Case Study: Strengthening Community Presence with St Ninian’s Cathedral

Client Overview

St Ninian’s Cathedral, located in the heart of Perth, Scotland, is a landmark with both historic and spiritual significance. Beyond its role as a place of worship, the Cathedral has the potential to serve as a cultural hub, attracting local residents, tourists, and community groups. With a dedicated volunteer base and a loyal congregation, St Ninian’s sought to extend its reach and ensure its presence was felt more widely across Perth and beyond.

The Challenge

The Cathedral faced several challenges:

  • Limited understanding of its existing audience and visitor behaviour
  • No clear or measurable marketing goals
  • Inconsistent use of digital channels and community outreach
  • Limited resources, relying heavily on volunteers and goodwill
  • A need to balance its traditional identity with the expectations of modern audiences

The leadership wanted practical, resource-conscious strategies to help the Cathedral become a recognised and thriving centre of community life.

Our Approach

We provided St Ninian’s Cathedral with a structured marketing framework that combined data gathering, strategy, and community engagement.

Measurement & Audience Insights

We emphasised the importance of first understanding the Cathedral’s current position, analysing footfall, visitor demographics, busiest days/times, and whether visitors were locals or tourists. This baseline data was the foundation for any marketing decision-making.

Goal Setting

We guided the team to define clear, SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). This ensured all activities had a concrete target.

SWOT Analysis & USP Development

We recommended a full SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This process helped clarify St Ninian’s unique selling point (USP) within Perth’s cultural and spiritual landscape, positioning it effectively against local competitors.

Customer Profiling

We introduced detailed audience personas. This exercise encouraged the Cathedral to think about real people’s lifestyles, decision-making processes, and media habits, ensuring outreach would resonate with their needs.

Marketing Channels & Tactics

With limited resources, we advised a focus on the most effective channels:

  • Posters and flyers in high-footfall local spots like cafés and shops
  • Facebook and Google Ads targeted at local audiences
  • Consistent organic content across social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Vimeo)
  • Livestreaming services and online prayer groups to engage digitally

Community Engagement

We highlighted the importance of outreach: partnering with local organisations, running online coffee mornings, and positioning the Cathedral as a centre of Perth’s community life. Volunteers were identified as a key strength, providing manpower for welcoming visitors, gathering feedback, and spreading the word.

Reporting & Funding

We stressed the importance of tracking every campaign, measuring success, and refining approaches. We also advised applying for grants (e.g., Google Ad Grants, video equipment funding) to maximise the Cathedral’s marketing impact.

Results

While still in early stages, the Cathedral benefited from:

  • A clear, practical marketing framework tailored to limited resources
  • Renewed confidence in setting and measuring goals
  • Greater volunteer engagement, with teams contributing to outreach and visitor tracking
  • A roadmap for building visibility, community presence, and digital engagement

Client Feedback

“Simply IC helped us understand that marketing doesn’t need to be overwhelming, it just needs to be structured. With clear steps and encouragement, we now have a strategy that feels achievable and exciting. Most importantly, our volunteers feel empowered to play a part in making St Ninian’s a vibrant presence in Perth.”
— St Ninian’s Cathedral Team

Conclusion

Our work with St Ninian’s Cathedral demonstrates how even historic institutions with limited resources can benefit from strategic, community-led marketing. By focusing on measurement, clear goals, and volunteer-powered outreach, the Cathedral now has a foundation to grow its visibility, engagement, and role as a cultural and spiritual hub for Perth.