Social media has become an integral part of people’s lives. In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t check their Facebook feed, Instagram page or Twitter notifications at least once a day.
But while users have found great value in social media, so have marketers and business owners. Whether they’re looking to boost engagement, increase their audience or just enhance their brand awareness, companies can harness the power of social media channels.
However, with the sheer number of businesses that use social media, it’s getting harder to make your brand stand out. One way you can do that is by using social media contests. These have the potential to boost your engagement and draw new customers to your company. Not sure where to start or just want some guidance? Then, here are 5 social media contest ideas that have proven successful:
1. Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes are a no-brainer for any company that wants to attract potential customers. These contests involve some sort of raffle or lottery, with the winner being chosen randomly. Thus, people will be more likely to join the contest if they feel like they have a better chance of winning than in similar events.
But, the key to successful sweepstakes is to keep the entry condition as easy as possible. Sure, the prize can be big, like a holiday or small, like a custom shirt or a printed mug. However, if the entry process is complicated and requires many intricate steps, it will turn most people off. Keep in mind that consumers rarely have the time to follow 5 steps or some complex rules to enter a social media contest.
That’s why we recommend that you go for a simple email-based entry in order to get as many entries as possible and maximise your reach. Remember that the more people enter, the more chances you have to engage and familiarise them with your brand. So, as long as you keep it simple, you’ll be able to enjoy the marketing benefits of social media sweepstakes.
2. Audience Photos
Another great way to get your customers and followers involved with your business is by using their photos. This provides your company with free, organic advertising from people who have already tried your services or products. You can think of it this way: consumers use social media to check content, whether it’s memes or photos. So, spotlighting content from your audience will make them feel cared for while also helping your company grow.
To do that, you need to convince your followers to share photos of themselves with your product. But you don’t have to be so upfront about using your consumers as free advertising. Instead, you can hide it behind a social media contest, with the picture that receives the most likes or shares winning a branded item.
Using your follower’s photos can help other consumers in your audience that are still on the fence about your brand. It will also give your business an authentic feel, which is beneficial for your company’s image.
3. Interaction Through Likes, Comments and Shares
Convincing your followers to interact with your posts may sound easy. However, with so much content available on all platforms, people need some additional incentives. That’s where contests come in, helping boost your engagement significantly!
Here’s what you need to do:
First, choose a promotional prize, such as a tumbler, a notebook, or maybe a backpack. Then, post a picture of it together with a description stating that you’ll pick a random person that liked or shared the picture as a winner.
For bonus points, you can require that users follow your account to enter the contest. While some will quickly unfollow after the giveaway, you’ll still get the opportunity to market towards the remaining audience.
Regardless of how you want to tackle this content, it’s best to run your contest over a longer period of time. You can even ask them to like, share and comment each day to increase their chances of winning.
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4. Caption or Tag
Similar to liking, commenting and sharing, you can tell your audience to caption a post or tag their friends in order to win prizes. This low-cost contest has the potential to draw new customers and increase engagement with your content.
While there are many ways you can approach this challenge, the most effective is to post a meme or photo related to your company. But make sure to incorporate current trends and try to match them with your brand in order to stand out. Then, ask your users to comment with a caption for that picture, so you can select the funniest or most interesting one. Remember to let your audience know that the content will end at a specific time. That will entice them to check your page again to find out if they’ve won.
5. Daily Holiday Prizes
Giving your audience daily prizes is a sure way to improve your brand awareness and attract customers. However, that doesn’t mean you should have a new giveaway each day for an entire year. Instead, you can line it up with holidays or brand anniversaries.
For instance, you can give away prizes for the 12 days of Christmas. This is a great idea because your followers will already be looking for Christmas gifts to give to their friends and family. So, they’ll be excited to have the opportunity to win a special reward just by following or liking a post.
Plus, since the holidays are pretty stressful, your audience will take any opportunity to unwind and distract themselves, even for a few minutes. And, even if you don’t want to offer physical prizes, you can give away other incentives like coupons or discounts.
Key Takeaways
As social media continues to grow in popularity, so do your chances to reach new users and promote your products. Even though regular ads can be pretty effective, contests are much more beloved by both audiences and marketers. From simple raffles to holiday prizes, there’s no shortage of ideas that can increase engagement and boost your brand awareness. So, if you want to remain relevant in this competitive market, social media contests are a no-brainer!
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Boost your social media contests with our wide range of promotional products! From branded paper products to personalised tech gadgets, we have the perfect items to engage your audience and amplify your brand presence. Contact us today to discover how our promotional products can take your social media contests to the next level. Give us a call at 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today. Let’s make your contests unforgettable and leave a lasting impression on your followers!
