Companies interested in collaborating with The Hog Ring are in luck, as we offer loads of sponsorship and advertisement opportunities. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.
If you have any questions, reach us at info@thehogring.com.
What is The Hog Ring?
The Hog Ring is a website created by auto trimmers for auto trimmers — where industry professionals can read news, learn about new products and trends, share ideas and connect.
We are a cross between a traditional trade journal and a social networking site, using new media to connect auto upholstery professionals like never before.
No other website, journal or magazine is as narrowly focused on the craft of auto upholstery or reaches as many auto trimmers as we do.
Netting tens of thousands of page views per month and growing, The Hog Ring is revolutionizing communications within the auto upholstery industry — for trimmers, manufacturers and distributors alike.
What does The Hog Ring do?
The Hog Ring publishes and distributes engaging content related to the auto upholstery industry for free through a clever use of web tools.
In this way, we have managed to build a loyal following of auto upholstery professionals and enthusiasts.
The Hog Ring News Blog
Our industry blog is the only source of news for auto upholstery professionals.
Articles vary from original to curated content, and cover a wide range of categories — including industry news, product reviews, shop profiles and small-business advice.
Among our most popular type of stories are Shop Profiles — where we showcase a master, innovator or business leader in the craft of auto upholstery who we believe our community can learn from or be inspired by.
While the majority of our articles are written in-house, submissions are also accepted.
Auto Upholstery Forum
In early 2012, The Hog Ring launched the first online forum geared exclusively toward auto upholstery professionals. The response has been phenomenal — attracting trimmers with varying levels of expertise from across the globe.
Trimmers utilize the forum daily to ask each other questions about products, find suppliers, show off completed projects and share tricks of the trade.
Every day, new members register for our forum, thrilled to find an active community of industry professionals.
Social Media Dominance
Auto upholstery shops with an active social media presence are connected to The Hog Ring.
Through Facebook, we engage with trimmers throughout the day — offering feedback and advice on their latest projects, as well as answering questions on where to buy hard-to-find parts and supplies.
We utilize Instagram as a “look book,” highlighting talented craftsmen and their projects. We also use the platform to host giveaways and other contests for our sponsors.
Our Instagram account has more followers than any other account in the auto upholstery industry.
Email Newsletter
Our email newsletter reaches thousands of independent upholstery shops and trimmers every month. It includes a summary of the week’s biggest industry news and our latest forum threads. There’s even a weekly photo contest dubbed “Interior of the Week.”
Stories we publish about our sponsors are also included in the newsletter. Some sponsors even offer exclusive sales and discounts to subscribers, which increases promotion for them and incentivizes subscriptions for us.
Launched in 2019, our subscriber base has quickly exploded to more than 3,000 shops — and it continues to grow! Click here to subscribe
Job Listings
Given today’s economic climate, it’s not surprising that The Hog Ring’s jobs page is one of the most popular on our site.
Our editors scour the internet twice a month to compile a list of the latest employment opportunities in the field of auto upholstery.
Independent upholstery shops that have positions available or are willing to take on apprentices are encouraged to submit “help wanted” ads free of charge.
We also accept ads from automakers, industry design studios, manufacturers and suppliers.
Poke around our website to check out all the other great features and resources we offer our audience.
How big is The Hog Ring community?
Nearly every auto upholstery business with an online presence is connected to The Hog Ring. Trade schools, students, apprentices, and auto enthusiasts follow us as well.
Our social media accounts have more followers than anyone else in the industry. Instagram and Facebook are particularly vibrant.
In 2022, the majority of our web traffic (70%) came from North America, with the United States leading the pack. Other countries significantly represented include the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, India, France, Brazil and Russia.
Small banner ads on our website net hundreds of thousands of impressions per year. That doesn’t include additional exposure garnered through articles, forum threads and social media posts.
Best of all, our audience continues to grow by leaps and bounds!
Why sponsor The Hog Ring?
Through sponsorship, you can build brand awareness and empower your target market at the same time — an opportunity that has never before existed in this industry.
We invite companies whose values, products and services we believe in to become our sponsors for a period of six months or longer.
In doing so, these companies receive unprecedented access to the auto upholstery community — including site-wide banners, the opportunity to collaborate with us on promotions and an official endorsement from The Hog Ring.
In return, sponsors afford us the ability to continue growing our website and serving the auto upholstery community.
Sponsorship Benefits
In return for sponsoring The Hog Ring, companies receive the following benefits:
- A company banner prominently displayed on every page of The Hog Ring’s website.
- Mention on The Hog Ring’s “Sponsors” webpage — where users can learn more about products and services we endorse.
- The opportunity to have us publish one article per month on our homepage and social media channels highlighting your company’s recent news or promotions.
- Our editors will recommend and endorse your products or services whenever applicable in our blog, forum and social media channels.
- Our editors will fairly review your products up to three times per year and provide relevant purchase information to community members.
- The opportunity to collaborate with The Hog Ring on promotions, contests and giveaways.
- Inclusion in our weekly email newsletter.
- Regular promotion on all of our social media channels.
- The right to use or reproduce any of The Hog Ring’s original content in promotional materials.
As The Hog Ring continues to grow, we keep adding more sponsorship benefits.
What’s the cost of sponsorship?
Starting at $750 per month, the cost to sponsor The Hog Ring is an exceptional value.
It’s less expensive than what other upholstery websites and magazines charge to place a single ad. Plus we offer more benefits, net higher impressions and provide access to a more focused audience.
In real terms, the monthly cost to sponsor The Hog Ring is equivalent to just one convertible top or less than two hides of leather.
Manufacturers and suppliers serious about reaching the auto upholstery community simply cannot afford to let this opportunity pass.
All sponsorships require a minimum commitment of one year. Discounts are given to sponsors who prepay.
For companies unable to commit to a sponsorship, we also offer a range of advertising options.
How about other ways to collaborate?
In the digital space, there’s no limit to what we can do. Whether you have a small idea or a really big one, chances are we’re game.
But there’s only one way to find out. Email us at info@thehogring.com.
