Screenshot of the Strong Towns navigation page

About Strong Towns

Strong Towns is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to move away from the outdated post-WWII suburban development model that has bankrupted cities and towns, turned thriving neighborhoods into thru-ways, and prioritized corporate interests over community livability. They offer courses to educate people on key issues, produce case studies of towns that have changed their models successfully, and host events and workshops in both the United States and Canada.

Photo by Blake Wheeler on Unsplash

Target Audience

Strong Towns’ current demographic largely consists of the following:



• Urban planners and developers with an interest in new development models
• People in local government leadership who desire to have a positive impact on their town/city
• Concerned citizens who seek to take an interest in their town/city development

These people tend to be professionals in their mid 40s-early 60s who either have decades of experience in urban ecology and development or seek to build community and take an active interest in their town’s safety, livability, and financial solvency.

Figure 1 taken from the report (linked below)

Social Media Audit

Strong Towns has a wide reach, boasting a presence on every social media platform. Some platforms are used more often than others, but all have been active in the past 6 months.

Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn: Strong Towns uses their social media to advertise their webinars and events and to question the productivity of the current town development model.

Website: Their website has been visited over 3 million times, mostly by men and women between 45-64 years of age.

YouTube: Strong Towns created their YouTube channel in 2010. Initially, they posted short 5-minute videos about their campaigns, diving into how town developments waste money by prioritizing short-term growth over long-term stability.

Objective #1

Reach a younger demographic.

Strong Towns’ reach skews older, but there are many young people who are also dissatisfied with the housing market, struggling with social isolation, and eager to throw their weight behind worthy causes.

Strategy: Intentional collaboration with newer/younger urban creators and professionals.

Tactics:

• Podcasts episodes that feature young voices
• Website articles that promote young professionals and community actors
• Instagram/YouTube shorts

Screenshot taken from the WCT website (as of March 7, 2025)

Objective #2

Get people new to the movement actively involved in their local government.

Those who are currently involved in their communities have already taken the initiative to join local conversations and attend meetings.

Strategy: Increase engagement on social media with by encouraging curiosity in local government.

Tactics:

• Social media giveaway. Incentivize everyday people to do the first step: learn how to find information on their town/city's government site.
• Strong Towns currently has low-medium engagement on their social media platforms. A raffle would boost social media engagement and encourage low-stakes participation in local government.

Objective #3

Show the effect community leadership is already having on local government.

Strong Towns currently does an excellent job presenting the case for a major face-lift in urban development. Right now, however, they only delve into case studies frequently on their podcasts and their web articles.

Strategy: Highlight local chapter success



Personal narrative is powerful. Statistics can help win some arguments, but human stories are compelling in ways that numbers can never be.

Tactics:

• YouTube series. A video series highlighting various chapters across the country and celebrating their work and successes would inspire other chapters to continue their advocacy.

View the full report here:

Social media is often cited as a cause of division in the world today, but its potential to foment anger and hate can also be harnessed to promote well-being and connection. Strong Towns can use this to their advantage by lifting up smaller voices, collaborating with creators, and highlighting the good work that communities are doing to improve their lives.