling, the focus was on organic TikTok content that felt authentic, scroll-stopping, and very Kapiti.
What we did
We leaned into:
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Short, engaging videos that highlighted the vibe of the event
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Local flavour (literally and figuratively)
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Timely posting as excitement started to build
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Content designed to land naturally on the For You Page, not just followers’ feeds
No gimmicks. No viral trends forced where they didn’t fit. Just smart, intentional content aligned with how people actually use TikTok.
The results (and this is where it gets fun)
Over the campaign period, TikTok performance exploded:
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16,000 video views, up 930%
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224 profile views, up 163%
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485 likes, up 670%
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23 comments, up 475%
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19 shares, with a strong uplift in people actively spreading the word
Even better, 84.3% of views came directly from the For You Page, meaning the content was being pushed well beyond existing followers and into fresh, highly relevant local audiences.
People weren’t just watching.
They were engaging, commenting, sharing, and searching.
TikTok search is doing its thing
Users were actively finding Kapiti Food Fair content through TikTok search, with queries like:
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“festival food 2025 kapiti”
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“kapiti area”
That’s a big deal.
It shows TikTok isn’t just entertainment anymore. It’s a discovery platform, especially for events, experiences, and things happening near you.
Why this mattered
This surge in TikTok engagement happened at exactly the right time. As excitement peaked in the final weeks, TikTok played a key role in:
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Boosting brand awareness
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Driving curiosity and intent
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Supporting branded searches and direct traffic elsewhere
In short, TikTok helped warm the crowd before they even thought about buying tickets.
The takeaway for events and festivals
You don’t need to “go viral” to win on TikTok.
You need:
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Content that feels real
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A clear understanding of your audience
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Smart timing
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And consistency when interest starts to build
Kapiti Food Fair is proof that when TikTok is used properly, it becomes a powerful awareness engine that feeds everything else.
And yes… this is exactly the kind of stuff I love doing.
If you’re running an event, festival, or community activation and want marketing that actually works (and feels fun doing it), you know where to find me 😉
