241
IDEAS
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE TO
Introduction
This playbook is the ultimate guide to building out your calendar of promotions and interactive content. Inspired by our annual 30in30 webinar series, we’ve packed this guide with ideas in each of the top 30 categories. From Christmas and Halloween to Fan Spirit and Travel, you’ll find all the ideas you need for quizzes, sweepstakes, ballots, and much more, so you can fill out your entire calendar. Plus, discover tips and best practices to engage your audience, grow your database, and drive more revenue. So, grab your calendar, get your pencil ready, and join us as we travel month-by-month and give you more than 240 engagement campaign ideas you can start running right now.
LIZ CRIDER Director of Affiliate Success liz@secondstreet.com @emcrider
JULIE FOLEY
Director of Affiliate Success julie@secondstreet.com @julie_foley
The Categories We’ll Explore: 1 Halloween
16 Weddings
2 Nature & Weather
17 Travel
3 Food
18 Home Improvement
4 Thanksgiving
19 Patriotic
5 Giving Back
20 Political
6 Christmas
21 Pets
7 Health & Fitness
22 School Events
8 Basketball
23 Football
9 Valentine’s Day
24 Fan Spirit
10 Auto Racing
25 High School Events
11 Automotive
26 Creative & Talent
12 Mother’s & Father’s Day
27 Music, Movies, & TV
13 Your Community
28 Beauty
14 Golf
29 Drinks
15 Local Events
30 Parenting
Halloween
Halloween
$2.5 BILLION
Drives Foot Traffic to Your Advertisers
Expected Spend on Costumes
$350 MILLION
Expected Spend on Pet Costumes Source: National Retail Federation, 2015
Advertisers to Target
Haunted Houses
Hay Rides & Corn Mazes
Costume Shops
Unique Seasonal Advertisers
Local Events
halloween
Halloween offers tons of seasonal sponsorship opportunities like haunted houses, costume shops, and candy stores. Go after these seasonal sponsors right when they pop up in your market and offer them exposure through engagement campaigns like a Cutest Trick or Treater photo contest. Parents are sure to have pictures already, so this should have a relatively low barrier to enter while driving lots of user engagement. In addition, your sponsor will be able to build an email database of potential customers.
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halloween
Pet Photo Contest
1
Halloween Costume Style Quiz
Quizzes
• Which Witch Are You? • Trick or Treat: How Much Do You Know About Halloween? • Which Halloween Costume Should You Wear?
Haunted Brewfest Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
• Happy Hallow-Win Sweeps • Win [VIP Tickets to Haunted House, Complete Costume Makeover, Family Pack to Harvest Festival, etc.]
Pet Photo Contest
Photo Contests • Cutest Trick or Treater • Happy “Howl”oween Pet Costume Contest • Best Costume Contest
Nature & Weather
Many local businesses such as HVAC companies, gutter cleaning, and snow tires have very busy times of year due to weather related incidents. With so many people interested in outdoor activities like hiking and camping, nature can be a great focus for tourism or for outdoor equipment stores. Plus, with many people snapping photos of nature and weather scenes, photo contests and galleries can be very successful and create tons of content for your site.
#1 Subject of Amateur Photographers
Complements All Your Weather Content
Advertisers to Target
Heating & Cooling Repair
Landscaping Services
Gutter Cleaning
Snow Removal Services
nature & weather
Nature & Weather
2
nature & weather 2
Can You Eat That Mushroom or Plant?
Photo Contests
• Winter Weather Photos • Celebrate the Great Outdoors • Fall Colors
Guess the First Snowfall
Quizzes • What Kind of Camper Are You? • What’s Your Tornado Safety IQ? • What Season Are You?
Weather Photo Galleries
Sweepstakes
• Guess the First Snowfall • Win [Weather Radio, Luxury Camping Gear, Hiking Equipment, etc.]
Food
Food
Everyone loves food - that’s why it makes a great category of engagement campaigns. Restaurants lend themselves to a variety of promotions and interactive content. Photo contests are a great chance to target a younger demographic by encouraging them to go and post a picture of a special restaurant or food item while being entered for gift certicates to other restaurants. Campaigns featuring food are universal and appeal to a large audience, not to mention the prizes are always delicious.
Easily Customize for Specific Sponsors
Advertisers to Target
Restaurants
Grocery Stores
Banks
Bars
Specialty Food Stores
food
Capture Readers’ Attention With Dining Guides & Special Sections
Everyone LOVES Food
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food 3
How Well Do You Know Shreveport-Bossier City Cuisine?
Quizzes • How Well Do You Know (City) Cuisine? • What Ice Cream Flavor Are You? • Test Your Chocolate Knowledge
NOW Foodie Instagram Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• Show Us the Best Burger in (City) • What’s Cooking on Your Grill? • Fix My Kitchen: Makeover Photo Contest
Food Truck Bracket
Brackets
• Food Truck Bracket
Ballots
• Best Chef in (City) • (City) Pizza Showdown!
Thanksgiving
When it comes to Thanksgiving, any engagement campaign that can connect food and family has the potential to be a big success. Promotions and interactive content for this category are universal, can reach every market, and have mass appeal making them get lots of participation. Contests featuring Thanksgiving recipes or a turkey coloring contest, are great opportunities to target families. With almost 3 billion dollars spent on Thanksgiving dinner last year, a no brainer idea is a sweepstakes offering a grocery gift card. Grocers are competing for those Thanksgiving dollars and will be eager to sponsor your promotion or interactive content.
Annual Spending on Thanksgiving Dinner is
Complements Your Holiday Special Programming
$2.8 BILLION Source: statisticbrain.com
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Grocery Stores
Banks
Lots of Co-Op Dollars Available
Retail Stores
thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
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thanksgiving 4
Thanksgiving Giveaway
Sweepstakes
• Grocery Giveaway • Win [Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast, Deserts, Turkeys, Thanksgiving Food, etc.]
“What Type of Thanksgiving Food Are You” Quiz
Quizzes • Which Pie Should You Make for Thanksgiving? • What Type of Thanksgiving Food Are You? • Test Your Turkey Trivia
Carl the Turkey Submission Contest
Contests
• Turkey Coloring Contest • Who Are You Most Thankful For? Photo Contest
Giving Back
Giving Back
Strengthen Your Connection With Your Audience
Creates Feel-Good Content
Advertisers to Target
Health Care Professionals
Banks
Schools
Businesses Want to Give Back
Restaurants
giving back
Giving Back can be a very rewarding engagement campaign category giving you a chance to spotlight individuals or groups who are making a difference in their local community. From submission contests promoting great nurses to essay contests allowing individuals to speak about an important issue like texting and driving, the service category can be a great place for your company to help promote local goodwill. Giving Back engagement campaigns are a great way to show how you or your advertisers are aligning with their community.
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giving back 5
Giving Back Awards Ballot
Ballot
• Top Doctors Ballot • Favorite Teachers Ballot • Top Non-Profit in (City)
We Love Nurses Submission Contest
Contests • Favorite Nurses Contest • Community Grant Contest • Most Inspirational Teacher Contest
Community Kickstarter Grants Submission Contest
Quizzes
• Where Should You Volunteer? • How Much Do You Know About (City) Non-Profits? • How Do Your Donations Help?
Christmas
Christmas
Holiday Spending Expected to Exceed a
Promote Special Programming & Create Engaging Content
Trillion Dollars Source: Deloitte
Advertisers to Target
Retail Stores
Local Events
Restaurants
Grocery Stores
christmas
Year after year, Christmas is one of the biggest seasons for engagement campaigns. Popular amongst your audience and advertisers, Christmas promotions and interactive content are an excellent way to get a piece of the warm holiday feeling during this most wonderful time of the year. While the ideas are endless, some of the most successful are sweepstakes for shopping sprees, jewelry, or electronics. Whatever you pick, Christmas campaigns are sure to provide lots of good cheer.
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christmas 6
Scared of Santa Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• Scared of Santa Photos • Ugly Christmas Sweater • Show Us Your Holiday Spirit
“What Christmas Movie Are You?” Quiz
Quizzes • Which Holiday Movie Are You? • How Much Do You Know About Christmas Food Around the World? • Do You Feel the Holiday Stress?
12 Days of Giveaways Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
• 12 Days of Christmas Sweepstakes • Win [Shopping Spree, Gift Card, Jewelry, Holiday Meal, High End Electronics, etc.]
Health & Fitness
January is a prime time for Health & Fitness engagement campaigns. With a huge number of people focusing on getting fit and healthy for their New Year’s resolutions, not only will this be a great way to engage your audience, but you’ll also find tons of advertisers looking to target consumers looking for better health. But, don’t just limit yourself to January. Create campaigns that tie into all the national health months like Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and Heart Health Month in February.
Engage Readers with Lifestyle & Health Sections
Promotes Events & Encourage Attendance
Advertisers to Target
Health Care Providers
Fitness Centers
Health & Fitness Stores
Grocery Stores
health & fitness
Health & Fitness
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health & fitness 7
“Test Your Fitness IQ” Quiz
Quizzes
• Test Your Breast Cancer Knowledge • Test Your Fitness IQ • How Well Do You Know Your Workouts?
New Year, New You Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes • New Year, New You Sweepstakes • Win [Gym Membership for a Year, Electronic Fitness Equipment, Personal Training Sessions, etc.]
New Year, New You Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• Show Us Your New Year, New You • Fix My Gym • Show Us Your (City) Marathon Pictures!
Basketball
Basketball
40 Million
Local, Regional, & National Opportunities
Americans Fill Out A College Basketball Bracket Source: American Gaming Association
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Sports Bars
Retail Stores
Sell Through Regular & Post-Season
Banks
basketball
You don’t want to miss out on the excitement that is basketball in March! Advertiser spend is up, and it will align with all your sports content and programming. College basketball fans are incredibly passionate about their sport and their team and that presents a huge opportunity for you. Don’t limit yourself to a single tournament bracket, make the most of this season by combining it with quizzes, sweepstakes, and more.
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v
Akron Zips Ticket Sweepstakes
basketball 28
College Hoops Fan Personality Quiz
Quizzes
• Test Your Basketball Movie Trivia • Which College Hoops Coach Are You? • Pro Basketball Trivia
Basketball Bracket Bonanza
Sweepstakes • Ultimate Basketball Fan Tickets Giveaway • Win [College Tournament Tickets, Ultimate Fan Gear Makeover, Man Cave Makeover, etc.]
“Which Cavs Champion are You?” Quiz
Brackets
• College Basketball Tournament Bracket • High School Basketball Bracket
Photo Contests
• Show Your (Team) Pride
Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day campaigns at the end of January and into February, this is a perfect time to take advantage of some more of those seasonal advertisers that you may not be working with all year long. Submission contests like Cutest Couple and Best Engagement Story will not only drive tons of pageviews and ad impressions to your site, but area also ideal as holiday content and programming.
$19.7 BILLION
Create Engaging Holiday Content
Retail Spending in 2016 Source: U.S. News & World Report
Advertisers to Target
Restaurants
Florists
Jewelry Shops
Travel
valentine’s day
Valentine’s Day
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valentine’s day 9
Cutest Couple Photo Contest
Contests
• Cutest Couple Photo Contest • Share Your Engagement Story • Dream Wedding Photo Contest
Valentine’s Jewelry Sweepstakes
“What Should I Get My Sweetheart for Valentine’s Day?” Quiz
Sweepstakes • Treat Your Sweetheart Sweepstakes • Win [Jewelry Giftcard, Floral Package, Ultimate Spa Day, etc.]
Quizzes
• Romantic Movie Trivia • What Should I Get My Sweetheart for Valentine’s Day? • Which Celebrity Couple Are You?
Auto Racing
Auto Racing
Season Runs for 10 Months!
Lots of Returning Users & Ad Impressions
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Sports Bars
Race Tracks
Retail Stores
auto racing
February isn’t all hearts and flowers - it’s also the start of auto racing season. Auto racing is a fantastic opportunity for engagement campaigns as the season runs a full 37 weeks (talk about frequent visitors!) Plus, not only will your promotions and interactive content complement your auto racing programming, but if you’re looking for revenue, auto racing presents a huge opportunity to target incredibly lucrative advertisers.
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auto racing
Tickers Codeword Sweepstakes
10
“Test Your Racing Knowledge” Quiz
Quizzes
• Racetrack Trivia • Test Your Racing Knowledge • Racing Movie Trivia
Auto Racing Pick’em
Sweepstakes • Ultimate Race Fan Sweepstakes • Win [Trip & Tickets to Race, Total Fan Makeover, Ultimate Track Experience, etc.]
Pick’em
• Auto Racing Pick’em
Photo Contests
• Ultimate Auto Racing Fan
Automotive
Automotive
Generates Hot Leads
Supports Auto Show Events
Advertisers to Target
Aftermarket Automotive
Automotive
Car Shows
Lots of Co-Op Dollars Available
Insurance
automotive
If you’re looking to drive revenue, automotive campaigns are for you. With opportunities of digital co-op dollars, dealer groups, and aftermarket retailers, a ton of ad dollars are coming from the automotive category. When you add on survey questions, these engagement campaigns are ideal for capturing data and delivering hot leads to your advertisers. With just a few short questions, you can find discover who is in the market to purchase a car in the next couple months.
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automotive 11
“What Driver Are You?” Quiz + Sweeps
Quizzes
• Do You Know the Rules of the Road? • Car Maintenance Trivia • What Type of Car Should You Drive?
Malibu Madness Sweeps
Sweepstakes • Gas Card Giveaway • Win [Car Washes for a Year, Lease for a Year, Gas Card, Winter Car Makeover, etc.]
Ugly Truck Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• Ugly Truck Photo Contest • Show Us Your Ride • Share Photos from the Hot Rod Car Show
Mother’s & Father’s Day
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day campaigns continue to be popular year after year. Both lend themselves to a huge variety of engagement campaigns. Consider sweepstakes with great prizes, quizzes about famous moms and dads, and even great photo contests highlighting wonderful family pictures. These holiday campaigns aren’t just about content. These holidays are major commercial events making it easy to find a long list of sponsors.
Fun Content to Promote
Targets a Niche Demographic
Advertisers to Target
Home Improvement
Spas
Grocery Store
Restaurants
mother’s & father’s day
Mother’s & Father’s Day
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mother’s & father’s day
12
Father’s Day Photo Contest
Contests
• Mother & Daughter Look-a-Like Photo Contest • Just-Like-Dad Photo Contests • Love My Mom Contest
Mother’s Day Jewelry Sweeps
Sweepstakes • Maid for Mom Sweepstakes: Maid Service for a Year • Win [BBQ Grill Makeover, Total Spa Day, Family Pack of Tickets, etc.]
Celebrity Moms Quiz
Quizzes
• What Should You Get Your Dad for Father’s Day? • Who’s Your TV Dad? • Famous Moms Trivia
Your Community
People are so loyal to their community. Leverage that passion to create promotions and interactive content focused on the all the best aspects of your local audience. While you can create quizzes about local history or photo contests featuring great city hot spots, a citywide metro ballot can target every single person in your community and drive some major revenue! These local community campaigns are incredibly engaging and drive tons of ad impressions and interaction on social.
Metro Ballot: Largest
People are Passionate About Their Community
Revenue Opportunity of the Year
Advertisers Want to be a Part of This
Advertisers to Target
Real Estate
Local Utilities
Schools
Restaurants & Bars
Banks
your community
Community
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your community 13
#MyMiami Instagram Photo Contest
Community Quizzes
Photo Contests
Quizzes
• Favorite Place in (City) • Best View in (City) • Why I Love (City)
Memphis Most Citywide Metro Ballot
• How Much Do You Know (City) Trivia? • Are You a (City) Native or Tourist? • How Much Do You Know about our Local (City) Musicians?
Ballots
• Citywide Metro Ballot • Best Cuisine in (City) • Best Attractions in (City)
Golf
Golf
Golf presents a very affluent audience, and engagement campaigns are a great way to tap into the golf spending with advertisers who may not normally spend with you. These promotions and interactive content aren’t all about the money - a fantasy golf pick’em is a great way to connect with your golf programming and will drive pageviews as users return week-after-week to play.
golf
Targets an Affluent Audience
Encourages Return Visitors
Advertisers to Target
Retail Stores
Golf Courses
Restaurants
Diverse Group of Advertisers
Travel Services
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Golf Getaway Sweepstakes
golf 14
Ultimate Golf Card
Pick’em
• Fantasy Golf Pick’em
Ecommerce • Golf Card
Fantasy Golf Pick’em
Sweepstakes
• Golf Getaway Giveaway • Win [Golf for a Year, Luxury Equipment, Trip to Exclusive Courses, Golf Lessons, etc.]
“Who’s Your PGA Tour Buddy?” Quiz
Quizzes
• Pro Golf Trivia • Which Pro Golfer Are You? • What’s Your Golf Game Like?
Local Events
Local Events
Collects Stories & Photos for Content
Builds Pre-Event Excitement
The Benefits are Endless!
Increase Ticket Sales
Gather Consumer Data
Generate Leads
local events
Combining events and engagement campaigns are a HUGE win. Not only can interactive content and promotions capitalize on community passion, but they will also help get the word out, generate excitement, increase ticket sales, and even grow your database for future initiatives. Don’t forget to use the stories your campaigns create as additional content for your site.
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local events 15
Citrus County Fair Photo Contest
Yoga Festival Sweeps
Photo Contests
Sweepstakes
• County Fair Photo Contest • Show Us Your (City) Renaissance Fair Photos • What’s Your Favorite Thing About the (City) Homecoming?
• Family Fun at the (City) Fair Giveaway • Win [VIP Tickets, Food Vouchers, Family Pack of Tickets, Fan Experience, etc.]
Summercamp Band Quiz
Quizzes
• How Much Do You Know About the (City) Music Festival? • Which Fair Event Are You? • Test Your (City) Renaissance Fair Trivia
Weddings
Weddings
Average of
$31,213
Spent per Wedding
Highly Engaged Audience
Source: CNN
Consider Advertisers You’re Not Working With
Advertisers to Target
Bridal Stores
Bakery
Limousine Rental
Jewelry Shops
Travel Services
weddings
The wedding and bridal audience is highly engaged and has yearly churn. This means advertisers are looking to target new customers year-afteryear. Wedding promotions and interactive content are great at collecting consumer data, growing an email database, and identifying hot leads. Plus, these campaigns turn into excellent content on your site and tie in great with the wedding special sections and events you’re already doing.
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weddings
Groom’s Cake Dive Photo Contest
16 Fairy Tale Wedding Sweepstakes
“What Kind of Bride Are You?” Quiz
Contests
• Cutest Couple Photo Contest • Best Engagement Story
Ballots
• Best of Weddings Niche Ballot
Sweepstakes
• Win Your Fairy Tale Wedding • Win [Wedding Dress, Groom’s Tuxedo, Limo Rental, Honeymoon, Cake, Floral Arrangements, DJ or Music, etc.]
Quizzes
• What Kind of Bride Are You? • What’s Your Celebrity Wedding Style? • What Does Your Engagement Ring Say About You?
Travel
Travel
Engagement campaigns are a great way to complement all your travel content and programming. Plus, travel promotions and interactive content are great for your sales team. Regional travel sales have tons of perishable inventory, and this is a great way to get money from these advertisers that may not typically spend. Make sure you customize your campaigns to drive even more value from your promotions and interactive content.
travel
Grow Your Email Database
Advertisers to Target
Hotels & Lodging
Salons & Spas
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Enhance Your Travel Content
Golf Courses
Lots of Inventory Focus on Regional Offers
Travel Services
travel
Trip to Disney World Sweepstakes
17 Island Getaway Sweepstakes
Perfect Vacation Quiz
Sweepstakes
• Great Getaway Giveaway • What Kind of Camper Are You? • Win [Dream Vacation, Travel • TestPlane Your Outdoor Knowledge Vouchers, Tickets, Attraction • What’s Tickets, etc.] Your Tornado Safety IQ?
Quizzes
• What Type of Hotel is Right for You? • What’s Your Vacation Personality? • Where is the Perfect Vacation for You?
Photo Contests
• Summertime Fun in the Sun • Best (City) Staycation Spot
Home Improvement
Engagement campaigns that can tap into the home makeover craze are perfect to tie into your content and programming. And for your sales team, there’s a lot of ad spending from this category. You can customize just about any promotion or interactive content to produce big results for your Home Improvement advertisers. Check out our Seller’s Guide to find tips for survey questions and email opt-ins perfect for deckers, roofers, or home repair sponsors.
Tap Into the Home Decor & DIY Craze
Supports Home Shows
Advertisers to Target
Real Estate
Building Supplies
Retail Stores
Generates Quality Leads
Home Repair
home improvement
Home Improvement
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home improvement
$25,000 Home Makeover Sweepstakes
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“What Color Should You Paint Your Front Door?” Quiz
Worst Room Makeover Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• Fix My Messy Closet Photo Contest • Couch Potatoes - Couch Makeover Photo Contest • Favorite Room in the House Photo Contest
Sweepstakes
• Deck Out My Deck Sweepstakes • Win [Total Room Makeover, Home Store Shopping Spree, Appliances, Landscaping & New Deck, etc.]
Quizzes
• Deck Maintenance Trivia • Test Your Home Energy IQ • Should I Repair or Replace My Roof?
Patriotic
Patriotic
Increase Event Attendance
Enhance Your Current Coverage
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Banks
Schools
Advertisers Like to be Aligned with This
Local Events
patriotic
While an obvious time to run Patriotic engagement campaigns is Fourth of July, you’ve got tons of opportunities all year long with Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and many more. These promotions and interactive content are great for tying into the local event coverage you’re already producing like fireworks shows, parades, and concerts. Plus, advertisers love the chance to show their patriotic spirit and support of the troops by aligning themselves with your initiatives.
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Salute to Veterans
patriotic 19
Canada Day Spirit Photo Contest
Contests
• Salute to Veterans Contest • Support Our Troops Photo Contest • American Pride Photo Contest
Ticket Sweepstakes
Memorial Day Trivia
Sweepstakes
Quizzes
• Freedom Festival Ticket Giveaway • Win [Tickets to Local Event, Vacation to National Landmarks, Trip to Historic Places, etc.]
• Fourth of July Trivia • How Well Do You KNow the U.S. Constitution? • Name That State Capital
Political
Political
1.2 BILLION
Predicted Digital Spending on the 2016 Election
20
Source: USA Today
Tell Stories in a New Way
political
While political engagement campaigns are good every year, they’re especially fitting in a Presidential Election year. You’re already producing tons of content around your local and national elections. Creating a quiz about the topic is a unique way to educate your audience and engage them in a new way of telling the same story. Political promotions and interactive content are ideal for making your election coverage stand out amongst a sea of others.
Engage & Educate Your Audience
political 20
Krish Kobach Quiz
Quizzes
• How Well Do You Know (Local Politician)? • Which Candidate is Most Like You? • How Much Do You Know About Presidential Elections?
Democratic Debate Ballot
Ballots
• Who Should We Elect to the (City) City Council? • Top Politicians in (City)
“How Much Do You Know About Charlotte Politics?” Quiz
Surveys
• How Do You Plan to Vote on Proposition A? • How Did the City Council Do This Year?
Pets
Pets
People love their pets. This is a passion that spans all-year round and is always a big draw for audiences. Photo contests like cutest pet costume or Santa paws engage a wide audience and drive massive pageviews. Plus, these contests create great content for your company. For your salespeople, this is a category that has some great opportunities for local and national chains alike. If you’re not running a pet campaign, you need to be - this is a highly engaged audience you need to tap into.
pets
People Spent
Aligns With National Pet Adoption Months
$60.2 BILLION On Pets in 2015
Source: American Pet Products Association
Advertisers to Target
Retail Stores
Pet Stores & Services
Veterinarians
Target Advertisers of All Sizes
Banks
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Cutest Pet Photo Contest
Contests
• Dog Days of Summer Photo Contest • Pet Costume Photo Contest • Pet Tricks Video Contest
Pet Food for a Year Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
• Happy Howl-idays Sweepstakes • Win [Pet Food for a Year, Grooming for a Year, Electronic Pet Video Monitor, etc.]
Pet Care Trivia
Quizzes
• Meow! What Kind of Kitten is Right for You? • What’s Your Spirit Animal? • What Breed of Dog are You?
School Events
From back-to-school to graduation, school events are popular content for your audience. Photo contests are ideal as parents take tons of photos of their kids, and they can be repurposed as content on your site. Plus, there are tons of advertisers who love to align themselves with the schools in their community, so these engagement campaigns can be also be excellent for your sales team.
Engage the Parents in Your Audience
People Take TONS of Photos of Their Kids
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
College & Universities
Retail Stores
Target a Diverse Group of Advertisers
Banks
school events
School Events
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school events 22
“Are You Smarter than a Triad High Schooler?” Quiz
Quizzes
• Are You Smarter Than a Middle Schooler? • Back-to-School Movie Trivia • Can We Guess Your Back-to-School Style?
Back to School Photo Contest
Contests
• Back-to-School Photo Contest • Share Your Prom Photos • Congrats Grads Photo Gallery
Prom Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
• Picture Perfect Prom Sweepstakes • Win [Ultimate Prom Package, DJ for Your Prom, Total Prom Makeover, etc.]
Football
Football
70%
Engages Fans Of All Levels of Fandom
Last Year, of Americans Who Own a TV Tuned into an NFL Game Source: USA Today
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Sports Bars
Restaurants
Banks
football
Football has a huge following and is one of our top revenue-driving categories. Engagement campaigns around football are able to reach every level of the fandom. Football pick’ems can be created to run the entire 21-week season, driving return visits each week, while quizzes and sweepstakes can be run anywhere in between. And when it comes to advertisers, there’s lots of spending as they love the chance to get in front of this huge audience.
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College Football Pick’em
football 23
Vikings Season Ticket Sweepstakes
Quizzes
• Which Famous Pro Quarterback Are You? • Who Said It: Manning or Ali? • Match Up Trivia: Green Bay vs. Minnesota
AFC Matchup Trivia Quiz
Pick’Em
• Pro Football Pick’em • College Bowl Game Pick’em • Big Game Challenge
Carolina Panthers Quiz
Sweepstakes
• Ultimate Football Frenzy Giveaway • Win [Tickets to the Big Game, Trip to College Bowl Games, Ultimate Football Fan Makeover, etc.]
Fan Spirit
Fan Spirit
Tap Into the Passion in Your Community
Align With Existing Content
Advertisers to Target
Local Events
Bars
Mobile Carriers
Advertisers are Fans Too!
Sports Retail
fan spirit
People love to prove their passion for their favorite teams, movies, and more. Promotions and interactive content that can tap into these specific fandoms result in a highly dedicated and engaged audience. Not only can this tie into unique programming or content on your site, but specific advertisers will love the chance to target their niche audience.
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fan spirit
Star Wars Fan Photo Contest
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True Blue Fan Sweepstakes
Most Spirited Baseball Fan
Sweepstakes
Photo Contests
• Most Fan-tastic Fan Sweepstakes • Win [Trip to Live Taping of Show, Tickets to Big Games, Ultimate Tailgate Prize Pack, Complete Home Theater Makeover, etc.]
• How Spirited Are You? • Are You a True Fan? • Show Us Your Fan Pride
Fan Spirit Photo Contest
Quizzes
• Ultimate (Name) Trivia Quiz • Are You a True Diehard (Name) Fan? • The Hardest (Name) Quiz You’ll Ever Take
High School Sports
People are passionate about their favorite high school sports teams. These promotions and interactive content are great at engaging a wide audience from students and faculty to parents, family, and friends of the athletes. Plus, advertisers love the chance to align themselves with this category and get in front of the audience that will participate in these campaigns. You’re likely already producing tons of content about the high school sports in your area - this will be a great way to engage your audience even more.
Generates
Promote Live Coverage & Sports Content
MILLIONS of Votes
Advertisers to Target
Automotive
Sporting Goods Stores
Restaurants
Advertisers Want to Support Local Schools
Sports Bars
high school sports
High School Sports
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high school sports
High School MVP Pick’em
25
Best Dance Team Video Contest
Player of the Week Photo Contest
Quizzes
• High School Football Rivalry Trivia • How Well Do You Know the (School Name) Basketball Team? • Which High School Mascot Are You?
Contests
• Friday Night Lights Photo Contest • High School Athlete of the Week Contest • High School Dance Team Showdown Video Contest
Pick’Em
• (City) MVP Pick’em • High School Football Pick’em • High School Cheer Squad Pick’em
Creative & Talent
This one-of-a-kind category encourages users to interact with your brand in a creative way. Whether you’re having a Battle of the Bands video contest or a photo contest highlighting original creations, these promotions and interactive content can truly inspire your audience. Plus, these create outstanding content and programming for your site and can engage an incredibly passionate and niche audience.
Enhance Your Event Sponsorships
Target a Niche Audience
Possible Partners
Local Events
Bars & Alcohol Distributors
Concert Venues
Many Businesses to Partner With
Mobile Carriers
creative & talent
Creative & Talent
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creative & talent 26
BRA-vo! Decorate a Bra for Breast Cancer Photo Contest
Quizzes
• Should You Start a Band? • Are You the Next Picasso? • What Holiday Craft Should You Make?
Tachevah Battle of the Bands Ballot
Contests
• Battle of the Bands Video Contest • Best Local Artist Photo Contest • Show Us Your Little Artist
Bead Creations Photo Contest
Ballots
• Top Arts & Entertainment in (City) • Battle of the Bands • Most Talented High Schooler
Music, Movies, & TV
The entertainment industry produces a wealth of ideas for engagement campaigns. Tie this into the reviews your editorial team creates, your marketing of an upcoming concert series, and all those excellent fall tv show premiers. Plus, if you’re looking for revenue, you’ll find many advertisers like concert venues and movie theaters looking to promote their events.
Build Excitement Around Your Entertainment Coverage
Promote Content & Programming
Advertisers to Target
Concert Venues
Bars
Mobile Carriers
Seasonal Advertisers with BIG Budgets
Theaters
music, movies, & tv
Music, Movies, & TV
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“Do You Even Metallica, Bro?” Quiz
Quizzes
• What Band Should You Join? • Are You a True (Show Name) Fan? • Which Famous Actor Would Be Your Best Friend?
Dinner & Movie Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes
• Summer Concert Sweepstakes • Win [Movie Tickets for a Year, Ultimate Fan Experience, Tickets to Concert or Shows, etc.]
Brackets
• Top Bands Bracket • Greatest (Actor’s Name) Movie of All Time • Ultimate (Show Name) Episode Showdown
music, movies, & tv
Summer Concert Tickets Codeword Sweepstakes
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Beauty
Beauty
This category complements all your lifestyle content. From best beards to hottest bartenders, you can create promotions and interactive content to engage everyone in your audience. Plus, these engagement campaigns are great for a lot of niche advertisers in your market looking to target and collect data on potential customers.
beauty
Complements Your Lifestyle Content
Entice Niche Advertisers
Advertisers to Target
Hair Salons
Beauty Retailers
Nail Salons
Fitness Centers
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beauty 8
Hottest Bartender Ballot
Ballots
• Best Tattoo Artists in (City) • Who’s Got the Best Beard in (City)? • Best Makeup Design
Best Beard Photo Contest
Photo Contests
• No-Shave-November Beard Photo Contest • Fix My Bad Tattoo Photo Contest
“What’s Your Beauty Obsession?” Quiz
Quizzes
• Do You Need a Spa Day? • How Much Do You Know About Make-Up? • Are You a Fashionista?
Drinks
Drinks
Great for Driving Foot Traffic
Targest Younger Demographic
Advertisers to Target
Alcohol Distributors
Mobile Carriers
Restaurants
Take advantage of co-op dollars
Sports Bars
drinks
This category is another great one for tying into all your lifestyle content. People are passionate about their favorite drinks and love a chance to share their favorite bars, breweries, and evening hangouts. And these engagement campaigns are turning into big money-makers for your sales team. With the ability to collect data from survey questions and drive foot traffic with coupons, advertisers are anxious to leverage the power of promotions and interactive content.
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drinks 29
#OdinMugShot Instagram Photo Contest
“What Kind of Artist Are You After a Glass of Wine?” Quiz
Quizzes
Old Milwaukee Fishing Trip Sweepstakes
• What Kind of Craft Beer Are You? • Test Your Wine Knowledge • Who Said It: Beer Edition
Contests
• What’s Your Drink-of-Choice? • Best Cocktail Recipe • Fix My Bar: Home Bar Makeover Photo Contest
“Bar Wars” Beer Bracket
Brackets
• Best Local Craft Beers • Drink Up: Best Bars, Breweries, & Hangouts in (City)
Parenting
Parenting
People LOVE to Share Photos of Their Kids
Parents Spend TONS of Money on Their Kids
Advertisers to Target
Pediatricians
Schools
Day Care Centers
Advertisers Want to Engage This Audience
Banks
parenting
Year-after-year parenting proves to be one of the most popular categories for engagement campaigns. There are tons of lucrative advertisers looking to be a part of these campaigns and get in front of their target customers. This is also an amazing opportunity to create additional content to tie into all the parenting programming you’re already producing. Parenting is hugely popular with your audience, it drives tons of ad impressions and pageviews, and can align with all the kids and family events you’re already running. It’s a win for everyone.
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parenting
Beach Baby Photo Contest
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Cover Kids Photo Contest “What’s Your Parenting Style?” Quiz
Quizzes
• What’s Your Parenting Style? • Are You Ready for a Newborn? • What’s Your Child Safety IQ?
Photo Contests • Santa Baby • Cutest Kid • Kids are Messy!
Ballots
• Top Family-Friendly Spots in (City) • Best Day Cares in (City)
Sweepstakes
• Win [New Parent Survival Kit, Toy Store Shopping Spree, etc.]
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
for more information on how you can succeed with promotions & interactive content, visit:
lab.secondstreet.com