How South Miami used Bludot’s Business Directory to power “Taste of SoMi”

When the City of South Miami, FL launched its first-ever Taste of SoMi event, the goal was clear: showcase the city’s vibrant local restaurants while making it easy for residents and visitors to explore all the options in one place. The city needed a solution that could spotlight participating businesses, simplify event promotion, and provide an easy-to-use resource for the public.

They turned to Bludot’s interactive Business Directory—a decision that Communications and Marketing Manager Brandon Diaz says strengthened their connection to the local business community while streamlining their team’s work.

Building a centralized hub for businesses and visitors

For South Miami, the Bludot Business Directory offered more than just a list of participating restaurants—it became the city’s official digital hub for the event.

“The Bludot Directory has strengthened our connection with the local business community by offering a centralized platform where businesses can be easily discovered and promoted. Having a tool that allows businesses to update their own profiles also empowers them to take ownership of their presence, which builds trust and collaboration.” Brandon Diaz

By giving businesses the ability to manage their own listings, the directory ensured accurate, up-to-date information while also sending a clear message: the city is committed to helping them succeed.

Simple setup with Bludot's Business Directory, more time for promotion

Launching the Taste of SoMi directory was quick and intuitive. The city created a dedicated event category within the Bludot platform and populated it with participating restaurants—no custom website build, no manual back-and-forth.

“Bludot has made setup and ongoing promotion incredibly easy. This reduced the need for custom-built webpages or manual outreach, saving our team time and allowing us to focus on strategic promotion rather than logistics.” Brandon Diaz

That efficiency meant more energy could go into engaging the community and driving traffic to local businesses.

A better experience for the public—and for businesses

From day one, feedback poured in from residents and business owners.

“Visitors love how easy it is to explore restaurants, get directions, and access menus all in one place—especially on mobile. Businesses appreciate the added exposure and the fact that they’re included on the official city website tied to local promotions like Taste of SoMi.” Brandon Diaz

Because the directory was embedded directly into the Taste of SoMi event page, users never had to leave the site to find hours, menus, or locations. The streamlined experience encouraged attendees to explore—and try—more restaurants.

Multi-channel promotion drives engagement

The city made the directory the centerpiece of its event promotion, driving people to it through every available channel:

• Social media campaigns

• Email newsletters

• The official city website

• Media releases

• Printed QR codes at local businesses

Each touchpoint encouraged users to visit the directory to browse participating businesses, turning it into a central hub for community engagement.

Looking ahead

Taste of SoMi may have been the first event of its kind in South Miami, but it won’t be the last time the city uses the Bludot Directory to power a local promotion.

“The flexibility and ease of use make the directory a great asset for any local initiative—whether it’s highlighting businesses, seasonal sidewalk sales, or special event campaigns like Taste of SoMi. We see it as a key part of our strategy moving forward to boost visibility for our small business community.” Brandon Diaz

With Bludot’s Business Directory, South Miami not only created a better event experience for Taste of SoMi, but also built a scalable tool that will continue to connect residents, visitors, and local businesses year-round.

To see how your community could benefit from Bludot’s interactive business directory, schedule a demonstration here.