SYFY Network partners with Rokt Calendar to deliver fans calendar reminders for the 2015 lineup!

Overview

Rokt Calendar activated a Syfy network-wide Calendar Reminder program, equipping Syfy with a portfolio of transactional Calendar Pages for original shows, where audiences can click an ADD TO CALENDAR button to instantly synchronize their personal calendar with Syfy’s EPG. As a result, all new episodes of a show are programmatically seeded into subscriber calendars in the form of an event. 15 minutes before every new episode, users receive a tune-in calendar alert. To reinforce channel identity, alerts contain Syfy’s channel number, personalized to the user’s location and TV provider.

OnAir “Set Reminder” URL

Syfy is integrating an on air “Set Reminder” URL (syfy.com/SetReminder) to drive traffic to their Rokt Calendar shows page, which lists both current and upcoming shows. Syfy is airing the “Set Reminder” URL both in and out of show, and has seen a 90% lift in subscriber volume as compared to off air only promotions. The URL has proven to be highly effective in the cross promotion of shows. Viewers who land on the shows page are subscribing to multiple calendars, including shows that are set to premiere in the future, so that they can be the first to know when the show airs or premieres.

The onair “Set Reminder” URL instructs fans to visit the Syfy shows page, where they can add shows to their calendar.

Website Integration

Syfy has integrated “Set Reminder” call-to-action buttons on all of the show pages on their website, Syfy.com. Clicking the website button generates a pop-out window, where fans can subscribe to receive reminders for every episode of the season. Fans are prompted to enter their zip code and TV provider so that Rokt Calendar can seed the correct channel number into all tune-in reminders. This way, fans instantly know which channel to turn to to watch their favorite Syfy show.

Example:

“Set Reminder” button on the Lost Girl Show page on Syfy.com

Fans can click the “Set Reminder” button to go to the Lost Girl SmartCal page, where they can subscribe.

The website buttons have been highly effective in driving subscribers for Syfy, serving as an evergreen call-to-action that is always accessible to fans. Syfy has seen strong, consistent subscriber growth from these buttons, with hundreds of website visitors turning into calendar subscribers every week.

Social Media Promotion

Syfy has been regularly promoting their show calendars on their social media pages, including Twitter and Facebook. Every call-to-action post includes an image and a calendar URL that fans can click to go directly to the show SmartCal page.

Syfy is also using the Facebook “call-to-action” feature in the header of their official Facebook show pages. They have added a “Signup”button which links users directly to the SmartCal page, where they can subscribe to receive reminders.

Clicking the “Signup” button on Facebook leads fans to the SmartCal page, where they can subscribe to the show calendar.

Auto-Reply Once

Syfy is utilizing Rokt Calendar’s “auto reply once” feature to engage active Tweeters, by responding to their Tweets with a calendar link. Whenever a user mentions a Syfy show Twitter handle (e.x. @Helix) Rokt Calendar automatically sends the Tweeter a response,encouraging them to add the show to their calendar. The feature ensures that each person only receives the auto reply Tweet once within a given time period.

What fans are saying

Feedback from Syfy fans on Twitter and Facebook has been overwhelmingly positive.Fans have thanked Syfy for the ability to set reminders and have shared the calendar with their own network on social media.

Season Roll-over

One of the main advantages of Rokt’s technology is its ability to roll viewers over into the next season of a show, so they never have to subscribe to the same show twice. For example, if a viewer subscribes to Season 1 of 12 Monkeys, Season 2 will automatically be added to their calendar when it is released. This ensures that fans always receive reminders for their favorite shows for seasons to come

Summary

Syfy has utilized all that Rokt Calendar’s technology has to offer, integrating it at every marketing touch point including on air,digital and social. Each promotion strategy has had numerous benefits and has resulted in hundreds of thousands of event reminders seeded into user calendars. By partnering with Rokt, Syfy is ensuring that viewers are tuning into their programming for every episode, every season, with just one click.