How the Utah Valley Parade of Homes

Overview

When the pandemic closed many in-person activities, Relic and Utah Valley Home Builders Association needed a new plan for the annual Parade of Homes. The event was postponed to August 2020 and would need a different approach to continue. Most people were staying at home during the summer and all large events were postponed or canceled. Through research, Relic discovered that people still wanted to view the homes without risking getting sick. The solution was to incorporate something new — a virtual parade.

Relic created a website allowing those who did not feel comfortable attending in-person to view the homes virtually. Relic showcased seven homes, builders and other associated companies on the website. In previous years, Relic had used traditional and digital media including billboards, TV and radio ads, PPC and social media. Adding the new website to these efforts allowed Relic to increase attendance by over 50% from the previous year.

Results

The Utah Valley Parade of Homes was a unique and successful parade through the virtual tour option. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and a smaller budget than the previous year, Relic was able to garner increases in impressions, clicks and conversions.

Relic’s approach of adapting to the visitors’ needs was valuable and effective, as shown by the improved engagement and conversions online. The average amount of time a single user spent on the website was 11 minutes and 37 seconds, well above the industry standard of 1-2 minutes per website.

In comparison to 2019, paid advertisements received a 272% increase in clicks and a 335% increase in conversions. Cost per click also decreased by 66% and cost per conversion decreased by 75%. YouTube ads received a 49% increase in views and a 27% increase in engagement rate. Social media ads on Facebook and Instagram received a 60% increase in clicks and a 650% increase in conversions.

This was the UVHBA’s first year utilizing retargeting display ads, which proved successful. Five hundred twenty-five people who saw a retargeting display ad made an online purchase and 158 physically visited a parade home.

Analysis

Despite the challenges Relic and UVHBA faced in 2020, they were able to find a solution that allowed anyone to attend the parade. Relic used the RACE method to find out what would make people comfortable and executed a solution. Internal teams at Relic worked together to create a website and see greater sales than the previous year, even on a smaller budget. This situation showed the ability of Relic to pivot to virtual alternatives and achieve success.