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 thousands of page views per month and growing, The Hog Ring is poised to revolutionize communications within the auto upholstery industry — for trimmers, manufacturers and suppliers 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 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 articles is the “Meet the Trimmer” series — where we profile 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 and Twitter, 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 Friday. 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 2,000 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, with tens of thousands of followers.
In 2018, 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.
On average, small banner ads on our website netted nearly 2 million impressions last 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 six 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 $650 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 six months. Discounts are given to sponsors who prepay for one year or longer.
Can we advertise instead?
Yes! For companies unable to commit to a sponsorship, we offer a range of à la carte options.
Due to the nature of the relationship, advertisement does not include all the benefits of sponsorship. However, it does provide more flexibility.
Banner Ad
Advertise your company with a site-wide banner on The Hog Ring. We’ll post the banner for you on every page of our website, including our forum, for however long you like. The banner can link to whatever webpage you choose. Price varies by size and location. Cost: starting at $499 per month (depending on size and location)
Promotional Article
Inform the auto upholstery industry of your latest news or promotion by having us publish an article about it on our highly trafficked blog. The article can include photos and videos. It will also be shared on all our social media platforms. Cost: $225
Boosted Job Ad
Advertise an open position at your company with an article and social media blast. We already post links to jobs on our jobs page for free. But this is a way for companies to give ads a boost. We’ll write an article outlining the position and share it on all our social media platforms. Cost: $199
Product Review
Introduce your new product or service to auto upholstery professionals across the world by having our team of experienced trimmers fairly review it. Reviews include loads of photos, purchase information and are shared on all our social media platforms. Cost: $299
Email Newsletter
Want us to include a news story, promotion or advertisement for your company in our weekly newsletter? We can make that happen. It’s the easiest way to take advantage of our industry-wide email list. Cost: $150 (per issue) or $450 (for the month / 4 issues)
Social Media Post
Grow your social media following by having us publish photos or videos for you to our Instagram page, which has more fans than any other account in the auto upholstery industry. That’s not all, we’ll share the post on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and encourage our audience to follow you. Cost: $175
Contest or Giveaway
Promote your company’s latest product or service by hosting a contest or giveaway within our community — including our website, forum and social media channels. You tell us what the contest entails and we’ll facilitate it. Price varies by contest duration. Cost: $399 (depending on duration)
Affiliate Link
Advertise your company name by having us post a link to your website in our “Cool Companies” affiliate network. It’s the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get your company name in front of our audience members. Cost: $150 per month
Interested? Email info@thehogring.com. We offer discounts to companies who choose multiple or prolonged advertisement 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.
