Online contests are a very popular way to market your business. They generate a ton of traffic to your site (or your social media pages), and they can even help you achieve higher sales and earn some customer loyalty.
But if you’re going to run an online contest, you have to make sure that you put some thought and effort into it, otherwise you could end up with a disaster on your hands. If you want to run a successful online contest, make sure to use these tips.
1. Be creative.
The more unique and creative your online contest is, the more successful it will be. You have complete control over what type of contest you can hold, how long it will last, what the grand prize is and how the winner will be chosen. There is no limit to what you can do with your online contest, so spend some time thinking about the best type of contest that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
2. Create rules.
Before you launch your contest, make sure you think everything through and create a set of rules. Make sure to choose a start and end date, choose a grand prize, and ensure that everyone knows how to participate and what is allowed. This way, if you need to disqualify someone or if you have any other issues arise, you can point the participant to the rules. Plus, having a set of rules in place makes your contest more legitimate to your participants.
3. Promote it.
The only way that your contest can be successful is to promote it as often as you can. Push it out through social media, write about it on your blog, tell your customers about it when they visit your establishment—do whatever you have to do to let more people know about it. You should even add share buttons to the online contest home page so that those who land on the page can easily share the contest with their friends and family members through email or social media.
4. Be active.
Holding an online contest means that your website and social media pages are going to see more traffic, and you’ll probably receive plenty of questions and comments about your contest on these channels. It’s very important that you dedicate a team to monitor what is being said and to respond as quickly and appropriately as you possibly can. If your audience is asking questions about the contest and you’re not responding, this will deter them from participating.
5. Pick a winner quickly.
It’s very important that you stick to your end date and choose a winner of your contest as soon as you possibly can. Your audience will be interested to know who won, so be sure to make this a priority as soon as the contest is over.
Online contests are a great marketing tool, and if you use these tips, you will certainly have a successful contest. If you have yet to run one, it’s something you should consider for your 2013 marketing strategy.
YOUR TURN:
Have you ran an online contest before? Do you have any additional tips? Please share them in the comments section below.
I consider myself somewhat of a giveaway enthusiast, knowing the difference between contest, giveaway / sweepstake is the first thing one should be familiar with. Most of my contests use either Punchtab or Rafflecopter, and I did a huge article to help others learn how to promote contests online. I would appreciate you sharing your feedback and let me know what you think http://www.dragonblogger.com/promote-contests-online/