We wanted to come up with a solution to solve this problem, and so we developed the Refer-a-Friend feature on Sweepstakes. With this feature, people that enter the sweepstakes will get another chance to win for each additional person that they refer that also enters. And we have made it super simple to share. Users can post to their Facebook Timeline, send directly to friends on Facebook, Tweet the sweepstakes or share via email. The links are tracked so that the extra entries can be recorded.

In some of our Refer-a-Friend Sweepstakes we have seen the sweepstakes get shared at a rate of nearly 2.5 times the number of regular entries, and over 15% of the total entries came from the referrals.

In addition to the Refer-a-Friend feature, Fan Appz has increased the design flexibility and customizability of the sweepstakes application. We have added the ability to integrate either standard graphics or custom html into the sweepstakes creative, customize the form fields and marketing opt-ins, and create a unique success page experience with either text, graphics, html or a custom redirect. The sweepstakes can also be white labeled for even greater custom branding.

Check out a screencast of a recent Refer-a-Friend Sweepstakes:

Click here to request more information on how you can get your own viral sweepstakes.

MIAMI – August 24, 2011 – Telemundo announced today it has partnered with Fan Appz, one of Facebook’s Preferred Developer Consultants, to leverage the network’s growing social media fan base, which currently exceeds 2.5 million fans, and offer clients another way to connect with target consumers.

“We are always looking for strategic opportunities that will expand our footprint in the social media landscape while enhancing our audience’s viewer experience and leveraging our original content,” said Borja Perez, vice president, digital media and integrated solutions, Telemundo. “This partnership with Fan Appz provides our Social@Telemundo team with the tools to exponentially grow our fan base and offer our clients an opportunity to tap into consumers across another lifestyle touchpoint.”

Social@Telemundo will implement Fan Appz publishing tools to provide clients and sponsors with ways to reach and connect with consumers across Telemundo’s social media platforms through exposure via custom content, sweepstakes, and promotions in addition to interactive and engaging activities such as quizzes, polls and custom tabs.

“Fan Appz is the leading provider of social media marketing solutions for entertainment, sports, and media organizations. We are thrilled to be partnering with Telemundo to provide an interactive social experience to the fast growing U.S. Hispanic internet audience of over 29 million people through Social@Telemundo,” commented Jon Siegal, Fan Appz Founder and CEO.

This partnership also provides Social@Telemundo with vehicles to reward Telemundo fans with entertaining giveaways strategically tied to network initiatives. One recent example is the iPad giveaway pegged to the launch of Telemundo’s original novela “Flor Salvaje.”

Social@Telemundo, which launched in February 2011, focuses on delivering its fans across Facebook and Twitter interactive experiences tied to TV programming. With dedicated social media resources tied to each of Telemundo’s shows and novelas, Social@Telemundo aims to take the entire TV viewing process to a more engaging level. Building off the success of its Interactive Broadband Series, “Telemundo Live,” and mobile social initiatives, Telemundo plans to expand its focus on sharing more access to its studios, shows and talent in Spanish and English.

Over 29 million U.S. Hispanics are online, and U.S. Hispanic Internet audience growth outpaced total U.S. online population by 50%.* 84% of Hispanics have a broadband connection versus 79% of non-Hispanics.** Entertainment, particularly video, plays a critical role in Internet use among U.S. Hispanics, and the Hispanic community overindexes in this area compared to the general market. 37% of Hispanics watch video on the Internet compared with 31% non-Hispanics, while 42% of Hispanics watch entire TV shows online compared with 28% of non-Hispanics. Additionally, Hispanics overindex in their use of smartphones, with 45% adoption compared with 27% adoption among general market consumers.***

Source: *comScore October 2010; **Forrester Hispanic Technographics® Online Omnibus Survey, 2009; *** Nielsen 2011

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About Telemundo:

Telemundo Communications Group, LLC & Subsidiaries (“Telemundo”), a division of NBCUniversal, is a world-class media company, leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multiplatform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. Telemundo’s multiple platforms include Telemundo, a Spanish-language television network featuring original productions, theatrical motion pictures, news and first-class sports events, reaching 94% of U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 14 owned stations, 1 independent station (WKAQ in Puerto Rico), 46 broadcast affiliates, and over 1,000 cable affiliates; mun2, the preeminent voice for bicultural Hispanics in the U.S., reaching over 35 million U.S. TV households nationwide on digital and analog cable, and satellite; Telemundo Digital Media, which leverages Telemundo’s original content for distribution across digital and emerging platforms including mobile devices and www.telemundo.com and www.mun2.tv; and Telemundo Internacional, the company’s international distribution arm which has positioned Telemundo as the second largest provider of Spanish-language content worldwide by syndicating content to more than 100 countries in over 35 languages.

In an effort to engage their fans and garner more “likes,” Fox Sports West partnered with the MLB and the Los Angeles Dodgers to give 24 lucky fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to play ball ‘Under the Lights’ at Dodger Stadium.

Leveraging Fan Appz’s Social Media Marketing Platform and Fan Tabz application, FSW created a multimedia Facebook tab to drive fans to the entry form on the sweepstakes app within their Facebook page. The west coast Fox Sports regional network affiliate is using polls and quizzes to engage their Facebook audience and promote the sweepstakes, as well as using a myriad of offline marketing tactics to spread the word about the promotion, including on-air TV and radio mentions.

To extend the opportunity and give more fans a chance to win, FSW is selecting eight winners, each of which can bring two friends to Dodger Stadium. FSW hopes this prize strategy will drive more viral results, since fans entering the contest will be more inclined to share the promotion with their friends in order to increase their chances of getting to play ball at Dodger Stadium.

To enter the exciting sweepstakes visit http://www.facebook.com/foxsportswest/.

To learn more about how Fan Appz can support your social media programs, contact us here.

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By Cory Bergman

Even Glenn Beck admits it may be ahead of its time. After departing from Fox, Beck is launching his own subscription TV network that will cost his fans $4.95 to $9.95 a month.

“I think we might be a little early,” Beck told the NY Times. “But I’d rather be ahead of the pack than part of it.” He adds in a press release, “The confines of traditional media no longer apply.”

The confines of subscription TV have spelled disaster in the past, but Beck is banking on his cache with a rabid fan base. The network, called GBTV, will use technology from MLB Advanced Media to power the subscriptions. A deal with Clear Channel will secure promotion across its radio station network. And subscribers will be able to watch HD-quality video on their laptops, iPads, iPhones and TV sets via Roku.

But the most interesting component of GBTV is its tie to Facebook. Over on GBTV’s Facebook page, fans are encouraged to earn Merit Rewards for such actions as checking in to a show, sharing content with friends or taking a poll. The “virtual currency” can be redeemed to unlock exclusive content and discount codes for Beck’s merchandise or goods and services from sponsors. Conceivably, if you’re one of Beck’s most outspoken Facebook fans, you may be able to watch the network for free.

The community is key to Beck’s success or failure with a pay subscription model, and he seems to realize it. “It’s not about what you get out of it, but the community we’re building,” Beck explains in this video on the GBTV Facebook page. Although rewards do play a big part. At various stages, fans win merit badges, which they can display on their Facebook profiles. There’s also a leaderboard (below) of the top earners. The merit program is powered by Fan Appz and doesn’t appear to use Facebook Credits.

If you do the math, the financial upside with a subscription model could be substantial. “If he can convince just 50,000 of the 1 million-plus viewers who regularly watched his Fox News show to subscribe at the lower rate, he’ll already be earning more from GBTV than Fox was paying him,” explains Forbes’ Jeff Bercovici.

“Lots of people are talking about the digital content revolution, but few are willing to risk it all and place a huge bet on the future,” said Christopher Balfe, President & COO of Mercury Radio Arts, who will oversee GBTV. “With GBTV, Mercury is doing just that.”

The custom designed promotion leverages the Fan Appz API to gather social feedback through the Fan Appz Poll application without requiring the custom development of these features saving both time and money.

Click here if you would like to learn how your organization can leverage the Fan Appz Platform and the Fan Appz API to increase the return on your social media marketing investment.