Voubs

Overview

Client: Voubs.com

Industry: Online Contests & Creative Community

Engagement: 2017 - 2018

Role: Digital Marketing Strategist & Content Manager

Project Highlights

• Transformed a niche photography contest site into a global creative contests aggregator.
• Achieved significant social growth (55K FB, 7K IG followers) through tailored bilingual campaigns.
• Aggregated over 1,800 contests, boosting global visibility and user sign-ups.
• Leveraged Google Grants ($10k/year PPC budget) to support international market growth.

The Challenge

Limited Awareness & Narrow Focus

Despite a few local/overseas contracts, Voubs remained largely unknown. Competing with established brands like 99designs demanded rethinking its positioning beyond just photography contests.

Pivot to a Global Aggregator

Needed to integrate multiple contest verticals (art, music, writing, etc.) under a single platform. Had to support bilingual content (English and Bulgarian) and eventually scale to more languages without diluting brand consistency.

Technology & SEO Demands

Required a powerful engine to consolidate contests from external sources. Called for an SEO-friendly URL architecture and content structure to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

VOUBS Contest Listings (1/3)

Strategy & Execution

Market Research & Competitor Analysis

Investigated direct competitors (e.g., 99designs, DesignCrowd) to identify market gaps. Pinpointed additional verticals (music, writing, sports, etc.) and decided to position Voubs as an online contest aggregator.

Go-to-Market (G2M) Strategy

Planned an HTML sitemap aligned with user intent, informed by competitor insights. Opted for a bilingual MVP approach (English + Bulgarian) before scaling to more languages, ensuring tailored campaigns for each geography.

Digital Campaigns & Content

• Social Media: Managed bilingual campaigns on Facebook and Instagram, focusing on brand awareness and engagement.
• Blog & Email Marketing: Created and localized content for each market segment, leveraging the brand pivot toward multi-industry contests.
• PPC with Google Grant: Utilized a $10,000/year Google Grant to drive paid search ads, targeting both creators and contest organizers.
• SEO & Re-Design: Led URL architecture optimization, content strategy for new platform features, and copywriting for website relaunch.

Online Community Building

Extended beyond photography to attract diverse creative communities. Invited recognized jury members from each creative field, fostering credibility and transparency.

VOUBS Blog (1/3)

Results & Impact

Increased Brand Awareness

Grew Facebook following to 55K and Instagram to 7K, with ~3% FB engagement and ~1.3% IG engagement. Strengthened Voubs' visibility in Bulgaria while extending reach to an international user base.

Higher User Engagement & Sign-Ups

Measured success through website sign-ups, contest submissions, and time on site. PPC campaigns yielded a healthy lead generation ROI, helping the platform scale user acquisition efforts.

Successful Pivot to Aggregator Model

Aggregated 1,800+ online contests, establishing Voubs as a more comprehensive, global platform than its photography-only origins. Reinforced credibility by securing and featuring expert jury members across creative fields.

Scalable Bilingual Infrastructure

Built a content management and campaign approach that allowed for easy localization-paving the way for additional languages if/when Voubs expanded further.

Lessons Learned

• Vertical Expansion Requires Clear Positioning - Shifting from a photography niche to a multi-contest aggregator demanded a concise G2M strategy and consistent messaging across channels.
• Bilingual Campaigns Demand Tailored Content - Simultaneously running English and Bulgarian campaigns provided a blueprint for future language rollouts, maintaining brand cohesion.
• Social Proof & Jury Credibility Boost Engagement - Highlighting reputable jury members and big-name contests builds trust and encourages participation-key in competitive creative communities.
• Tech + SEO Is a Winning Combination - Adopting a well-structured URL architecture and robust aggregator engine gave Voubs an edge against more established players, even with limited resources.

Final Thoughts

Voubs successfully rebranded from a photography contest site to a global online contests aggregator, thanks to a data-driven G2M strategy, bilingual marketing campaigns, and a focus on SEO. By improving social media engagement, utilizing Google Grant PPC, and reshaping the platform's architecture, Voubs expanded its user base across multiple creative disciplines-demonstrating how strategic pivots and localized content can transform a niche platform into a multi-vertical competitor on the global stage.