Reader's Choice Meet Our Directory
By our non-scientific estimate approximately 40% of local magazines conduct some sort of annual Reader's Choice or "Best of" contest. The vast majority of which utilize some level of archaic ballot process. Many of the folks that don't run a contest do so for fear of people gaming the system or claims of impropriety.
We understand, we've been there with our affiliates, and we've evolved. The Directory Powered by Locable is becoming a powerful tool for local businesses to grow their reach and presence online while collecting reviews and testimonials that benefit them on our Affiliates site's, on the business's site, and on the business's Facebook page. Now, we can conduct Reader's Choice contests directly within the directory.
Why is this a big deal?
- Ballot based voting is a pain to administer - people game the system, you have to tabulate votes, and you're never quite sure if "Johns" is the same as "John's"
- To be eligible for the contest a business must have a listing in the directory, it can be a free Express listing, but it has to be there. This allows them to get a benefit from the directory and acts as the first part of a relationship
- The businesses can act in their own best interest to promote themselves which in-turn drive a wave of traffic and attention to your website and brand
Pinal County Lifestyles is the first of our affiliates to kick off this campaign, you can read their contest rules and then browse their directory to see how simple yet elegant the integrated voting is. We'll be sure to break this contest down in a case study and share it hear in the coming months.
