20 Minuten Boosts Engagement & Ad Revenue with Riddle – Case Study
Swiss media powerhouse 20 Minuten faces the modern publisher’s dilemma: how to transform passive browsers into engaged, high-value readers. Their solution? Riddle’s interactive quiz maker. By embedding quizzes within editorial content, 20 Minuten has achieved an uplift in ad revenue on the respective pages.
This success comes from a combination of longer dwell times, high quiz completion rates, and better ad targeting—proving that interactivity is not just engaging, but commercially powerful.
From passive scrolling to active engagement
In a crowded media landscape, grabbing attention is only half the battle – keeping it is the real challenge. At 20 Minuten, the goal is not just to have users read or watch the content, but to create opportunities for them to actively and playfully engage with any topics. This approach deepens user interaction and boosts engagement exponentially.
They need a way to make readers participate, not just consume. The answer comes through a quiz-centric approach: creating interactive, informative, and fun experiences that turn every article into a conversation.
Riddle-powered quizzes in action
Riddle’s quiz maker allows the editorial team to create compelling quizzes that slot seamlessly into existing content. Whether it’s pop culture or educational themes, the quizzes are crafted to engage deeply—and it works.
A quiz celebrating “20 Years of YouTube”, complete with three integrated ad breaks, draws a strong average engagement time of 2:56. But even more impressive results come from themed content. The animal idioms quiz – “Do you know these animal sayings?” – achieves an 80% start rate, with 72% of participants completing it, while holding user attention for nearly four minutes.
“For us, quizzes are more than just entertainment – they’re a tool to engage our community and tell stories in a different way. Instead of simply delivering the news, we invite our readers to become part of the story themselves,” said Verena Edinger, Deputy Head of Community at 20 Minuten.
That engagement translates directly into commercial performance. Ad placements inside Riddle quizzes deliver CPMs that are on average 20% higher than comparable placements outside quizzes, reflecting stronger user attention and longer session times.
A platform that editors and advertisers love
The measurable results are clear—but the editorial experience is just as rewarding.
“For example, alongside a sports article about a color-blind football player, we created a quiz on color blindness. This allowed readers not just to read about the topic, but to experience it for themselves,” Verena added.
Importantly, journalists embrace Riddle as more than a marketing tool. It becomes part of their creative process, with the backend of the platform being scalable, intuitive, and versatile.
“We also regularly use quizzes for recurring topics in the newsroom,” Verena continued. “Interactive formats help us reach people who might not otherwise engage with subjects like geopolitical debates – including younger audiences who prefer to be informed in a playful, hands-on way.”
Interactive content that pays off
20 Minuten proves that interactive content isn’t just engaging – it’s commercially transformative. With Riddle, they don’t just increase dwell time – they deepen reader relationships, open new monetization channels, and make journalism more playful in the process. For publishers looking to unlock both audience attention and revenue growth, Riddle quiz maker isn’t a side tool – it’s a strategic imperative.
