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Hi,
Welcome back to our monthly newsletter with audience engagement insights , as well as reader call-out ideas based on events coming up this month.
So far in 2026 we've explored some important themes:
💪 January → Habits
💘 February → Connection
🌱 March → Growth
⚖️ April → Barrier to Entry vs Value Exchange
🔁 May → Consistency
So… what's June?
👉 Reader Intelligence.
Or put another way:
How well do you actually know your readers?
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Because every call-out gives you more than content.
It gives you understanding.
→ Who participates?
→ What do they care about?
→ What topics divide opinion?
→ What stories create emotion?
→ What expertise exists within your community?
The best audience teams don't just collect reader contributions.
They learn from them.
And over time, that understanding becomes one of the most valuable assets a newsroom can build.
Because when the next big story breaks, you already know who to ask.
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If someone shared this newsletter with you and you don't want to miss the next one — you can sign up here ▶️ HERE
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What's coming up in June?
⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026
🏫 End of exams for many schools
🌈 Pride Month
🥛 June 1 — World Milk Day
🚴 June 3 — World Bicycle Day
🏃 June 3 — Global Running Day
🌍 June 5 — World Environment Day
🌊 June 8 — World Oceans Day
🩸 June 14 — World Blood Donor Day
🍣 June 18 — International Sushi Day
🌍 June 20 — World Refugee Day
🧘 June 21 — International Day of Yoga
☀️ June 21 — Summer Solstice
💔 June 23 — International Widows day
🐶 June 26 — Take Your Dog to Work Day
💊 26 June - International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
☄️ June 30 — International Asteroid Day
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And… a lot of Sport:
⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026 (all month)
🏎️ Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix (June 12–14)
🏌️ U.S. Open Golf Championship (June 11–14)
🎾 Wimbledon Build-Up (late June)
🏉 British & Irish Lions Tour Build-Up
🏀 NBA Finals (June)
⚾ MLB Mid-Season Storylines
🚴 Tour de France Build-Up
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⚽ An interesting read for publishers focussing on sport
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off this month, now is a great time to think beyond scores and updates.
We recently teamed up with Tickaroo to explore how sports coverage is changing — and why the most successful publishers are turning match coverage into shared experiences.
The article looks at practical ways to:
🏟️ Turn live coverage into a conversation
📸 Capture fan moments, not just match moments
🔁 Build fan habits between games, not just on match day
💬 Use polls, debates and reader reactions to deepen engagement
🎯 Create a fan engagement loop that keeps supporters coming back
If you're planning any World Cup coverage this summer, it's worth a read.
👉 Read: Sports coverage isn't just live anymore… it's participatory
👉 Read: Connecting with Fans Beyond Updates
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Now...
Let's look at a few examples through the lens of reader intelligence.
⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026
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Reader Poll
Which country will surprise everyone this year?
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Reader Stories (+ Optional Photo)
What's your earliest World Cup memory?
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Reader Poll
What makes the World Cup special?
A. National pride
B. The atmosphere
C. The football
D. Bringing people together
E. It doesn't interest me
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This isn't just football data.
You quickly identify:
• Football superfans
• Casual supporters
• Readers attending matches
• Local supporter groups
• Readers interested in international sport
The next time you need football voices, you'll know exactly who to ask.
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🚴 World Bicycle Day (June 3)
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Reader Poll
Why do you cycle?
A. Commuting
B. Fitness
C. Saving money
D. Environmental reasons
E. Enjoyment
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Reader Photos
Show us your daily commute.
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Reader Debate
Should cities prioritise cycle lanes over parking spaces?
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You start understanding:
• Transport habits
• Local infrastructure concerns
• Commuting patterns
• Which readers care most about active travel
This can directly shape future local reporting.
P.S. Contribly data shows that topics focussing on Local Infrastructure get some of the highest levels of engagement across local/national news brands!
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🌈 Pride Month
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Reader Stories
What advice would you give your younger self?
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Reader Photos
Share a photo from your first Pride event.
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Reader Opinion
Do you think representation in the media has improved?
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You gain insight into experiences, perspectives and communities that may otherwise remain invisible.
Participation helps readers feel represented and the safe environment to share builds trust.
The responses will help journalists better understand the people they serve.
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🩸 World Blood Donor Day (June 14)
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Reader Stories
Why did you decide to donate blood for the first time?
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Reader Poll
Have you ever donated blood?
A. Regularly
B. Once or twice
C. Never
D. I'd like to
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Reader Questions
What would you like to ask a blood donation expert?
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Real examples from other publishers:
In the Netherlands, this call-out collected the most incredibly powerful moving personal stories - some of the Contribly team even cried: This was a Story + Optional Photo call-out.
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You'll uncover:
• Common misconceptions
• Reasons people don't donate
• Motivations for those who do
• Potential follow-up story ideas
Remember: participation isn't just content.
It's research.
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🐶 Take Your Dog To Work Day (June 26)
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Reader Photos
Introduce your office dog.
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Reader Poll + Optional comment
Should dogs be allowed in workplaces?
A. Absolutely
B. Sometimes
C. Never
D. Depends on the workplace
+ Optional comment
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Reader Stories
Share something that your dog did at work: Has your pet ever interrupted a meeting? Done their business in the office? or something else?
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It sounds light-hearted.
But these call-outs reveal:
• Lifestyle interests
• Pet ownership
• Workplace culture
• Community personalities
This data can easily become your ‘invite list’ for the next dog themed call-out. Readers love to be invited to contribute, this becomes a real 2-way engagement process.
And lifestyle readers are often some of your most engaged contributors.
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🧠 What kind of data are we actually collecting?
When readers participate, they're giving you far more than content.
They're giving you signals.
Behavioural Data
👉 What readers do
• Which call-outs they engage with
• How often they participate
• Which formats perform best
Sentiment Data
👉 What readers think
• Opinions
• Concerns
• Emotions
• Priorities
• Questions
Community Data
👉 Who your readers are
• Professions
• Interests
• Expertise
• Lived experiences
Over time, this becomes one of the most valuable assets a newsroom can build.
Because when the next story happens, you'll already know who to ask.
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📊 For Contribly users: Making the most of your data
Your Community Data Dashboard helps turn participation into editorial intelligence.
For Audience Teams
Track:
• Returning contributors
• Topic performance
• Participation trends
• Audience interests
So you can build stronger engagement strategies over time.
For Journalists
Contribly's AI Editor Analysis highlights:
• Top contributions
• Key themes
• Emerging story angles
• Standout contributors
Helping you understand what readers are really saying — not just what they submitted - even if you have thousands of Contributors.
Because participation isn't the end goal. It's the beginning of the next story.
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🧠 So what's the real takeaway this month?
The goal isn't to collect more data.
The goal is to better understand your readers.
Every call-out is an opportunity to learn something.
And the more consistently you invite participation, the more valuable those insights become.
Because:
📊 Better understanding leads to better journalism
🫶 Better journalism builds stronger relationships
🌱 Stronger relationships drive long-term growth
🧡 If you try any of these June call-outs, reply and tell me what you're planning.
I'd love to feature examples in next month's newsletter so we can all learn from what has worked for each of us.
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Contribly is the CGC platform built by journalists, for journalists — helping newsrooms collect, moderate, publish and learn from reader contributions without adding chaos.
Whether you're gathering stories, photos, videos, polls or maps, Contribly helps turn participation into insight, understanding and long-term audience growth.
Reply to this email if you'd like to explore how it works.
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Best wishes,
Francesca Dumas
Director of Audience Development @ Contribly.com
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Our mission is mighty: to strengthen newsrooms and their relationships with readers everywhere. Thanks for helping us make it happen.
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