Audrey Small, Author at Go Fish Digital https://gofishdigital.com/blog/author/audrey-small/ Thu, 06 Feb 2025 15:11:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://gofishdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/cropped-gfdicon-color-favicon-1-32x32.png Audrey Small, Author at Go Fish Digital https://gofishdigital.com/blog/author/audrey-small/ 32 32 Which brands are Americans most loyal to in 2025? https://gofishdigital.com/blog/2025-brand-loyalty-index/ https://gofishdigital.com/blog/2025-brand-loyalty-index/#respond Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:11:52 +0000 https://gofishdigital.com/?p=8270 In a world where new brands pop up daily, and loyalty seems to be in diminishing supply, we wanted to know: Which brands have actually earned consumer devotion? We’re talking about the brands that dominate our shopping carts, the ones we defend in group chats, and the ones we return to even when prices creep […]

Which brands are Americans most loyal to in 2025? is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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title graphic for a study about the brands that Americans are most loyal to

In a world where new brands pop up daily, and loyalty seems to be in diminishing supply, we wanted to know: Which brands have actually earned consumer devotion? We’re talking about the brands that dominate our shopping carts, the ones we defend in group chats, and the ones we return to even when prices creep up. 

To find out which brands drive the most loyalty and where, we surveyed 3,244 US consumers to uncover the brands people can’t quit, the states that are the most brand loyal, and exactly what it takes to keep shoppers coming back for more. So which brands are winning consumers’ undying loyalty in 2025 across categories like tech, entertainment, finance, fashion, and food? Let’s dive in.

The Top 25 Brands Consumers Are Most Loyal To

When it comes to brand loyalty, Americans aren’t afraid to show favorites—and the data doesn’t lie. According to the survey, Amazon reigns supreme, with a whopping 67.8% of respondents declaring their allegiance to the retail giant. And honestly, can we blame them? With two-day shipping, endless product options, and the occasional binge session on Prime Video, Amazon has become the one-stop shop for, well, everything.

Apple ranks as the top tech brand and the second most-loved brand overall, with 55.2% of consumers staying loyal, proving that once you’ve joined the iPhone-Apple Watch-AirPods club, you’re pretty much locked in for life. Meanwhile, Netflix is in third place (53.7%)—still the MVP of entertainment in a streaming world that grows more crowded by the day.

Surprisingly, PayPal slides into the #4 spot overall, beating out household names like Google and Nike. It may seem unexpected, but PayPal’s consistent reliability has made it a go-to for safe, no-nonsense transactions. Meanwhile, Nike clocks in at #5 (51.4%), proving once again that it’s more than just a brand—it’s a lifestyle. From your favorite sneakers to endless swoosh-covered fits, Nike’s cultural influence is as strong as ever.

But not all giants sit at the top. Tech titan Google comes in at a surprising 7th place, with 46.6% customer loyalty, a ranking that feels lower considering how indispensable it is to our daily lives. (When was the last time you didn’t Google something?)

But let’s zoom out: of the top 25 brands Americans are most loyal to, the largest segment is social media, with five brands (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok) making the cut. So, what gives? Social media’s strong showing speaks to how deeply integrated these platforms have become in our daily lives—whether you’re doomscrolling on Reddit, sharing aesthetic pics on Instagram, or spiraling into YouTube’s infinite video rabbit hole. These brands aren’t just platforms anymore; they’re ecosystems we rely on for entertainment and connection.

Next in line? Tech and retail tie at four brands each in the top 25 brands, primarily for their sheer utility. Amazon and Walmart deliver convenience to your doorstep, while Apple and Google practically run our digital worlds. At the end of the day, loyalty is about trust and ease—brands that consistently make life a little simpler, a little better, and a lot more entertaining will always have us coming back for more.

Which states’ residents are most brand-loyal?

US heatmap plotting the most and least brand-loyal states.

Regarding brand loyalty, it’s not just the brands that matter—it’s the people behind the numbers. So, how did we measure their dedication? We asked US consumers in 46 states a series of questions about their brand loyalty—each scaled from 1 to 5, where 5 means higher brand loyalty—covering everything from how often they repurchase essentials to how forgiving they are if their favorite brand makes a mistake. The responses were then averaged and indexed into a final loyalty score out of 100 for each state. The results revealed the states where consumers are the most brand-loyal, even when faced with rising prices, competition, or brand missteps. 

These are the five most brand-loyal states and their respective loyalty scores (out of 100):

  1. Louisiana – 75.13
  2. New Jersey – 73.54
  3. Arizona – 70.77
  4. Texas – 69.96
  5. Ohio – 69.92

At #1, Louisiana pulls in a loyalty score of 75.13, and it’s easy to see why. Louisianans rank high on sticking with trusted brands for essentials like groceries and toiletries. When they find something they love, they’re in it for the long haul—even if prices go up or there’s a hiccup in customer service.

Not far behind, New Jersey claims the #2 spot with a loyalty score of 73.54. Jersey consumers stand out for their dedication to brands in discretionary categories—think tech gadgets, apparel, and those splurge-worthy products they just can’t quit. They also prioritize trusted brands over cheaper alternatives, showing that quality and reliability still win out. Finally, New Jersey consumers are the least likely to switch brands due to price increases.

Arizona takes #3 with a loyalty score of 70.77, showing a similar trend to Louisiana when it comes to sticking with brands for essentials. The Grand Canyon State’s loyalty doesn’t waver much, even when faced with innovation from competitors or price hikes. For Arizonans, once you’re in their shopping cart, you’re staying in their shopping cart. They’re also the second-most resistant to buying knockoff products, proving their commitment to authenticity.

Down in Texas, the #4 state for loyalty (69.96), consumers take their brand commitment seriously. Texans rank high for forgiving brands after mistakes—whether it’s a shipping delay or less-than-perfect customer service—showing they value trust and relationships. What’s more, Texas has the highest percentage of consumers who frequently repurchase essential items like groceries and toiletries from the same brand. Texans prove that when they find something they like, they stick with it.

Rounding out the top five is Ohio, clocking in at 69.92. Ohioans are loyal without being inflexible, scoring high on repurchasing discretionary items and prioritizing trusted brands over cheaper options. They show that loyalty isn’t blind—it’s about dependability, consistency, and value.

The State of Brand Loyalty in the US

Brand Loyalty Across Demographics

Next, we took the brand loyalty survey questions to a national level and uncovered some interesting insights. We asked consumers to rate their brand loyalty on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 indicated most loyal). The average loyalty rating for Americans came in at 6.79, indicating that while consumers feel a decent amount of loyalty to their favorite brands, it’s far from unwavering. 

Understandably, loyalty levels shift depending on who you ask. Women report slightly higher loyalty ratings (6.87) compared to men (6.76) and baby boomers emerge as the most brand-loyal generation, with a loyalty rating of 7.36. Gen X follows at 6.96, suggesting that older generations are more likely to stick with what they know—whether out of trust, habit, or decades-long relationships with their go-to brands. Millennials land at 6.61, and Gen Z trails just slightly behind at 6.57, reinforcing that younger generations are less tied down. Blame it on endless options, affordability, or the TikTok effect—when trends and viral reviews shift faster than you can say “dupe,” loyalty becomes a lot harder to hold onto.

Essential Items Earn the Most Brand Loyalty

According to responses, consumers are more likely to repurchase from the same brand for essential items (groceries, toiletries, and household supplies) than for discretionary ones (clothing, electronics, furniture). It makes sense—if your go-to shampoo or favorite brand of soda gets the job done, why bother switching? But when it comes to larger, less frequent purchases, shoppers are far less loyal to specific brands and more open to exploring alternatives.

Unethical Behavior is Typically a Dealbreaker

Brand loyalty can weather a lot—price increases, endless competitor ads, and even some product missteps. But unethical behavior? That’s typically where consumers draw the line. Over half (50.3%) say they would be unlikely to continue purchasing from a brand if it engaged in practices they strongly oppose, like poor labor conditions or shady ethics. About 31.5% said their support would depend on how serious the issue was and how the brand handled it, while 18.2% said they’d still buy from the brand as long as the company took steps to address and fix the problem.

What Makes Us Switch—Price is the #1 Culprit

We also asked what’s most likely to make shoppers leave their favorite brand behind. The top reason is price increases, with 43.8% of consumers saying a bigger price tag would send them packing. Higher-quality competitor products came in second at 23.7%, while a negative customer service experience (18.1%) and environmental or ethical concerns (11.0%) rounded out the list. A small but mighty 3.4% of consumers claimed nothing could make them switch—talk about brand ride-or-dies.

Knockoffs Aren’t Winning the Loyalty Wars

Finally, we looked at the appeal of knockoff or generic versions of favorite products, and the results might surprise you. Only 17.4% of consumers “often” buy knockoffs or generic items, and just 2.2% “always” choose them. While generics and dupes have their fans, they’re far from the go-to option for most shoppers—another win for brands that deliver trusted quality.

The Bottom Line on Brand Loyalty

From Amazon’s reign to Baby Boomers’ unshakable devotion to their go-to brands, our survey reveals that brand loyalty isn’t a one-size-fits-all phenomenon. While consumers stick with trusted brands for essentials, share of wallet in discretionary categories is far more up for grabs. Price increases can make even the most committed shoppers reconsider, while social media, technology, and retail are the categories with the most brand loyalty. But the data also highlights opportunities: brands that build trust, deliver value, and align with consumer expectations are the ones that keep shoppers coming back.

At Go Fish, we know that understanding consumer behavior is at the heart of every successful digital marketing strategy. This brand loyalty index makes one thing clear: brands that stay connected to their audience—and adapt to what matters most—win big. If you’re ready to build lasting connections with your customers and take your brand to the next level, check out our digital marketing services

Methodology

To find these insights on brand loyalty, we surveyed 3,244 US consumers, aged 18 to 76, across 46 states from November 25 to December 2, 2024. Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming were excluded due to a limited number of survey respondents in those states. Brand loyalty was defined for survey respondents as making repeat purchases of a particular brand based on the perception of higher quality and better service than any competitor. We noted for respondents that a customer exhibiting brand loyalty will choose a brand’s services or products time and again and will advocate on the brand’s behalf—often recommending the brand to friends and family.

To determine which brands to include in the survey and ask respondents about their brand loyalty, we curated an objective list based on reputable sources. Specifically, we used brands featured in Forbes’ “The World’s Most Valuable Brands” and Brand Finance’s global ranking of the most valuable brands. Both sources rank brands by their brand value, calculated using metrics like revenue and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT).

Which brands are Americans most loyal to in 2025? is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Digital PR Campaigns in Home & Real Estate https://gofishdigital.com/blog/guide-to-link-building-campaigns-in-home-and-real-estate/ https://gofishdigital.com/blog/guide-to-link-building-campaigns-in-home-and-real-estate/#respond Fri, 06 Oct 2023 15:55:42 +0000 https://gofishdigital.com/?p=6967 Link building is still an indispensable component of SEO. In a nutshell, link building involves acquiring high-quality links from other websites to your own, which sends trust signals to Google that your content is valuable. We can think of each link as a vote of confidence in Google’s eyes.  At Go Fish, we build links […]

A Beginner’s Guide to Digital PR Campaigns in Home & Real Estate is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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Link building is still an indispensable component of SEO. In a nutshell, link building involves acquiring high-quality links from other websites to your own, which sends trust signals to Google that your content is valuable. We can think of each link as a vote of confidence in Google’s eyes. 

At Go Fish, we build links by producing creative content campaigns –– data-rich, newsworthy content that tells a compelling story and that journalists will want to link back to. Many refer to this approach as digital PR.

Digital PR campaigns can come in the form of data studies, surveys, rankings, contests, illustrations, and quizzes, among a slew of other formats. 

These types of link building campaigns have never been more competitive across industries, and the real estate + home sector is no exception. In this blog, we’ll focus specifically on link building in the home and real estate niche, providing link builders with a quick guide to producing successful digital PR campaigns in this space. 

The Best Data Sources & Formats for Home & Real Estate Content

The Fastest-Selling Home Styles in Every State, The Most Gentrified Cities Around the U.S., The Dream Kitchen Survey, and the Game of Thrones House Sorting Quiz are all strong examples of digital PR campaign ideas, from past and present, within the home and real estate space. But how can link builders come up with these ideas? 

Sometimes the ideas spark from a timely or trending event in the news (like a recession or Barbiecore). Sometimes we have a lightbulb moment. But more often than not, ideas spark from a data source –– one that’s either existing or created. Let’s take a look at some of the best sources for both types of data within the home and real estate industries.

Existing Data Sources

Real Estate Marketplaces: Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, Apartments.com

Zillow’s research hub has a whole host of housing, time-series data by specific geographies (state, city, zip) from median home values and rent prices to median days on the market and inventory data. Zillow also has several APIs for users who want to dive deeper into real estate metrics like home value forecasts, Zestimates, and neighborhood data.

Government Agencies: U.S. Census, Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) 

The Census is a real estate link builder’s dream with data tables you can filter for various home and housing metrics, from property taxes and homeowner characteristics to migration patterns and homeownership rates (diced down by every demographic you can think of). Again, most of the datasets can be analyzed both nationally and locally (by state, county, MSA, and more) –– a huge plus for local media outreach when promoting a digital PR campaign.

Trade Associations: National Association of Realtors (NAR), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

Trade associations like the NAR store current real estate market insights on both a residential and commercial level. Housing affordability indices, commercial real estate transactions, and gentrification insights, among hundreds of other indicators, are at the link builder’s disposal on the NAR’s research and statistics page

Created Data Sources

a Google Trends heatmap showing search volume of the keyword mojo dojo casa house by state

Web Scraping: From sites like Airbnb, Google Trends, Yelp, TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Zillow, and Redfin

As link builders, we can’t sleep on scraping websites for new data that will help us tell a story. Analyzing TikTok views, pulling search data from Google Trends, or scraping Airbnb listings are all methods for creating a new dataset that will help with:

  • Gauging popularity
  • Detecting trends
  • Uncovering new information

Past campaign performance data shows that 78% of campaigns that use created or scraped data earn organic media coverage, and the average DA of these campaigns’ referring domains is 59 –– considerably higher than average.

AI Tools: ChatGPT, DALL·E 2, Midjourney

It’s no secret that AI is changing the game for content marketing, and digital PR campaigns are no exception. Content marketers can build links within the home and real estate spaces using AI-driven content generation tools like Midjourney or DALL·E 2. These tools produce unique artwork, illustrations, or designs based on specific prompts. 

This format is quite a departure from the data journalism approach mentioned above, but can be just as effective given the right topic! Here are a few AI image campaigns in the home space that we’ve got major crushes on:

Here’s what Barbie’s dreamhouse would look like in every state: Sara Aspier used Midjourney to build a Barbie dreamhouse for each state, based on the state’s most common architectural style. 

AI imagines a typical home in every state: All Star Home tested Midjourney to generate an “idealistic” home in all 50 states and the 30 largest U.S. cities. 

Surveys

Some of the best created datasets continue to be proprietary survey insights. Using automated survey platforms, link builders within the home and real estate industries can launch anonymous polls about homebuying and homeowning topics for the purpose of yielding newsworthy statistics.

For example, we launched the “Zillow Obsession Survey” for a client within the contracting space, inspired by a viral, SNL skit about Zillow browsing. The survey produced head-turning insights such as “53% of respondents have looked up the value of their boss’s house on Zillow” and “49% of respondents would rather browse Zillow than have sex” which helped the campaign earn coverage from top outlets like House Beautiful, Business Insider, and HuffPost. 

Home + Real Estate Digital PR Campaign Examples

Now that you’re familiar with some of the best sources and formats for digital PR campaigns in home and real estate content, let’s look at some real-life campaign examples. 

The Most & Least Expensive Architectural Styles Around the U.S.

a chart ranking American architectural styles from most to least expensive

Many studies have been conducted about the most popular home architectural styles based on Google search data or quotes from industry experts. There are countless listicles on the subject in the search results, but to build quality links from top-tier news outlets, we need to provide unique value for the journalists we’re pitching to.

In this case that meant providing them with new and unique data that they don’t already have access to or don’t have time to pull themselves.

In “The Most Profitable Architectural Styles Around the U.S.” campaign, we used a web scraping tool to find the average home price and number of days on the market for different architectural styles (from Colonials to ranches) across thousands of Zillow home listings in 50 U.S. cities. The study told a compelling story about how certain architectural styles are more valuable than others depending on where you live. 

With fresh data, a sound methodology, and a strong local angle, this campaign was able to earn coverage from top business journals and local news outlets around the country. 

Vacant Homes vs. Homelessness in Cities Around the U.S.

a U.S. map plotting the cities with the highest ratios of vacant homes to unhoused people

For digital PR campaigns to build links organically, we often need to piggyback off of the news cycle or go where the reporters already are. In this case, that meant producing a campaign that could be tied back to unaffordable housing during a time when mortgage rates were through the roof, housing inventory looked dire, and rent prices continued to rise.

In the “Vacant Homes vs. Homelessness Around the U.S.” campaign, we used data from the Census and HUD to compare home vacancy rates to homelessness across America’s largest cities, highlighting the ongoing challenge to find affordable housing for both renters and buyers alike. 

A newsworthy angle, local insights, and a combination of authoritative data sources helped this campaign earn coverage from top real estate, local, and national news reporters.

Surveying Americans on Their Home Organization

an infographic showing the 10 most common items in American junk drawers

In order to earn a high number of high-quality links, we also need to make sure our content is relevant to a wide audience of readers. “The Home Organization Survey” campaign is a shining example of wide relevance. We surveyed U.S. homeowners about their home organization systems, their biggest sources of clutter, and the messiest rooms in their COVID-era homes. 

Relaying unique insights around a highly relatable topic with broad appeal helped this campaign earn dozens of backlinks from top-tier home and lifestyle sites.

Wrap-Up

Let’s face it –– link building is hard in this day and age. More and more sites are vying for coverage across top media outlets. The competition is fierce, but hopefully, these strategies can help you produce campaigns that will stand out amidst the clamor of the digital PR world. 

Need help earning links? Get in touch with our team at Go Fish Digital to learn more about our approach to digital PR.

A Beginner’s Guide to Digital PR Campaigns in Home & Real Estate is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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How to Run a Contest That Builds High-Quality Backlinks https://gofishdigital.com/blog/how-to-run-a-contest-for-backlinks/ https://gofishdigital.com/blog/how-to-run-a-contest-for-backlinks/#respond Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:27:24 +0000 https://gofishdigital.com/?p=4872 What initially comes to mind when you think about a contest? As digital marketers, we usually think of contests or giveaways as a time-honored social media strategy. Social media contests are carefully crafted blueprints for driving audience engagement or generating leads. But what about running a contest as a top-of-funnel, digital PR strategy designed to […]

How to Run a Contest That Builds High-Quality Backlinks is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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What initially comes to mind when you think about a contest? As digital marketers, we usually think of contests or giveaways as a time-honored social media strategy. Social media contests are carefully crafted blueprints for driving audience engagement or generating leads. But what about running a contest as a top-of-funnel, digital PR strategy designed to build backlinks back to your site?

Contest marketing campaigns can be a fruitful link building strategy––when executed thoughtfully. With contests, the production overhead costs are extremely low, while the potential to secure a high quantity of backlinks from authoritative media outlets is high. With link building campaigns, we’re often asking ourselves “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” Well, with a newsworthy angle and a jaw-dropping reward for the winner, contests can produce gallons of link juice with minimal squeeze!

Related Content:

Our Go Fish Digital digital PR agency put our heads together to compile a list of the biggest contest do’s and don’ts. But first, here’s a quick rundown of the types of contest campaigns the savvy content marketer can employ and contest ideas for each.

Binge-Watch Campaigns

title graphic for a Disney binge-watch contest campaign

Binge-watch contest campaigns are essentially job postings––but the job task at hand is binge-watching movies, a series, or other televised events. Entrants have the potential to win a tempting prize or bookoos of cash just by sitting on their couch and watching their favorite content! 

In this Disney binge-watch contest, Disney lovers applied by sharing why they love Disney movies and why they’d be a perfect fit for the job role. The winning binge-watcher was tasked with quickly watching 12 classic Disney movies (from Alice & Wonderland to The Lion King) and their respective remakes to win $1,000. Upon completion, the binge-watcher reported back on which version was stronger for all 12 movies, the original or the remake.

Binge-watch campaigns often earn strong media pick-ups due to their shock factor––entrants can earn a high reward for completing tasks that are both easy and fun. Movies or shows with cult followings and hyper-loyal fan bases are strongly encouraged! Think Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Disney, or Marvel. 

Photo Contests

 title graphic for a face mask photo contest

Content marketing is a visual medium and contest campaigns are no exception. Photo contests have the potential to perform very well under the right premises. They offer a low barrier to entry, prompt more engagement on social media, and work wonders when it comes to user-generated content.

This “Mask-terpiece” photo contest example asked entrants to submit a photo of their coolest, most creative face mask for a chance to win $1,000. The company featured 25 finalists on the contest page, where viewers could vote on their favorite masks. The contest was innovative, relevant, and interactive, which drove some pretty amazing results in terms of traffic, social shares, and backlinks earned!

Job Postings

Job posting contests consist of entrants filling out an application and the winning entrant(s) will be responsible for completing some form of task. We can use the word “task” liberally here as it can include almost anything. A few contest ideas involving job tasks could be:

  • A beer distributor asking a winning applicant to give up alcohol for six months and report back on their experiences
  • A company undergoing a rebrand asking applicants to create a new logo
  • A hospitality chain asking winners to stay at their hotels around the world for free and report back on their stays

Job postings can require larger investments and more resources, but they also have the potential to be extremely successful since they often include head-turning sacrifices or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

Contest Do’s & Don’ts

Now for the pièce de résistance––here’s what to do and not to do when it comes to running a contest that builds high-quality backlinks.

Do: Incentivize Entrants With an Eye-Catching Prize

Avoid brand-specific prizes like gift cards or “X months supply” of products or services. These rewards are often viewed as overly self-promotional within the world of content marketing. They’re usually not enough to appeal to a wide audience of entrants and will typically be overlooked by journalists during the pitching process. In contrast, a $1,000 cash prize or a week-long beachfront stay combined with an engaging contest concept has the power to stop journalists in their tracks and cover the content on authoritative media outlets––leading to backlinks aplenty.

Don’t: Give Entrants a High Barrier to Entry

If entrants have to jump through fiery hoops to enter the contest, they’ll be less incentivized to participate, no matter how enticing the prize. Time is precious. Make sure contestants can enter easily, with a low time commitment. For example, opt for entrants to submit photos (likely already stored on their camera rolls) or short written submissions, rather than time-consuming assets like a produced video or long written submissions the length of a research paper.

Do: Create a Contest Concept That Aligns With the News Cycle or Pop Culture

The contest concept should have a timely hook, punchy title, and strong tie-in to the current news cycle to encourage entries and pick-up from top journalists. For example, the Mask-terpiece contest above was not only visually creative but included a topic that leveraged the pandemic news cycle. A binge-watch contest campaign that ran this past fall 2021, “Get Paid $1,000 to Binge-Watch Space Movies,” garnered several backlinks from top-tier news outlets by aligning with the billionaire space race.

Don’t: Create a Contest Concept That Is Too Generic or Too Broad

Topics that are overly general or don’t have a strong tie-in to popular culture typically aren’t unique or relevant enough to gain worthwhile media coverage, which limits the contest’s ability to earn backlinks, organic traffic, and submissions. A contest idea like “Share your dream wedding for a chance to win X” is much less powerful than a concept like “Get paid X to give up TikTok for a year.” The latter is specific, compelling, including a highly relevant (and addicting) online platform, while the former is a bit too generic and wouldn’t pass a uniqueness check.

Do: Create & Pitch a Contest Around a Timely Event or Holiday

Journalists are hunting for creative content to cover around viral events or holidays, so a contest that seamlessly aligns with said event is low-hanging fruit. A pet costume contest before Halloween or a basketball slam dunk contest before March Madness are two strong examples.

Do: Set the Right Deadline for Contest Submissions

Be smart about your deadlines for submissions. After posting the contest on your site, leave more than enough time (six to eight weeks) for a digital PR team to pitch the contest to relevant reporters and earn coverage before the deadline. Contest exposure through top-tier media coverage is typically what sparks traffic and submissions because exponentially more people will have eyeballs on the contest.

Don’t: Give Unclear Instructions on How to Apply

Provide a clear Terms and Conditions section and step-by-step instructions on how to apply. If entrants are unclear on where they need to go or what they need to do to enter the contest, then they’ll drop like flies. Include any eligibility restrictions, such as age or geographic location, on your contest page. Clarify any other contest parameters, like a maximum number of entries or any types of content that won’t be permitted.

Do: Leverage User-Generated Content With Permission

Once permission from the individuals is granted, share the content of contest winners and finalists on your site and social channels to engage your audience and build your following. Under copyright laws, the entrant has sole rights to their original content (photos, artwork, written stories, videos, etc.), so make sure you’ve been given explicit permission to share the content before posting. These details should be clearly outlined in a Terms and Conditions section.

With that, you have the tools you need to start producing engaging contests online. As part of your link building and digital PR strategy, contests can be an effective way to attract new audiences, increase brand exposure, and give your SEO a boost! What will your next contest look like?

 

How to Run a Contest That Builds High-Quality Backlinks is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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Six Head-Turning Visual Data Formats For Content Marketing https://gofishdigital.com/blog/content-marketing-visual-data/ https://gofishdigital.com/blog/content-marketing-visual-data/#respond Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:12:46 +0000 https://gofishdigital.com/content-marketing-visual-data/ In 2020, 70% of marketers are now actively investing in content marketing, which means a mass proliferation of online content in the form of blogs, videos, infographics, podcasts, and more. With an ocean of informative and newsworthy content available online, digital marketers need to leverage their creativity in new ways that distinguish their content from […]

Six Head-Turning Visual Data Formats For Content Marketing is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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In 2020, 70% of marketers are now actively investing in content marketing, which means a mass proliferation of online content in the form of blogs, videos, infographics, podcasts, and more. With an ocean of informative and newsworthy content available online, digital marketers need to leverage their creativity in new ways that distinguish their content from others. 

As a way to set our content apart, our digital PR agency prioritizes innovative data visualizations in our campaigns to capture the attention of publishers and online viewers. In digital PR, how data is visually represented can be just as important as the data itself. So, if you’re puzzled by how to present statistics, survey insights, or research findings, here are six ways you can showcase data using formats that are both stimulating and easy to digest.

Related Content:

I. Interactive Maps

When the populations of a data study are regional, national, or worldwide, interactive maps allow audiences to consume large amounts of information on one page. It also lets the viewer make easy, at-a-glance comparisons between geographic locations without having to scroll through endless tables of data.

Example: CapRelo – Maternity & Paternity Leave Laws Throughout the World

II. Static Maps

State-by-state and city map graphics resonate with local audiences because viewers from specific states or cities generally enjoy seeing themselves represented. These map formats allow marketers to appeal to their viewers’ emotions by presenting the data in a way that feels relatable and relevant to where they call home.

Example: SimpleTexting – Remote Work By The Numbers

III. Illustrated Infographics

In an online climate filled with short attention spans and limited time, straightforward infographics are just the trick. A concise combination of illustrations, icons, and short stats can catch the eye and effectively hone in on key takeaways from a specific data set. 

Example: The Black Tux – A Deep Dive Into Millennial Homeownership

IV. Bubble Charts

Bubble charts are ideal when conducting data studies where certain entities are being compared against two variables on X and Y axes. Typically, each bubble corresponds to a specific entity, such as a location or industry, and its appearance can fluctuate depending on the type or size of the entity. Bubble charts are a time-efficient way for viewers to gauge relationships between different categories without having to sift through the weeds of traditional data tables or graphs. 

Example: Homes.com – Exploring Americans’ Perceptions of their Safety vs. Reality

V. Calculators & Generators

By their very nature, calculators and generators individualize data for online viewers. This encourages participation and interest mostly because users are inputting their own information to receive meaningful data that relates back to them. 

What’s more, social sharing capabilities can be integrated into a calculator’s landing page, allowing users to easily share their results with their social media following. Interactive examples we’ve created in the past span multiple themes from athlete salary calculators to Dundie Award generators for The Office cult following.

Example: Finty – Calculating How Long It Takes Star Athletes to Earn Your Salary

VI. Scrolling Landing Pages

Scrolling landing pages or scrolling infographic formats are visual storytelling at its best. They encourage attention and provide an immersive experience, literally carrying an audience through the journey of a topic. These formats cater particularly well to historical timeline campaigns. In the example below, we’re venturing through the history of messaging, from carrier pigeons and telegrams, all the way to instant messaging and modern-day texting. 

Example: SimpleTexting – The History of Messaging

Wrap Up

And there you have it – six head-turning formats you can use to set your content apart, capture the attention of online audiences, and pique the interest of journalists. Now that you’ve got the tools, you can round up your team of graphic designers, developers, and copywriters to start building some exceptional data visualizations. Or better yet, our GFD content marketing team can do it for you!

Six Head-Turning Visual Data Formats For Content Marketing is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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