Dual-funnel strategy in hyperlocal community marketing: Co-creation with Businesses and Municipalities in the Y Avellino Case

Purpose - This study examines how a hyperlocal social media community employs a dual-funnel marketing strategy to engage business (B2B) and government (B2G) partners in co-creating value. We analyze YAvellino – an Instagram-based community promoting Italy’s Irpinia province – as a case of a multi-stakeholder, place-based brand platform. Design/Methodology - Adopting a case study approach, we collected Instagram performance data (content frequency, reach, engagement) and conducted stakeholder interviews (local businesses and municipal officials). We mapped two parallel funnels (B2B and B2G) from initial awareness to partnership conversion. Simulated engagement analytics and stakeholder quotes illustrate the dynamics of community growth and partnership outcomes. Findings: YAvellino has cultivated a large online community (57k Instagram followers) through content that valorizes local culture and businesses. Its dual-funnel model targets commercial partners (restaurants, wineries, etc.) and municipalities, guiding each through awareness, engagement, and conversion stages. B2B partners seek social media exposure and leads, while B2G partners (municipalities) seek place branding and tourism promotion. Co-created content with these partners achieved strong audience engagement (average ~700 likes per post, dozens of comments) and sustained community growth. The B2B funnel yielded ~15 business sponsorships from ~100 prospects, and the B2G funnel converted ~5 municipalities from ~20 approached (simulated data). Partner co-creation is found to enhance content authenticity and trust, aligning with literature that stakeholder participation can increase brand credibility and social cohesion. Originality - This work bridges marketing funnel theory with place branding and value co-creation in a hyperlocal context. We propose a «dual-funnel community model» wherein a digital platform serves as intermediary, converting partner contributions into engaging content for a local audience. This extends prior community engagement research by accounting for multi-sided value creation (business, government, and community). Implications - For practitioners, the case highlights how collaborating with local stakeholders (through B2B and B2G pathways) can sustainably monetize a community and amplify regional brand narratives. For scholars, it provides an empirical glimpse into networked place marketing and offers a framework for analyzing similar multi-stakeholder social media initiatives.