Social Experience 'Lens' Makes Its U.S. Debut With VisitFranklin

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the ever-evolving digital landscape, the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB) is leading the pack with its latest social endeavor, a product called Lens by Toronto based company, CrowdRiff. The WCCVB is the first Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) in the United States to deploy this interactive, aggregated social experience for its visitors and community fans.

Branded in the social media realm as @VisitFranklin, the WCCVB recognized an opportunity to take social engagement to the next level with Lens. Working closely with Dan Holowack, Founder & CEO of CrowdRiff, the WCCVB took the leap forward, bringing its social presence together in one location offering visually rich, user-generated content that's aggregated across powerhouse platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

"Users love the Lens experience, but the gallery is just the surface. Lens' true value lies in its ability to drive new user acquisition," Dan Holowack said. "Back-end integrations help the WCCVB unify its user database and automation tools allow it to engage with more people. Lens bridges social and the WCCVB website while capturing key insights for personalized outreach."

Using Lens' optimized algorithm, the WCCVB can find the highest quality social photos from travelers, guests and fans of Franklin. Users then vote on their favorite photos and Lens creates a 'Popular' stream of these photos highlighting things to do in and around Franklin. Visitors and locals alike use Lens to see what's happening (events, festivals, restaurants and more) and become a part of the community.

"Because visitors crave authentic content, Lens affords us the ability to talk less about ourselves and feature what is already being said about Franklin," stated Josh Collins, Digital Communications Manager for the Williamson County CVB. "Our primary goal on social media is to create inspiring content that invites visitors to experience the unique communities of Franklin and Williamson County. Lens is the perfect tool to help us accomplish that goal and we are already seeing an incredible amount of growth and engagement."

To experience the VisitFranklin Lens for yourself, head to http://stories.visitwilliamson.com.

ABOUT THE WCCVB
The Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for Franklin and the unique communities of Williamson County, Tennessee located south of Nashville. The WCCVB promotes Williamson County's local tourism assets to visitors across the state, the U.S. and worldwide. For additional information contact the WCCVB by phone 615.791.7554, toll free 866.253.9207, on the web at www.VisitFranklin.com or by mail 400 Main Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN, 37064.

ABOUT CROWDRIFF
Borne out of a healthy appetite for innovation and a steadfast belief in the power of data, CrowdRiff provides photo engagement, social scoring and insights platforms that help brands better connect with their audiences. For additional information contact CrowdRiff by phone 416.844.5337 or on the web at www.crowdriff.com

SOURCE Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau