You’ve probably heard that social media contests can be a great way to increase exposure for your brand. In many cases, this is true. A good social media contest allows you to connect with your existing audience in a meaningful way. It provides value to them, in return for their loyalty on social media.
Additionally, social media contests can be a good way to increase exposure within new audiences. When someone interacts with your contest on social media, it often appears in their friend’s Newsfeed, as contest engagement rates tend to be quite high. This can help increase your following if your contest is compelling. So how do you make your contest attention-grabbing?
Keep it Simple
The fastest way to sabotage a contest is to make it overly difficult, keep it basic. It’s typically best to ask the user to complete 1-2 simple actions to enter. That doesn’t mean that you can’t ask the contestant to ‘tag’ a friend or ‘share’ the post, just make sure you keep it uncomplicated.
Make the Prize Enticing
Entering a contest takes time and requires the follower to stop scrolling and complete an action. In order to get people to engage, you need to make sure the prize is worthwhile and relevant. Generally speaking, the larger the prize, the more you can safely ask of the audience. For example, if you’re giving away a free TV, you can ask the audience to give more information or take extra steps to promote the contest.
Set Terms
Make sure you clearly define the prize, entry mechanism, and timeline for your contests. Your audience needs to know what to do, what they will receive, and when they will obtain the prize. You also need to be clear about how you will select the winner. Are you selecting based on certain criteria or randomly? Just make sure the audience will be able to understand your contest, even if they’ve never engaged with your page or company before.
Spread the Word
The best contest is worthless if no one enters. Obviously using your social media channels are the natural way to spread the word, but don’t forget about your website and email lists. Do you have a blog? Write a post about the contest with links to where users can enter. You can also set the contest up for viral success by making people who enter ‘share’ the contests with their networks, too. For example, you could ask that they ‘like,’ ‘share,’ or ‘tag’ a friend in the post as a condition of entry. That can really help grow your reach!
Acknowledge the Winner
When your contest is over, and you have chosen a winner, publicly announce it. Obviously don’t share any private information you’ve gathered about the winner, but showing your audience that you actually awarded a prize and plan to hold another contest soon can help keep them interested in your page.
Have Fun!
The most important thing is to make your contest fun. Social media is meant to be enjoyable, and if you can entertain your followers, you’ll gain their confidence, trust, and attention.
If you need help developing ideas for a contest or promotion, the seasoned experts at OnPoint Internet Marketing can help.
