Here’s an example of how e-publications can build audience: According to publisher Sarah Morgenstern, SavvyMom Media’s annual “Mom Entrepreneur Award” program, now in its third year, is an effective and efficient way to grow subscriptions to the twice-weekly SavvyMom Today e-newsletter.

The contest works like this: Mom entrepreneurs nominate themselves through an online form. Once a company has been approved, it appears on the Mom Entrepreneurs Gallery page. Supporters are encouraged to visit the site and vote for their favourites. The reader-selected winner is announced in the fall and receives a $15,500 prize package of cash and business services. On average, about 375 moms enter the contest and the award website receives almost 600,000 page views over the award program period.

“All of the 375 companies are basically marketing on our behalf,” Morgenstern says. “As they reach out to their friends and families and supporters and customers they’re also letting them know about SavvyMom.”

When a visitor votes for one of the nominees, they are given the opportunity to subscribe to the e-newsletter and about one in four voters subscribe, Morgenstern says. The free e-newsletter currently has about 35,000 subscribers.

The prize partners for the contest are Clear Concept Inc., Eighty8Online, and Limelite PR, while the media partners are the Today’s Parent Group (the winner will be profiled on TodayParent.com) and Profit Growth Planner. “We have a good relationship with Rogers,” Morgenstern says.