Robust Entries and Results Scroll Added
BY TAMMY A GANTT
When the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association launched its all-new website last summer, the goal was to increase service to our industry members, potential breeders and new owners with an integrated approach of combining the original content of Wire to Wire Daily Racing Digest with a robust website that could link articles to social media easily.
Since the launch, there has been continuous month over month growth in website views, with a huge increase of 40% from February to March. Monthly website traffic has increased to nearly 15,000 visits and it is still growing.
“Our original content promoting Florida Thoroughbreds and their connections has an entirely new and engaging look with a daily, integrated approach. Our modernized media, including Wire to Wire and the new website, have been very well received as shown by the steady growth of our audience and readers,” Florida Equine Communications Editor-in-Chief Brock Sheridan said. “Wire to Wire analytics show a consistent open rate of 40% with the number of unique users increasing tenfold since the launch of the new format in September.”
On March 25, FTBOA unveiled the latest iteration, a Florida-breds in Stakes – Entries and Results page in Wire to Wire that links to a fully automated page at FTBOA.com/news. Delivered daily by email, Wire to Wire makes it easy to follow Florida-breds competing in stakes throughout North America with entries and results available in real-time.
The entries/results scroll is just one of many value-add enhancements coming this year, which the FEC team sees as an excellent opportunity to market services and products on the website with digital advertising tied to articles, ads on the home page, and even ads as part of the results feed.
“From an industry perspective, the website promotes what we’ve known all along, that Florida-breds perform well on the track and dramatic shifts in our playing field with the $32.5 million in added incentives make Florida prime for investment of farms, operations and more bloodstock. The story is getting out – not only about our state’s successful breeding programs, training centers and 2-year-old sales – but also more people are following our racehorses as they compete worldwide,” FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell said.
FTBOA’s Tammy Gantt heads up sales and marketing campaigns for advertisers who want to get in front of key decision makers who have significant investment in the industry.
“From an advertiser’s perspective, the website is the only place for increased visibility with potential customers and a great way to gain prominence in front of industry members,” Gantt said.
“If you want to promote something to the equine world in Florida, this truly is the place to do it. It’s also a great way to show your support of the Thoroughbred industry as a whole,” she said.
“We’ve even seen dramatic growth in The Florida Horse podcast, where now we are consistently seeing more than 25,000 views an episode, that’s a huge number of eyeballs to tap into. The growth is not by accident, the enhanced website, Wire to Wire delivered to email inboxes, our award-winning print publication The Florida Horse, our video presence as thought leaders with the podcast, and our social media efforts exponentially makes this happen,” Sheridan said.
