Grand Rapids has continued to grow as a vibrant place for small businesses, culture, dining, and community connection. Monthly events, seasonal shopping, and everyday initiatives have kept downtown active, with much of that momentum driven by local creators on social media.
Many of these collaborations have been part of our ongoing partnership with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Together, we’ve highlighted the people, places, and experiences that make downtown GR not just a city, but a destination.
This 2025 year-in-review reflects how intentional, local storytelling through local creators strengthens community, supports small businesses, and encourages people to visit downtown.
Who We Are
Word Out Influence is a Grand Rapids–based influencer marketing agency built on one core belief: the most impactful marketing starts with real people sharing real experiences.
We specialize in hyper-local influencer campaigns that connect West Michigan businesses and organizations with creators who already live, work, and spend time in the communities they promote. Unlike national creator platforms that focus solely on scale, our approach is rooted in place—we work primarily with Grand Rapids–area creators and businesses, ensuring every story reflects genuine local connection.
As GR natives, we have a personal stake in seeing our city thrive. That perspective shapes how we work, from the creators we collaborate with to the businesses we support. We prioritize authenticity, creativity, and trust over scripted messaging, creating modern word-of-mouth recommendations delivered digitally.
Equally important, our relationships with creators extend beyond a database or profile name. We engage with our influencer network through real-life interactions—events, one-on-one meetings, and ongoing conversations—building relationships that feel personal. By fostering meaningful connections both online and offline, we help organizations tell their story through voices audiences already recognize and trust.
A special thank you to Dee By Design for the professional interview video production.
The Challenge
Downtown Grand Rapids is rich with independent businesses and exciting events. Like many downtowns, however, it faces a familiar challenge: encouraging people to step beyond the ease of suburban routines and feel confident parking, navigating, and exploring its shops, restaurants, and cultural spaces.
Traditional marketing doesn’t always capture the downtown experience. Today’s audiences want to see where to shop, feel the energy of an event, and hear recommendations from people they trust.
The challenge is clear: How can downtown Grand Rapids be consistently showcased in a way that feels authentic, approachable, and engaging—while helping people feel confident exploring downtown and supporting local businesses?
Meeting the Challenge
Through our partnership with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., we developed a recurring, local-first influencer strategy centered on consistency and community connection.
Campaigns were built around key downtown initiatives—such as monthly 3rd Thursdays and seasonal shopping periods like Small Business Saturday—inviting local creators to explore downtown and share their experiences in their own voices. Creators are given creative freedom within a shared goal: encourage people to get downtown, explore something new, and support local businesses. Audiences weren’t being “marketed to”—they were being invited in.
The Results
Over the course of the year, this partnership generated consistent, high-quality content that spotlighted downtown businesses through trusted local voices.
In 2025, we partnered with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. to activate 85 unique local creators across 216 creator activations and 14 campaign initiatives. Together, these campaigns generated more than 712,000 impressions and over 11,000 engagements, amplifying downtown businesses, events, and experiences through consistent, community-driven storytelling.
The impact extended beyond metrics. Business owners welcomed new customers, residents discovered shops they hadn’t visited before, and downtown Grand Rapids became part of everyday social conversations—where people plan how they spend their time.
Why It Worked
Our partnership worked mainly because of Grand Rapids itself. As a mid-sized city with a strong sense of community, it’s an ideal environment for nano-creators—people whose content feels less like advertising and more like a recommendation from a neighbor. Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. brought a deep understanding of the downtown business community, while Word Out Influence helped amplify local voices through thoughtful, community-first storytelling.
Together, a focus on sustained momentum helped reinforce downtown as a place worth visiting, exploring, and supporting.
Looking Ahead
As digital marketing evolves, local storytelling will remain one of the most powerful tools for community growth. Influencer marketing, when done thoughtfully, complements traditional efforts by adding credibility and human connection.
Businesses thrive when people feel connected to them—and when those connections are shared, real influence happens. See for yourself by visiting these tagged photos on Instagram!
Contact us today to learn how influencer marketing might work for you!
Written by: Anne DiVitto, Owner, Word Out Influence