How to Create a Successful Pinterest Contest

How to Run a Killer Pinterest Contest

Pinterest? It's a visual goldmine for marketing. A smart contest can really boost your brand, get people talking, and grow your followers. But it's not just about throwing up a prize and hoping for the best. This guide walks you through everything – from idea to results – to make your contest a smash hit.

Planning: Laying the Groundwork

Before you even think about a fancy graphic, you need a plan. Figure out your goals, your audience, and the right type of contest.

1. What are your goals?

• Boost Brand Awareness: Want more people to know about you?
• Drive Website Traffic: Need folks heading to your site?
• Grow Followers: Want a bigger Pinterest family?
• Get More Leads: Need contact info for future marketing?
• Boost Engagement: More likes, comments, and saves?

Your goals decide the contest type and how you measure success. Think it through!

2. Know Your Audience

Who are you trying to reach? What do they like? Understanding your ideal customer is key. This shapes your contest theme, prize, and promotion.

3. Pick the Right Contest Type

Pinterest offers tons of options. Here are a few popular ones:

1. Pin It to Win It: People pin your stuff to enter. Simple!
2. Photo Contest: Users submit photos. Use a specific hashtag to track entries.
3. Caption Contest: Get creative captions for a picture. Fun and engaging.
4. Recipe Contest (for food brands): Perfect for food brands! Get users sharing their recipes using your products.
5. Giveaway/Sweepstakes: Follow, like, and share to enter. Great for follower growth.

Design: Eye-Catching and Crystal Clear

Now for the fun part – making it look amazing and easy to understand.

1. Create Stunning Visuals

Your contest graphic needs to grab attention. Use high-quality images or videos. Make it clear what's happening. And of course, use your brand colors and logo.

2. Rules? Make them Simple!

Clear rules are essential. State the contest dates, how to enter, the prize, eligibility (age, location), and judging (if there is any). Use bullet points! Keep it concise.

3. The Prize: Make it Awesome

The prize is the star of the show. Make it something your audience really wants. Something relevant to your brand is a great idea. A great prize gets more people involved.

4. Use Pinterest's Cool Features

Pinterest has great tools to make your contest even better:

• Rich Pins: Add details like pricing to your pins.
• Idea Pins: Create interactive pins to showcase the contest.
• Collections: Organize contest pins into a neat collection.

Promotion: Get the Word Out!

A great contest needs promotion! You've got to get people to see it.

1. Use Pinterest's Promotion Tools

Pinterest ads can help you reach more people. Consider using promoted pins to get more eyes on your contest.

2. Cross-Promote on Other Social Media

Share your contest on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter – wherever your audience hangs out. Keep the message consistent across all platforms.

3. Engage with Your Contestants

Respond to comments and questions. Show you care! This builds community and boosts engagement.

4. Work with Influencers

Partnering with influencers can massively increase your reach. They can promote your contest to their followers.

Analyze Your Results: What Worked?

Once the contest ends, review the results. What worked? What didn't?

• Participants: How many people entered?
• Engagement: Likes, saves, comments, shares – how did people interact?
• Website Traffic: Did you see a boost in website visits?
• New Followers: Did you gain new followers?
• Leads: If you collected leads, how many did you get?

Compare your results to your original goals. What can you improve for your next contest?

Examples of Winning Contests

Check out successful Pinterest contests for inspiration. See what made them work. Look at contests from brands similar to yours.

Conclusion: Pinterest Contests are Awesome

Pinterest contests are a powerful marketing tool. With a bit of planning, great visuals, smart promotion, and result analysis, you can create a contest that really works for your business. Good luck!