With the rise of social media in recent years, sweepstakes and contests have increasingly become an important tool for brands looking to engage their customers and raise awareness about their products and services.
If you haven’t run this type of promotion before, you may not realize just how effective they actually are (hint: VERY!).
Here are the top reasons why you should include sweepstakes and contests in your marketing plan.
1. Contests Build Your Fan Base
Whether you are starting fresh with a brand new Facebook Page or already have one for your brand, contests and sweepstakes are a proven way to increase the number of likes and fans for your page.
In fact, some of our clients have gone from as few as 50 likes to more than 10,000 in a matter of days or weeks when running a sweepstakes.
Why?
The low barrier to entry for contests and sweepstakes promoted via social media makes it easy for people to share and participate in this type of promotion.
2. Contests Help You Engage Your Audience
In addition to improving brand awareness, a contest or sweepstakes actually increases your audience’s connection to your brand.
By running a sweepstakes or contest that features user-generated content, such as a video or photo contest, you naturally tap into people’s desire to share their lives and compete against others.
If participants choose to upload their own personal content for your promotion, then they have proven that they are genuinely interested in your brand and its values.
3. Contents Help You Gather Data About Your Customers
The chance to win a prize is why your audience is willing to share personal information. By asking your audience to answer questions related to your promotion and brand at signup (i.e. how they heard about your promotion, what do they like the most about your brand), you can learn exactly who your audience is and what they want from your brand.
In addition to the data collection process, the conversation that your promotion generates about your brand will provide even deeper insights. So make sure that you’re listening.
4. Viral Contests Save Advertising Spend
With your fans spreading the word about your contest or sweepstakes for you, it means that there is a chance for your promotion to go viral. As a result, contests actually save you money when it comes to advertising because it means less money that you’ll have to shell out directly to reach your audience.
Contests and sweepstakes are often shared very quickly so you are likely to see multiples of traffic for every single share that your promotion receives as a result of the participants sharing it with their friends.
The Bottom Line
With so many benefits for your brand, contests and sweepstakes should absolutely be a part of your marketing plan.
However, before you launch a contest or sweepstakes, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the legal requirements first. Ensure that your promotion is legal and comply with all terms and conditions of the social media platforms that you use to promote it.
Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.
