Within Travel Nevada’s marketing ecosystem, influencer partnerships play a crucial role in attracting potential visitors at the beginning of their travel journey. The team collaborates with creators who serve as trusted voices for travelers, with the objective of shifting perceptions of Nevada and highlighting the state's unique and lesser-known offerings and initiatives.
One such offering is Nevada’s wealth of supernatural sights, mysterious encounters with extraterrestrial beings, and remnants of boom-and-bust ghost towns. These points of interest are particularly well-suited for one of Travel Nevada’s key audiences, Uncharted Experiences Enthusiasts – those looking to authentically explore a destination to uncover unique (and sometimes a bit odd or curious) experiences. To introduce this audience to Nevada’s “spooky” offerings, the team partnered with paranormal researcher and influencer Amanda Paulson (@prettyfnspooky) – known for her deep dives into haunted locations and unexplained phenomena – for uniquely-themed road trips through the Silver State in both October 2023 and 2024 guided by Travel Nevada’s Paranormal Passport.
The foundation of the strategy was twofold: first, curating compelling itineraries that aligned with Paulson’s established storytelling style and expertise; second, crafting a content-driven campaign that maximized engagement on Instagram. The Fahlgren Mortine and Travel Nevada teams meticulously planned each road trip with Paulson, ensuring that her adventures authentically represented the state’s supernatural allure while allowing her creative freedom to engage her audience. Each itinerary was thoughtfully designed to feature a blend of iconic haunted landmarks, such as the Washoe Club and Rhyolite ghost town, alongside lesser-known spots with mysterious histories.
To amplify the campaign’s impact, the team focused on creating moments that felt both discoverable and shareable, aligning with the preferences of the target audience. By leaning into Paulson’s ability to weave personal experiences with paranormal research, the campaign struck an engaging balance of storytelling, education, and entertainment.
Execution hinged on leveraging Paulson’s platform to deliver high-quality, immersive content through a mix of in-feed posts and Reels. Her content was designed to evoke curiosity, spark discussions, and inspire her audience to see Nevada as a must-visit destination for eerie and unique adventures. Travel Nevada complemented her efforts with additional promotion through owned channels, ensuring the campaign reached a broader audience while reinforcing its messaging.
By working with Paulson across two consecutive years, Travel Nevada created a consistent and evolving narrative that kept the state top-of-mind for its target audience.
Through this thoughtful combination of influencer expertise, tailored itineraries, and dynamic storytelling, Travel Nevada successfully brought its spooky side to life, delivering a campaign that resonated deeply with its audience and inspired them to explore the Silver State.
The Travel Nevada team worked closely with Paulson to determine points of interest and produced detailed itineraries for her road trips in both 2023 and 2024, complete with guided tours of Nevada’s most haunted destinations. Stops included Silver Terrace Cemetery, The Mizpah Hotel, Piper’s Opera House, and many more. Through in-feed posts and Reels, Paulson documented her time at each location.
On a budget of $5,900, these collaborations with Paulson resulted in 34 in-feed posts and Reels in 2024, with impressive metrics including:
By working closely with Paulson over two consecutive years, Travel Nevada successfully emphasized its allure as a destination of endless exploration and supernatural intrigue. Her expertise and influence highlighted the state’s hidden gems and eerie stories, helping to build lasting interest in the Silver State as the go-to place for all things spooky.
