How 3 Papers Dramatically Increased Their Revenue with Readers’ Choice

An alt weekly drove $170K with an online ballot, and 2 small-market papers increased their revenue by 38% or more

Discover how print publications of all types and sizes are finding success with Readers’ Choice ballots – and how you can too – in the How Print Can Drive Revenue with Readers’ Choice Ballots webinar. I was joined by Blair Barna, the Advertising Director & Co-Owner at Charleston City Paper, Alesia Humphries, the Chief of Digital Sales for The Signal, and Bonnie Markham, the Advertising Manager for the Alton Telegraph.

READ THE TAKEAWAYS

There were many tips and best practices shared during the webinar, here are the ones to remember:

Ballots drive revenue

With ballots, you can generate revenue a number of different ways – with enhanced listings, category sponsorships, online ads, print ads, and even with live events. These models can be combined to maximize your revenue, but don’t feel like you need to do everything. Use the combination that works best for your market. Check out the case studies below to see how each of the presenters drove significant revenue in their markets.

Ballots engage your audience

Ballots are naturally viral, and incorporating digital is like adding gas to the flame. Running your ballot online helps you reach a broader audience and makes even easier for people to interact and participate in the ballot. This engagement also helps you build your email database and generate hot leads for your advertisers.

Online ballots are efficient

Anyone who’s been involved with ballots over the years is well aware of the pain points and the time involved. These are big endeavors. However, just running your Readers’ Choice online saves time, money and resources, since you don’t have to count ballots and sort write-ins by hand.

Niche ballots are a way to expand the opportunities

Leverage your Readers’ Choice success and expand your ballot program throughout the year with niche ballots. These more targeted initiatives will help you engage more targeted audiences and advertisers, and you can align them with other niche initiatives to generate even more revenue. Check out this case study to see how The Signal made $4K in all-digital revenue with a high school football ballot.

Download the Playbook

Ready to optimize your own Readers’ Choice ballot?

The Voter’s Choice Playbook is designed to help you get started. In it, you’ll find sections on how to plan, sell, and promote ballots, along with plenty of case studies. To download the playbook now, click the image below.