How to use ballots to generate revenue and target niche audiences

New tools allow media companies to run ballot promotions more effectively and efficiently than they have been able to in the past. With the ability to drive engagement from a very targeted audience and generate revenue with targeted advertising categories, media companies should turn to niche ballots in order to fill out their promotions calendars.

For example, the State Journal-Register's Illinois State Fair Top 10 ballot and the Roanoke Times' Best of Holiday Shopping ballot are driving significant results for these papers. To find more inspiration, check out this list of category ideas for niche ballot promotions.

5 STEPS TO FIND SUCCESS WITH NICHE BALLOTS

• Ballots should be run more than once a year. Metro or city-wide ballots are huge promotional events and bring in lots of revenue - but they only take place once a year. In the months in between your major ballot, there are plenty of opportunities to run smaller, more targeted niche ballots. Take a look at the 2014 sample calendar below to see how it's possible to run a ballot every single month of the year.

• Align with what you're already doing. When you are creating your own ballot calendar, be sure to align it with your existing company goals and initiatives. Start your planning process by listing the following:

a. At least two audiences you would like to target.

b. At least two events that your company is involved with.

c. At least two advertisers or advertiser categories you would like to do more business with.

d. At least two neighborhoods or institutions in your market you could collaborate with.

e. At least two contests, deals stores, or special sections or issues that your company produces or sponsors.

Once you have completed your list, start to fill in your calendar. As you do, be sure to look for opportunities to align your ballots with the objectives and initiatives on your list.

• Sell an integrated campaign. Once you have all of your niche ballots for the year planned out, it's time to start selling. To make sure that you generate the most revenue possible from these promotions, sell each promotion as an integrated campaign.

• Promote like crazy. As with any promotion, getting the word out about your niche ballots is crucial. Be sure to leverage all of the promotional assets at your disposal, including traditional media, social media, your website, point-of-purchase displays and email. Take a look at our complete checklist of ways to promote ballot promotions for even more ideas.

• Remember the impact of email. Email should certainly be a part of your promotional strategy, but it's so important that it's worth mentioning again. Including an opt-in on the registration page of your ballot will help build up your email list, which in turn will help you drive sign-ups for future promotions, beginning the cycle all over again. Furthermore, email is one of the best drivers of digital conversions. The Roanoke Times Best of Holiday Shopping Ballot received 22 percent of its total submissions the day the paper sent a reminder email out to its promotional database!

Matt Coen is the president and co-founder of Second Street, a leading provider of private-label online promotions platforms and partner success services for media companies based in St. Louis, Mo. He can be reached at (314) 880-4902 or matt@secondstreet.com.