The challenges you run on MoveSpring are likely the star of the show in your wellness program. So what happens in between challenges? Picture **engagement** as the behind-the-scenes crew: it keeps things running smoothly year-round and sets the stage for what’s next in the spotlight. 

### Utilize our tips to keep employee engagement going strong year-round between challenges

With one or more successful challenges under your belt, it’s time to keep the spark going by learning how to use and promote MoveSpring’s engagement features. We’ve outlined the next steps you can take to encourage employee participation across the platform.

### Get to know MoveSpring’s engagement features

In this blog post, we’ll be covering the engagement features and associated resources that we love to use in between challenges. Leverage these features to keep participants engaged in your wellness programming year-round.

As a general guideline, we [recommend making contact](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5899398-communicating-with-your-users#h_6470fd0e3f) with your employees **at least** once a month in between challenges to keep health & wellness at the forefront throughout the year.

For all communication templates provided, simply copy and paste the information into your desired channel and send!

### Send announcements

Announcements allow you to communicate important updates directly to your users throughout your program. You can easily schedule announcements in-app ahead of time for convenience. In addition to displaying the most recent announcement directly on a user’s dashboard, we’ve also designed announcements to be paired with an optional push notification for increased visibility. 

Announcements are the perfect tool to make your health & wellness communications direct, timely, and fun! **We can’t stress enough how important it is for an admin to communicate with employees, especially in between challenges.** Announcements can ensure that your voice is heard and employees are getting a consistent reminder to engage with their health & wellness. 

Learn more about the announcements feature [here](https://movespring.com/blog/cut-through-the-clutter-with-our-latest-feature-announcements-22).

![Copy of Untitled Design (4).png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1657304927/blog/Copy_of_Untitled_Design_4_d5a8ccfbe5.png)

We love announcements because of how customizable they are. We even wrote an entire [blog post](https://movespring.com/blog/get-creative-with-announcements-84) on how you can step up your announcement game! Here are a few of our favorite ways to use announcements in between challenges:

- **Share company reminders -** Announce open-enrollments, wellness events, or an upcoming challenge.
- **Shout out employees -** Show recognition for users that engage with their health, like the [top stepper of the week](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728686-announcement-templates-for-user-stat-shoutouts#h_2356f93b35) or the most improved stepper.
- **Educate employees -** Share educational information on relevant [wellness topics](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728666-announcement-templates-for-general-wellness-engagement).
- **Celebrate events and holidays -** Share [timely reminders](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5811542-announcement-templates-for-seasonal-events-holidays) about holidays or [national health observances](https://movespring.com/blog/workplace-health-and-wellness-calendar-2022-78#:~:text=What%20observances%20can%20I%20include%3F).
- **Highlight new features -** Encourage usage of a feature, or [introduce a new feature](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4270417-announcement-templates-for-challenge-updates-and-new-features#h_d0aaaa02ae) that users might not be familiar with yet.
- **Gather employee feedback -** Use the call to action function to link to a survey that gathers wellness program feedback.
- **Run a one day event -** Motivate participants to move more by challenging them to reach a certain activity goal over the course of the day. Offer a small prize via raffle for all participants who complete the goal to further incentivize participation.
    
    *For example, encourage participants to try to reach at least 10,000 steps on a particular day. Then, pull a user report to find all eligible users who completed the goal and enter them into a raffle to win an insulated water bottle! Use [this announcement template](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728889-how-to-engage-your-users-year-round#h_1622ef0023) to promote the upcoming event.*
    

### Highlight the friends feature

The friends tab allows users to view their MoveSpring friends in a Leaderboard style and toggle the viewing timeframe to filter activity leaderboard totals by day, week, month, or year. We encourage all clients to turn on the Friends feature, which is a great way to allow employees to build connections with their colleagues on the MoveSpring app. 

Once a participant adds friends, it also makes it easier for them to create [user-created challenges](https://movespring.com/blog/making-fitness-more-fun-with-friends-46) with those individuals, further boosting engagement and friendly competition. Designate an off-challenge period to encourage adding friends to build camaraderie and mutual motivation between colleagues. 

Learn how to enable the friends feature [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3084900-adjusting-your-client-app-settings-in-the-admin-center).

![Friends.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1657055345/blog/Friends_6c0ff4f080.png)

**Use [this announcement template](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728889-how-to-engage-your-users-year-round#h_225800201f) to communicate a friend-a-thon using the announcements feature.**

### Have users create their own challenges

User-created challenges allow users to interact with each other even if you don’t have a company-wide challenge going! Encourage employees to create and run their own custom challenges with colleagues or work buddies.

Learn more about this feature [here](https://movespring.com/blog/let-your-users-run-your-wellness-program-for-you-39), or you can learn how to adjust your current preferences [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3084900-adjusting-your-client-app-settings-in-the-admin-center).

![UCCs.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1657055345/blog/UC_Cs_018ab3186b.png)

There are lots of fun ways to incentivize users to create their own challenges. Below, you’ll find a few of our favorite ideas:

- Run a monthly raffle - one employee a month wins if they’ve created a user-created challenge
- Reward for most creative challenge title
- Reward users for joining a friend’s user-created challenge

You can easily track who’s created one using the [reporting feature](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1828030-how-to-pull-a-report) and pulling a user-created challenges report. 

**Use [this announcement template](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728889-how-to-engage-your-users-year-round#h_9a083ab4b5) to encourage usage of this feature.**

### Build a content campaign

A content campaign allows you to upload articles, videos and posts directly to the mobile app dashboard at any point in your program. You'll be able to share content with users even when they are not in a challenge. This is a great tool that you can use to motivate and educate your employees any time of the year.

Choose from our [library of content](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/content-library/141/collections/) or create content of your own! Just like with [challenge content](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1868596-upload-and-manage-content-within-the-content-module), you can choose to make your content actionable so users can mark each post as complete. This means that you can use this feature to create “tasks” for employees to complete, including viewing an educational video or article, getting an annual checkup, or completing a wellness survey. 

You can [pull a report](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4177857-engagement-reports) to view the number of completions. This makes it easy to host a raffle for a few winners who completed all the actionable content in that period. These content posts will remain static on the dashboard, and you can choose to add or remove posts at any time from the MoveSpring admin center. 

Learn more about the content campaign feature [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4913331-how-to-create-a-content-campaign).

![final content campaigns.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1657207425/blog/final_content_campaigns_be29c30c96.png)

Below, you’ll find some of our favorite ways to use content campaigns to educate and engage in the MoveSpring app.

- **Announce company-wide initiatives -** Post information about health initiatives that need maximum visibility like flu shots, HRAs, or open enrollment periods.
- **Create actionable challenges -** Share actionable challenges around different wellness activities that users can complete in under 10 minutes. **Pro tip:** Choose a monthly theme and promote actionable items for employees to complete before the end of the month. View our [content collections](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/content-library/141/collections/), and choose a collection labeled with ‘actionable’ in the title. For example, our team focused on mental health for the month of May and [our collection](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/content-library/141/collection/49/) encouraged time for self-care and mindfulness.
- **Educate on national health observances -** Provide education about topics that matter to you and your employees. Check out our list of [national health observances](https://movespring.com/blog/workplace-health-and-wellness-calendar-2022-78) and use them to foster health awareness year-round.  For example, post educational materials about heart health topics for National Heart Health month, or post a YouTube video on the long-term effects of stress for Stress Awareness month.

### Encourage users to explore their profile

The [Profile tab](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3676707-navigating-your-mobile-profile) on MoveSpring is where users can access their activity history, challenge history, badges, and more. It’s a great place for users to see their average activity totals and keep track of progress over time. This tab can help to provide insight into a user’s own activity levels, patterns, and how the current week stacks up to past totals. 

**Inspire users to check out their profile by sending out this short announcement:**

**Title:** Check out your profile 👀

**Description:** 

Did you know that you can track your progress over time in the Profile tab on MoveSpring? 

This is a great place to see all of your activity totals for the current week, month, or year. You can also compare your stats over time, and see how much progress you’ve made since you joined! 🏃🏃‍♀️

You’ll also find a list of every challenge you’ve participated in and any badges that you unlocked. Go check it out and see what you learn!

### Become a MoveSpring pro

Now that you’ve seen some of MoveSpring’s engagement features in action, it’s time to put them to good use! There’s no wrong way to utilize these features and the timeline you choose is completely up to you. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend highlighting both the friends and user-created challenges feature together. 

**Try using this announcement template below:**

**Title:** Create your own challenge

**Description:** 

Did you know that if you add colleagues as friends to your MoveSpring account, you’ll be able to invite them to personal challenges that you create?

It’s true! We challenge you to add some friends on the MoveSpring app and run your own user-created challenge. You can run challenges on physical activity or healthy habits - the choice is completely up to you! 

So let’s challenge ourselves and fire up the friendly competition! 🔥 

**Call to action button text:** Learn more

**Call to action button link:** [http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3186306-how-to-create-and-delete-user-created-challenges](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3186306-how-to-create-and-delete-user-created-challenges)

Once you’ve highlighted friends and user-created challenges, you can try utilizing some of the other engagement tips and tricks we mentioned in this blog. [Over the course of the year](https://movespring.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/Yearlong-Program-2021.pdf), you and your participants will become experts in all that MoveSpring has to offer.

So there you have it! MoveSpring’s engagement features are extremely valuable tools that can help you make the most out of your MoveSpring subscription. By promoting these features throughout the year, your employees will feel the care and thought that goes into building a company wellness program. While challenges may take the center stage, what you do to engage employees between challenges is what really makes the performance extra special. 

To read more on the basics of engaging employees in your wellness program, check out [this blog](https://movespring.com/blog/17-ways-to-engage-employees-in-wellness-programs-80) we wrote.

**Looking for our programming experts to help you build an exciting and engaging wellness program on MoveSpring?** **Ask your client success rep about our [Ultimate plan](https://movespring.com/pricing).**


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Learn how to engage employees between challenges

Summer has arrived! Who’s ready for some fun in the sun? 

### Heat up the fun for your wellness program this summer by hosting our Beat the Heat challenge.

Summer opens up a whole variety of ways to move outdoors, from cycling to gardening to kayaking. Who knows, you might even have some surfers in your midst! 

On the other hand, some folks prefer the cool AC of a gym and want their yoga classes or weight lifting to count toward their goals. Motivate your users to move however is best for them this season in the Beat the Heat challenge! Allow participants to convert their non-stepping activities with our [activity converter](https://movespring.com/blog/count-any-activity-in-challenges-82). 

We also suggest using our [personalized goal](https://movespring.com/blog/accommodate-all-activity-levels-with-personalized-goal-challenges-79) feature to let your users choose their challenge. Set a realistic but motivating goal range for participants to choose a Streak step goal from. 

### Highlight a variety of healthy summertime habits to encourage a healthy, happy summer for all.

We know it can be challenging to keep moving in colder winter months. Summer can feel like a fresh start on health, with fruits and vegetables in season and the warm weather inviting us outside to exercise. But summer has its own fair share of potential health pitfalls to be aware of:

- Some users might **move less** in hotter temperatures, opting to stay sedentary in the AC to avoid overheating. If they don’t have access to a gym or indoor exercise equipment, they might need motivation to find creative, healthy ways to stay active.
- Approximately 75% of Americans are **chronically dehydrated**.* In the hot summer months, it’s even more important than ever to stay hydrated, especially when getting active and sweating.
- More than 1 in 3 Americans report getting **sunburned** each year.* It’s important to protect from the sun year-round, but especially in the sunny summer months.
- Lastly, summer is fun! It’s all too easy to **stay up late** with longer daylight hours, **drink more alcohol** in increased social settings, and become lax with other healthy habits.

This is why we also created [a new mini-challenge content collection](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/content-library/141/collection/50/), themed around **Summer Wellness**. These easy to complete prompts encourage your group to stay healthy with summertime tips, tricks, & reminders.

Ready for some fun in the sun? Incorporate the Beat the Heat challenge in your wellness programming by following this guide.

---

### CHALLENGE DETAILS

Follow these specifications when [creating your challenge](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1872650-how-to-create-a-challenge) in the [Admin Center](https://admin.movespring.com/). 

### **Challenge Name:** Beat the Heat 😎

### **Challenge Modes & Goals:**

- Streak - Set and reach a personalized step goal between 3,000 and 20,000 steps each day of the challenge
- Actionable Content - Complete the [Healthy Summer - Mini Challenges](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/content-library/141/collection/50/) prompts
- Leaderboard - Metric: Steps

💡 *Summertime Tip - We recommend [enabling the activity converter](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4636416-should-i-enable-the-activity-converter-for-my-users) for this challenge. From swimming to rollerblading to staying cool in the gym, your employees get active in a variety of ways throughout the summer. The activity converter allow everyone to participate regardless of how they want to move, whether that’s gardening under the sun or weight lifting with the AC on blast.*

### **Duration:** 3 weeks

### **Description:**

Temperatures are heating up, and so is the competition! Get moving your way this summer in our Beat the Heat challenge.

Your goals are:

👟 Build a streak by reaching your step goal every day for the next 3 weeks

 🌞 Complete the wellness prompts to stay healthy this summer

🏆 Use the activity converter to count all non-stepping activities, from swimming to gardening and more!

Can you Beat the Heat? Let's dive in and enjoy some summertime stepping.

**Head to the Admin Center to [create the challenge](https://admin.movespring.com/challenges/create/) now, and don’t forget to [enable the activity converter](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4636416-should-i-enable-the-activity-converter-for-my-users) for your organization.**

---

### COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

### **CHALLENGE INVITATION**

Send this invitation as an [in-app announcement](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3854206-how-to-use-the-announcements-feature) and as a message in Slack, Teams, or email.

**When:** 7 days prior to challenge start

**Title:** Can you beat the heat? 

**Optional** **Image:**

![Beat the Heat Invite Announcement Image.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1654096480/blog/Beat_the_Heat_Invite_Announcement_Image_72ff284d44.jpg)

**Description:**

Join our next MoveSpring challenge! Before the challenge starts you will need to select a personal daily goal.

Make sure to stay healthy all season long by completing various prompts around summer wellness. Can you beat the heat?

💡All movement counts in this challenge - Get moving your way and convert your movement into steps using the activity converter.

If you have technical questions or issues, contact the MoveSpring support team at [help@movespring.com](mailto:help@movespring.com)

Happy stepping!

**Call to action button text:** Join the challenge

**Call to action button link:** [INSERT CHALLENGE LINK]

---

### **CHALLENGE ANNOUNCEMENTS**

### Challenge Kick-off Announcement:

Engage your users from day 1 by sending an [in-app announcement](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3854206-how-to-use-the-announcements-feature) that promotes your challenge.

**When:** First day of challenge

**Title:** Time for fun in the sun!

**Image:** 

![Beat the Heat Kick off Announcement Image.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1654096480/blog/Beat_the_Heat_Kick_off_Announcement_Image_399e9c1132.jpg)

**Recipients:** Send to challenge participants

**Description:**

Let's kick off our Beat the Heat challenge! 🌞

Who can keep their Streak up the whole challenge? Spend the next 3 weeks moving to find out!

Sync your connected device frequently, and convert any non-stepping activities using the activity converter. Also be on the lookout for summer wellness mini-challenges posted in content. Swipe each prompt complete after you finish it. ☑️

Contact the MoveSpring support team if you need any help with syncing.

Happy stepping and happy summer everyone! 😎

### Challenge Wrap-up Announcement:

Recap your challenge by calling out stats and any rewards or prizes you are giving out. Be sure to include your own information in the placeholders below.

**When:** After grace period ends

**Title:** Challenge recap 📣

**Image:** 

![Beat the Heat Final Announcement Image.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1654096480/blog/Beat_the_Heat_Final_Announcement_Image_ac2ec21233.jpg)

**Recipients:** Send to challenge participants

**Description:**

Congrats on finishing our Beat the Heat challenge!

Everyone who maintained their stepping Streak for the entire challenge was entered into our raffle.


[PARTICIPANT] won [PRIZE].

[PARTICIPANT] won [PRIZE].

[PARTICIPANT] won [PRIZE].

Congrats to all! 🎉

Keep moving and enjoy the rest of your summer. Happy stepping!

**Want more announcement templates?** Find more in our [Announcement Templates for Challenge Updates](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4270417-announcement-templates-for-challenge-updates-and-new-features). 

---

### **CHAT PROMPTS**

All chat messages should be posted from your MoveSpring account in the mobile app or from the [MoveSpring web app](https://app.movespring.com/) in the challenge chat. Encourage engagement by responding to the prompts yourself first to kick things off!

**When:** First day of challenge

**Message:** 

Our Beat the Heat challenge starts today! Time to get moving and soak in some sun. What’s your favorite way to get moving in the summer? Do you stick to the same routine year-round, or do you shake things up in the warmer weather? 🏃

**When:** End of the first week

**Message:** 

Let’s talk food. 😋  What’s one of your favorite seasonal, summer recipes? Share the recipe below! Bonus points for recipes that use fresh, seasonably-available ingredients.

**When:** Halfway through the challenge 

**Message:**

We’re halfway through our Beat the Heat challenge, and we hope you’re loving your summer. 🌞 What is one of your favorite summertime memories? Let’s hear it! Share a throwback photo from a previous summer below. 📸

**When:** Start of the last week of the challenge

**Message:**

Congrats on making it to the final week of our challenge! Summer can fly by in the blink of an eye. Let’s slow things down for a minute. What is something summer-themed that you are grateful for? Share a photo or list what you’re thankful for below! 🌻 🌅 🏖️

**When:** End of the challenge

**Message:**

Our Beat the Heat summer challenge is coming to a close. Thank you for participating! Let’s end on a positive note. What is one plan you have to enjoy the rest of your summer? Any people or places left to visit, new recipes to try, or workouts to fit in? Share a bucket list item here and let’s inspire each other to have an amazing rest of the summer! 😎

---

### REWARDS STRATEGY

Raffle off a few fun prizes to each user who maintains their Streak each day of the challenge.

We suggest prizes that will reinforce the themes of the challenge, such as spending time outdoors and enjoying summer!

### **Prize Ideas:**

For the raffle:

- Wheat straw [plate set](https://www.amazon.com/Degradable-Lightweight-Shopwithgreen-Unbreakable-Dishwasher/dp/B07MCSRTJW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=dinner%2Bplates&qid=1608738212&sr=8-56&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=intheknowsite-20&linkId=305cc77bcd7db775a3fefcdc35d43a81&language=en_US) for BBQ/beach/picnic meals
- Picnic basket sets or [backpacks](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VWDSHSF?tag=aboutcom02thespruceeats-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&ascsubtag=4782950%7Cn17209113daf047d38611b9c88563e58f20%7CB07VWDSHSF), and/or [picnic blankets](https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Valentines-Water-Resistant-Waterproof-Sandproof/dp/B01FI1QXS8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=picnic+blankets&qid=1653424461&sprefix=picnic+%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2V4QKVJLSJRDE&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUUdTMk5TSVdTVzNEJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTU4NDM0WUQ2QjhWVFlYNUtNJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzMTQ3MzkyQ1dGSUpMMUZVVE9OJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)
- Lawn games, such as [kan jam](https://www.amazon.com/Kan-Jam-Ultimate-Disc-Game/dp/B001RJ4Q2G/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3OLAAH482B9DO&keywords=kan%2Bjam&qid=1653424509&sprefix=kan%2Bjam%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-5&th=1) or [cornhole](https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Collapsible-Cornhole-Carrying-Backyard/dp/B08CY1B7HB/ref=sxin_13_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?crid=1WPE5ISRUVYT3&cv_ct_cx=cornhole&keywords=cornhole&pd_rd_i=B08CY1B7HB&pd_rd_r=0ae7e9a0-902a-4b97-a3c4-2aa447fb89f6&pd_rd_w=NRv3N&pd_rd_wg=qQ5Yy&pf_rd_p=bdb62de4-4445-472f-a46c-4743abbcf384&pf_rd_r=VZ7TH1BP35DC6BTH6EX5&qid=1653424542&sprefix=cornhole%2Caps%2C92&sr=1-4-8acce81c-1022-4788-a21d-98553f7388f3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1NkVVSDJGVjIyRjcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyNzcyMDMxRExNMVEyWVdLV1FXJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzODA4OTMzSEpTSDRVTVExSDZDJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3Bfc2VhcmNoX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)
- Outdoor [camping chairs](https://www.rei.com/product/847136/rei-co-op-camp-x-chair)
- Gift cards to a sporting goods store
- Gift cards to a local book store to find some beach reads

For all challenge participants:

- If you’re able to have an in-person event, celebrate the end of the challenge with a pot-luck style picnic at a local park or after work in the office!

**Want more challenge templates? Ask your client success rep about our [Ultimate plan](https://movespring.com/pricing).**

*Sources*

[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/)

[https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/skin-cancer/fact-sheet/index.html](https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/skin-cancer/fact-sheet/index.html)

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Stay healthy this summer with our Beat the Heat challenge

### Communication is crucial to a successful wellness program. 
Fortunately, MoveSpring makes communication easy to manage, from announcements to [chat](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/2961997-should-i-enable-chat) and [content](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1868596-upload-and-manage-content-within-the-content-module)! In this blog post, we’ll be highlighting how to creatively use the [announcements feature](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3854206-how-to-use-the-announcements-feature) throughout your wellness program. 

## Why do we love announcements?

Announcements take up valuable real estate on the MoveSpring dashboard, placing relevant information right in your employees' hands. Push notifications ensure no one misses an important update, and adding an optional call to action makes announcements flexible and interactive.

![MoveSpring dashboard - img 1.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1647449787/blog/Move_Spring_dashboard_img_1_73c2e4cdf8.png)

### Customize announcements to fit your every need

To access announcements in the admin center, select Campaigns from the top navigation bar and make sure you’re viewing the [Announcements tab](https://admin.movespring.com/campaigns/announcements). 

All announcements in MoveSpring require a title and description. Beyond that, you can fully customize your announcement to fit your needs! Choose to include an image and a custom call to action directing users to a URL. Then, select your recipients and include an optional push notification to alert users through the app.

![program tip GIF.gif](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1647449787/blog/program_tip_GIF_100e459cb4.gif)

You can also schedule out your announcements in advance to save time later! Learn more about creating and scheduling announcements [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3854206-how-to-use-the-announcements-feature).

## Getting creative with announcements

The announcements feature is fully customizable, which means you can get creative with your communications! We’ve highlighted our best recommendations for using announcements below to help you make the most of the feature.

### Give challenge updates & reminders

Ready to announce a new challenge, or hoping to drum up some excitement during the final week of your event? Announcements are a great resource. You can send announcements to all users in your account or just to your challenge participants depending on what you’re sharing. 

In addition to building the hype for your challenge, remember to also use announcements as a tool to remind users to join teams, sync, or set a personalized goal. Access announcement templates for sharing challenge updates [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4270417-announcement-templates-for-challenge-updates-and-new-features#h_56819e1b44).

### Share company reminders

Remind your employees of important dates and reminders for your wellness program and related benefits, such as when to get your free on-site flu vaccination or where to complete your health risk assessment (HRA).

### Encourage employees

Looking for a fun way to check-in with employees? Create an announcement highlighting users who have been going above and beyond! If you don’t have an active challenge, shoutout employees who have been moving the greatest distance over the past week, or call out the most improved users in your account over the past month. This information can be accessed through [Reporting](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1828030-how-to-pull-a-report). Access templates to help inspire your user shoutouts [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728686-announcement-templates-for-user-stat-shoutouts).

![program tip img 3.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1647449787/blog/program_tip_img_3_571d0a8cef.jpg)

### Educate employees

Use announcements as a way to educate your employees on relevant wellness topics, such as sleep or nutrition. Employees will benefit from the reminder to prioritize their health. Access general health and wellness engagement announcement templates [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728666-announcement-templates-for-general-wellness-engagement).

### Celebrate events and holidays

Sharing timely reminders related to events and holidays is a simple way to engage employees throughout the year. Provide tips related to building healthy habits around New Year’s or remind employees to take care of their hearts in February for American Heart Health month. Access seasonal announcement templates [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5811542-announcement-templates-for-seasonal-events-holidays).

### Highlight features

Another great use of announcements is to highlight MoveSpring features to encourage usage. For example, you may have enabled [user created challenges](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3028113-should-i-enable-user-created-challenges), but employees may not be aware that this feature is available to them. To help build excitement and encourage usage, send a quick message sharing that the feature is live! Access announcement templates to highlight new features [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4270417-announcement-templates-for-challenge-updates-and-new-features#h_d0aaaa02ae).

### Gather user feedback

Announcements can also be used collect user feedback. Send out a short survey link via the custom Call to Action button. You can gauge employee satisfaction with your wellness programming, poll participants on what they’d like to see next, and more.

## Ready to get started? Use our announcement templates as inspiration:

[Announcement Templates for Challenge Updates and New Features](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4270417-announcement-templates-for-challenge-updates-and-new-features)

[Announcement Templates for General Wellness Engagement](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728666-announcement-templates-to-promote-wellness-topics)

[Announcement Templates for User Stat Shoutouts](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5728686-announcement-templates-for-user-stat-shoutouts)

[Announcement Templates for Seasonal Engagement](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/5811542-announcement-templates-for-seasonal-events-holidays)

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Get creative with announcements

## One of our most popular challenge modes just got better. Introducing Team Virtual Race.

You asked for more team challenges to take the competition beyond the leaderboard. We’ve answered with our newest team mode: Team Virtual Race.

Team Virtual Race combines our beloved Virtual Race mode with our Team Leaderboard mode. The result? A race to see which team can move the furthest distance. 

You select a map for your teams to race along, and set [a total distance goal](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/2583629-setting-a-group-module-goal) for each team to reach. You can use one of our engaging, [preset maps](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/4201968-guide-to-virtual-race-themes) or create your own map and milestones using our [Virtual Racetrack Creator](https://admin.movespring.com/racetracks/create).

You can either [create teams](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1898544-how-to-create-teams-edit-a-team-name-or-photo) or allow users to create their own teams. Each team will compete to top the leaderboard by moving the highest average distance over the course of the challenge. Teams will unlock milestones together as they race along the map path. 

![TVR view map and milestones.GIF.gif](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1646328312/blog/TVR_view_map_and_milestones_GIF_905e44f3c9.gif#resizegif)

### How are teams scored during the race?

Team Virtual Race ranks teams from high to low based on a team’s **average total distance.** Just like in our Team Leaderboard mode, averages are used instead of totals to account for teams of various sizes.

![Blog Body Image 1600 w x 900 h (3).jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1646328348/blog/Blog_Body_Image_1600_w_x_900_h_3_66c855f1ce.jpg)

As an admin, you set one distance goal for teams to achieve by the end of the challenge. Simply multiply the average distance you want participants to move per day by the duration of your challenge to set this goal. Teams will move along the map based on their average total distance. The winning team is the one with the **highest average distance by challenge end**. 

For more information on how team challenges are scored, click [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/3804067-scoring-guide-leaderboard-and-team-leaderboard-challenge-modules).

## Teams have a fresh look, plus new cover photos!

We’ve made teams even more user-friendly with a new and improved user interface in the app. Additionally, we added the option to add a team cover photo. As an admin, you can upload a unique team photo and cover photo from the MoveSpring Admin Center. Learn more about creating teams [here](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1898544-how-to-create-teams-edit-a-team-name-or-photo).

If you have user-created teams enabled for your challenge, users will be able to set their team photo and cover photo when they create their team. 

Don’t have the time to customize team photos? No worries! A default photo will be automatically given to each team photo and cover photo. You can choose to edit the images if you want to.

![Cover photo blog image.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1646328385/blog/Cover_photo_blog_image_e84087664c.png)

Team photos allow users to bring even more personality to your next team challenge, whether it is a Team Leaderboard or a Team Virtual Race!

## Create a Team Virtual Race challenge for your next competition.

Ready to try it out? Click [here](https://admin.movespring.com/challenges/create) to create your first Team Virtual Race challenge. Available to all one-time and annual clients.

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Go the distance with Team Virtual Race

## Your employees—and their fitness routines—are unique. Count all activities, from cycling to swimming, in your challenges with our new activity converter and manual activities.

At MoveSpring, we want all users to get credit for their activity, regardless of how they prefer to get moving. That’s why we built our new in-app activity converter. With our latest update, admins can choose to enable the activity converter to allow users to convert any common activity into steps and distance totals.

## With our in-app activity converter, users simply choose an activity and enter a duration. Steps and distance convert automatically.

When you enable the new activity converter from the [MoveSpring admin center](https://admin.movespring.com/account/settings), users will be able to enter their time spent performing common non-stepping activities like cycling or yoga and automatically convert that time into the equivalent steps and distance totals.

Users will choose an activity from the list of options and enter a duration (for example, 30 minutes of yoga). From there, steps and distance convert automatically. All that’s left to do is to save the activity and keep moving!

Once an activity is converted, users can save their entry and it will be added to any existing activity data synced in from their device for the chosen date. Converted steps, converted distance, and the active minute total will be included. Any converted activities will also appear in their list of all logged activities. Users can review and remove logged activities if needed from this list.

![convert movespring v2.GIF](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1646082347/blog/convert_movespring_v2_81c731ceb5.gif#resizegif)

## Allow users to add manual activities for even more flexibility.

We’ve also improved our existing manual entry experience with this new update. When you enable manual activities from the [MoveSpring admin center](https://admin.movespring.com/account/settings)*, users can add a manual activity with an accompanying step, distance, and active minutes total.

Once a manual activity is saved, it is added to any existing activity data synced in from a user’s device for the chosen date. The entry will also appear in their list of all logged activities. 

**If you previously had manual entry enabled for your account, manual activity entry is now enabled for consistency.*

![manual activity logging.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1645125910/blog/manual_activity_logging_8760bfc1ba.png)

### Manual and converted activities never overwrite device data.

Manual and converted activities will never overwrite totals synced by a device totals. These logged activities will be counted in addition to any device data.

## What’s the difference between converted activities and manual activities?

Since converted activities and manual activities both allow users to log additional data into MoveSpring, we’ve outlined what each feature can accomplish for your challenges, as well as how the features differ, below.

### Converted activities

- **Level the playing field between all forms of activity.** Allowing converted activities in your challenges gives participants who prefer non-stepping activities like cycling or yoga the chance to participate in a step-based challenge.
- **Allow users without a device to add data into your challenge.** If a user doesn’t have a device or does not want to [use their phone as a fitness tracker](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/1419827-what-fitness-trackers-and-smartwatches-can-play), they can use the activity converter to log their common activities (walking, running, cycling, etc.) into the MoveSpring app. They’ll just need to track the duration of each workout in order to log their data into MoveSpring.

### Manual activities

- **Allow full customization of logged activities.** When a user logs a manual activity, they have full control over the data they are adding to their MoveSpring account. Users can enter a custom total for  steps, distance, and/or active minutes. They can add just 1 metric (e.g. 10 active minutes), 2 metrics, or all 3 metrics, depending on what data they need to log.  The activity converter does not offer this level of customization, since steps and distance are converted automatically based on the activity and duration entered.
- **Allow users with pedometers and low-tech devices to participate.** Some fitness tracking devices may not have an API for MoveSpring to integrate with, or participants may use a low-tech device, such as a pedometer, that cannot sync to MoveSpring. Enabling manual activities gives these users the chance to participate in step challenges by entering the data they've recorded on these low-tech devices directly into the app.
- **Allow users to enter workouts that weren’t tracked by their fitness tracking device.** Some users may chose not to wear their fitness tracking device during a workout and others may simply forget to throw on their device for an evening walk. Manual activities allows users to log any missed data directly into the app.
- **Allow users to convert an activity that isn’t common.** Manual activities can also be used to convert an activity that is not as common, such as badminton or ballet dancing. Users can convert their activities using this [activity to step conversion chart](https://movespring.com/resources/activity-converter).

## Learn how to add activities in MoveSpring.

Users can easily add their activities straight from the dashboard. When a user selects the floating “+” button from the dashboard, it will open the **Add an activity** overlay. From the overlay, users will see a list of their current challenge-based daily habit activities* and the option to log a new custom or converted activity if enabled through admin settings. If they scroll down and select **View all logged activities,** they can also open a log of all previously logged activities.

![MoveSpring dashboard add activity.png](https://res.cloudinary.com/movespring/image/upload/v1645125950/blog/Move_Spring_dashboard_add_activity_af42976a86.png)

Users can access this same logging overlay from the **Add activity** button on the dashboard, the side navigation drawer, and the logged activities page. 

The option to add and delete converted activities and daily habit activities is only available on the MoveSpring [iOS app](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/movespring/id1315128138) and [Android app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.movespring&hl=en_US&gl=US) at this time. Web users can currently add and delete manual activities only.

**When you set up a [custom activity challenge](https://movespring.com/blog/run-a-challenge-based-on-any-activity-introducing-custom-activity-challenges-1) from the admin center, it will show in the app as a daily habit challenge.*

## Customize your admin settings today to get started.

The owner of the account can customize which features are available to users in your account from [admin settings](https://admin.movespring.com/account/settings). 

You can manage access to the activity converter and manual activity entry separately, so you’ll be able to enable both options, just one option, or none. Please also keep in mind that if manual entry was enabled for your account, we defaulted your account to allow manual activity entry for a consistent user experience.

For additional questions, please [contact our support team](http://help.movespring.com/en/articles/2207782-how-do-i-contact-customer-support). Happy converting!

Learn how to engage employees between challenges

Stay healthy this summer with our Beat the Heat challenge

Get creative with announcements

Go the distance with Team Virtual Race

How to count any activity (from cycling to yoga!) in your challenges

Download the MoveSpring Playbook

More Resources

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