Digital Marketing in Cities: The Case Study of Hamburg City

Abstract In the complex landscape of contemporary tourism, destinations must assert their brand and digital strategy to stand out globally. This chapter analyses Hamburg’s digital marketing strategy, emphasising its strengths and weaknesses. As Germany’s largest seaport and the third largest in Europe, Hamburg is distinguished for its autonomy, cosmopolitan image and vibrant cultural scene. The chapter begins with a theoretical background on cities, Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and digital marketing channels. It then presents the case study of Hamburg, exploring the external environment, challenges, objectives and strategies. Hamburg’s Content-First digital strategy focuses on high-quality, informative content that reinforces existing strengths but misses opportunities to introduce new attributes. While effectively communicating Place, Pulse and Potential from Anholt’s city brand hexagon, the strategy needs to enhance the People aspect on social media to align with Hamburg’s vision of becoming a sustainable hub by 2030. The analysis highlights several gaps, including the need for digital tools that enable trip customisation, the lack of entertainment benefits and the deficiency in producing content that fosters participation and builds meaningful relationships with followers. Based on these findings, recommendations for enhancing Hamburg’s digital marketing strategy are provided.