Audience Blog

The latest industry news, strategies, and resources.

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How Interactive QR Code Campaigns Power Real-World Engagement

QR codes make it possible to meet audiences where attention already exists: in stadium seats, at merch tables, in store aisles, or on streaming screens (with that latest Netflix series!) at home. With Audience.io, a QR code becomes more than a shortcut to a webpage, a contest entry, or a form fill. It becomes an entry point to giveaways, surveys, and other interactive experiences that are easy to launch, easy to track, and designed to work across environments. This flexibility is what allows engagement to move naturally between digital and in-person moments without losing momentum or data along the way.

March 3, 2026
Trends and Insights

Top 10 Advertisers to Target with a Cutest Baby Photo Contest

The universal appeal of adorableness is undeniable. And if there's one thing all parents love, it's hearing other people tell them that their baby is adorable.Companies can tap into that appeal and charm their target audiences by running a "Cutest Baby Photo Contest." This type of targeted advertising gives companies a platform for participants to show off their little ones while encouraging their friends and family to vote. Advertisers can even offer bonus entries for other brand actions — like social media engagement, newsletter signups, and more.Visually charming and emotionally engaging, a cutest baby photo contest is a type of targeted advertisement that sets the stage for better brand awareness, increased web traffic and engagement, and even heightened loyalty among current customers. Plus, contesting is a targeted advertisement that enriches your data, opening the door to personalized communication and retargeting.The prospect list for a cutest baby photo contest could be more varied than you think, too. Many local and small- to midsize businesses could benefit from this type of targeted advertising, especially if they are trying to reach young families with kids.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

Guide to Leveraging Quizzes for Audience Engagement

Pop quizzes may have been a source of dread in school, but now the tables have turned. Outside of the classroom, quizzes continue to be some of the most popular toys in the media sandbox of simple yet effective digital engagement opportunities for audiences and advertisers. After all, it's more important than ever to find innovative ways to understand consumers better and create personalized experiences — and quizzes have the power to do just that. They play a crucial role in gathering zero-party data — valuable information that users willingly share with your brand. Online quiz tools provide a powerful platform. The sky's the limit on what kinds of quizzes you can create — from general interest topics like sports or food to holidays to fully customized content that's specific to a brand, advertiser, or campaign.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

10 Creative Ideas for Q1 Lead Generation

It's the new year — and 'tis the season when building fresh new leads for sales pipelines is at the top of every client's mind.Media companies can capitalize on this time of year by strategically pitching ways for advertisers to get more leads. While there are many creative solutions to spark awareness and interest in a business, capturing the attention of new audiences while building loyalty among existing customers, your clients may not have the awareness or the bandwidth to activate them.That's where you come in. Here's your guide to Q1 pipeline-building ideas that take advantage of the best lead-generation tools on the market.

June 9, 2025
Trends and Insights

5 Components of a Robust First-Party Data Strategy

First-Party data can help to grow, engage, and activate your owned audience and lead lists. In addition to email capture, these promotions make it possible to discover other valuable data points about your prospects and customers, including preferences, pain points, purchasing behavior, and more so you can develop an effective zero-party strategy. Check out these five steps you can implement to ensure a successful first-party data strategy.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

Top Ways for Companies to Use QR Codes to Convert Offline Audiences

In today’s world, digital engagement often reigns supreme. That’s why it’s so important to find strategic ways to continue building digital audiences by converting viewers, listeners, and in-store traffic into online subscribers and followers. QR (quick response) codes literally crack the code on this challenge. They’ve emerged as a versatile marketing tool that media companies and businesses can use to take offline experiences into online engagement. In doing so, a QR code can also seamlessly capture audience information to enrich lead gen efforts.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

The Best Advertisers to Target with a Q4 Sweepstakes Campaign

A sweepstakes campaign can generate significant awareness, bring in high-quality leads, and even boost Q4 revenue. Here’s why — and who to target. 

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

Boost Your Revenue with These 10 Q4 Holiday Sales Campaigns

Tis the season for shopping and sales — and there’s no better time to capitalize on a revenue boost. If you’re looking for some creative new ways to add more merriment to your bottom line, consider these festive Q4 holiday sales campaigns that are both engaging and effective.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

How Salem’s Christmas Mortgage Miracle Campaign Drove $190K In New Revenue

Salem Media Group sought to boost nationwide community engagement and drive substantial sponsorship revenue through a premium promotion. The Christmas Mortgage Miracle campaign aimed to provide financial relief to families by covering their mortgage for a month. The campaign also aimed to open new sponsorship opportunities, convert listeners into profiles, and drive incremental revenue through increased website traffic.

June 17, 2025
Case Studies

How KSTP TV and Apollo’s Furnace Giveaway Unlocked Key Demographic Data to Drive Future Revenue Growth

KSTP TV partnered with Apollo’s Great Furnace to provide a valuable service to local Minnesotans in need during the winter season. The campaign aimed to boost community engagement, gather valuable demographic insights, and generate positive brand exposure for Apollo’s Great Furnace through a heartwarming furnace giveaway. The primary goals were to collect nominations for those in need of a new furnace, increase brand awareness for Apollo, and showcase their community involvement.

June 17, 2025
Case Studies

Boosting Engagement with 2,028 Votes and 165 New Subscribers – A Teacher Recognition Campaign Success

Building on last year’s success, the campaign is running again this year with a similar structure. Although it just started and has yet to gather entries, the same objectives and strategy are in place. With sponsors and prizes already secured, St. Louis Post Dispatch is anticipating even higher participation and engagement, particularly with the addition of paid social efforts.

June 17, 2025
Case Studies

5 Ways You’re Not Utilizing Audience, But Should Be

Audience offers a robust suite of tools designed to help you connect with your audience in meaningful ways. If you’re not using these features yet, it’s time to start. Implementing these strategies could be the difference between staying ahead of the curve and falling behind.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

6 New Ideas for Restaurant & Bar Promotions

These six promotion ideas provide diverse and engaging ways to connect with your audience and drive sales. Whether through sweepstakes, contests, reviews, local partnerships, or interactive quizzes, these strategies can energize your marketing efforts and attract new customers. Embrace creativity and watch your restaurant or bar's visibility and engagement soar.

June 17, 2025
Trends and Insights

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