National Ploughing Championship
The National Ploughing Association’s annual National Ploughing Championships is a major event in the Irish agricultural calendar. Since the first Championship in 1931 it has kept on growing, and nowadays the site covers over 800 acres, with hundreds of competitors and thousands of exhibitors. Over the years, it has been extended beyond ploughing and farming to include attractions such as sheep dog trials, live entertainment, fashion shows, and a craft village. Whilst staying true to its original mission “to bring the message of good ploughing to all parts of the country and to provide a pleasant and friendly place to meet and do business”, it has become, according to one source, the biggest outdoor exhibition and agricultural trade show in Europe. More than a quarter of a million visitors attend annually; the 2019 Championships attracted 297,000 people to Co. Carlow.
For a flagship event such as this one, a website is a vital means of disseminating and collecting information. The Emarkable team worked with the NPA to develop their site; research for the project was exhaustive, with every exhibitor (over three thousand) and distributor contacted, and a useful database set up to allow them to add their own promotional information and material.
Challenge:
The National Ploughing Association (NPA) needed a website that would showcase their annual National Ploughing Championships and provide essential information to the thousands of exhibitors and visitors who attend the event each year. With hundreds of competitors, thousands of exhibitors, and over a quarter of a million visitors, the NPA required a website that could handle a large amount of data and traffic.
Solution:
Emarkable worked closely with the NPA to develop a website that was both user-friendly and informative. The site was designed to be easy to navigate, with clear information about the event and its attractions. Emarkable also created a database that allowed exhibitors and distributors to add their own promotional information and material to the site.
Emarkable’s digital marketing services included managing the NPA’s social media accounts. This involved creating engaging content, sharing updates about the event, and interacting with followers on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
To ensure the website could handle the high volume of traffic it would receive during the event, Emarkable implemented a content delivery network (CDN) to improve website performance and speed. This meant that visitors could access the site quickly, even during peak traffic times.
Results:
The new website proved to be a huge success, with thousands of visitors accessing it in the lead-up to and during the event. The site’s easy navigation and comprehensive information helped to drive interest in the National Ploughing Championships and attract new visitors.
The social media campaign also had a significant impact, with engaging content and updates about the event generating a high level of engagement and interaction from followers.
Overall, the partnership between Emarkable and the National Ploughing Association helped to create a successful digital presence for one of Ireland’s most popular and well-known events.
As one of Emarkable’s clients in our growing Agri business portfolio, the NPA signposts other companies in the sector.
