How Consistent Social Media Helped Power a Sold-Out Turkey Trot LA

Turkey Trot LA is a beloved Thanksgiving Day tradition in Downtown Los Angeles, bringing together runners, walkers, families, and pets for a spirited start to the holiday. Hosted annually at Los Angeles City Hall, this community-focused event offers multiple race options, including a 5K and 10K run, a Widdle Wobble for kids, and a 1-mile Dog Jog, making it inclusive and fun for all ages and abilities.

More than just a race, Turkey Trot LA celebrates fitness, gratitude, and community pride with a scenic course through historic Los Angeles streets, including landmarks like the Walt Disney Concert Hall, before finishing with a festive post-race experience in Grand Park.

The event also carries a meaningful purpose by raising funds and awareness for The Midnight Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. This gives participants an opportunity to give back while taking part in a holiday tradition.

With thousands of participants each year, Turkey Trot LA has become a cherished way for Angelenos to come together, make memories, and kick off Thanksgiving with energy, generosity, and community spirit.

September 1, 2025-December 5th, 2025

Turkey Trot LA hired the L.A. Social Karma team to help create a consistent and active online presence leading up to their annual Thanksgiving Day event.

Starting 90 days prior to the race, our team ramped up social media efforts for Instagram and Facebook. This included creating and publishing regular content to promote registration, share important race details, and keep the community engaged and informed.

On race day, we provided live social media coverage to capture the excitement and energy of the event in real time. We also monitored and responded to direct messages and comments, answered participant questions, and actively engaged with followers to support a positive online experience.

By managing content creation, community engagement, and race day coverage, we helped Turkey Trot LA stay connected with participants while allowing their team to focus on executing the event.

Turkey Trot LA’s social media campaign focused on building awareness, supporting registration, and keeping the community informed and engaged throughout the lead-up to race day. Our efforts worked in conjunction with the broader marketing team to support the overall growth of the event.

The campaign delivered strong, measurable results across Instagram and Facebook.

Social media saw significant year-over-year growth, including an increase of more than 700 new followers. Total impressions surpassed 1 million, which represented a 49% increase compared to the previous year. Engagement increased by 63% year over year, with more than 5,000 people actively engaging with content. Shares increased by 54%, helping extend reach organically, while saves and story views also increased, with Instagram Story views up approximately 20% from the same time the previous year.

Most notably, Turkey Trot LA experienced a record-breaking year with nearly 8,000 runners, resulting in a sold-out event. While social media was one part of a larger marketing effort, consistent content, active engagement, and race day coverage helped support visibility, momentum, and participant communication leading up to race day.

By managing social media strategy, content creation, and community engagement, L.A. Social Karma helped Turkey Trot LA increase visibility, drive registrations, and support a record-breaking year for the event. Increased reach and engagement made it easier for participants to discover the race, stay informed, and complete registration.

In addition to increased sign-ups and revenue, managing social media allowed the Turkey Trot LA team to save valuable time during a busy event season. With content planned, published, and monitored by our team, the client was able to focus on race logistics and event execution, while maintaining a professional and consistent online presence throughout the campaign.

The result was a sold-out event with nearly 8,000 runners, stronger brand credibility online, and a smoother, less stressful lead-up to race day.