Help us spread the HomeExchange message in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway!
Once our members have discovered the joys of exchanging their homes, they inevitably find themselves telling their friends and families about their adventures. After all, who can blame them for wanting to share their experiences of traveling the world for just a small annual membership fee?! And it's because of these word-of-mouth recommendations that we continue to grow, and in the process, make even more homes available to our wonderful community of home swappers.
But in some countries, home exchanging is still a relatively unknown concept, so we need to work a little harder to spread the word. Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway are key travel destinations for many of our members (for both staycations and those looking to travel abroad), so we really want to grow awareness of HomeExchange in these countries - and that's where we need the help of our members who are living in these magnificient locations!
If you live in Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway, and you get your HomeExchange story published between now and the end of March 2025, send us a PDF or link to wherever your story has been featured, and we will add 300 GuestPoints to your account for each piece of media coverage (up to a total of 900 GP). To participate, you must register your interest before 15th December 2024 using this form, so that we can support your attempts to find a home for your story.
The terms and conditions for taking part in this initiative...
There are just a few simple steps you need to follow to get involved in this campaign:
- Register your interest: fill in the registration form before 15th December 2024. You're not under any obligation to secure media coverage - we merely want to know that you're interested in taking part, so that we can send you a few helpful ideas on how you could get your story featured in a publication or media outlet.
- Share your story: reach out to any media outlets that you think would enjoy learning about your incredible travel adventures with HomeExchange. This could be anything from newspapers, magazines, blogs and podcasts through to newsletters created by any sports clubs you belong to or even your workplace. Audio, print and online media are welcome, as long as they fit HomeExchange's values and publish at least twice a year. Better yet, you can share your story in whichever language you're most comfortable speaking.
- Receive some GuestPoints: if your story is featured in the media between now and the end of March 2025, send us the link or PDF of your story, and you will receive 300 GuestPoints per completed publication, up to a maximum of 900 GP. We'll add these GP to your account within a month of receiving your email.
- The exception: your own social media and blogs (in your own name) are excluded from this promotion. However, if you believe that your personal media might be relevant (for example, if you have a significant number of followers), please don't hesitate to email our PR team on the email address mentioned below.
- Make sure it's positive: don't forget that whoever publishes your experiences must make it clear that you're a HomeExchange member, and your story must convey feelgood vibes to the reader.
- Who can take part: you can only participate in this initiative if you live in Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Norway and you have an active membership with HomeExchange at the time of taking part.
- How to reach our PR team: if you're not sure whether or not a publication would be suitable, or if you need any further support when talking to journalists, podcasters, bloggers, editors etc, then feel free to message us and we'll guide you! You can reach our PR team on nolwenn@homeexchange.com
We ran a similar initiative in the Netherlands and Germany, and it generated more than 60 stories!
Our members managed to get their stories published in work magazines, local newspapers and blogs - to name but a few!
A few ideas on placing your story...
You don't need to place your story in the national newspapers or primetime TV channels to take part in this initiative (though feel free to go for it, if you want to send them a pitch!) We're equally excited to see our members' stories in local or regional outlets, that tend to focus on interesting and fun stories from people in their neighborhoods. And because HomeExchange is still a relatively unknown concept to many people, it can be a great topic for editorial staff to write about something that's new to many people.
Personalize your story: make your story personal. Share your specific experiences, such as a special vacation that you took, or a unique local activity or encounter that you had during a home exchange. The human element sums up everything that's so wonderful about exchanging your home.
Focus on the impact: emphasize how home exchanging changed the way you travel, and what positive effects it had on your budget. Don't forget that your home-from-home experiences also mean you get to better embrace local cultures and make you feel less like a tourist, as this will be really appealing to people who have never heard of HomeExchange.
Use attractive images: we love seeing our members inspirational photos and happy faces in the media! So if possible, add high-quality photos of your stays or any activities you did through HomeExchange. Great imagery can sometimes be the key to making an editor want to publish a story, as a picture brings a story to life. Please just make sure that the photos are your own, or that you have permission to use them.
Make it timeless: try to make sure that your story remains relevant after the publication date. For example, you could talk about past and upcoming exchanges without being precise about the date. This increases the chance that your story will remain visible in media such as magazines or online platforms for a longer period of time.
Local relevance: adapt your story to the interests of your local community. If you know that your local newspaper has a specific section on travel or community stories, try to tell your experiences in a way that fits well within that.
Follow the guidelines for publication: if you are planning on writing your own story or sharing your experiences in an email to an editor, try to respect their editorial guidelines such as the length of the article or the style of writing. This means an editor who is short on time might be able to immediately place your story!
Contact editors: do you know a local magazine editor, or a blogger? Or the volunteer who edits your sports club magazine? Or perhaps a colleague who decides on the content of the monthly newsletter? Use your contacts to place your story!
Use some stats from our press kit when pitching your story: jam-packed with helpful info (like how many homes are listed on our platform), this press kit is relied on by many journalists and editors to make their stories factual and relevant. Feel free to take a look and see what could be helpful!
Don't forget to register your interest before December 15th 2024 via the form below.
I want to take part