How to Create a Social Media Contest

Hey there! Let's talk about social media contests. They can really help your business get noticed. Think more eyes on your brand, more people talking about you, and better results for your marketing. A great contest can bring in new followers, get you leads, and even bump up sales. But just throwing something together? That probably won’t work. I’ll show you how to make a social media contest that really works, from start to finish.

Why Should You Even Bother with a Social Media Contest?

Before we jump in, let’s see why you should even run one. A good contest can do amazing things:

• More people know your brand: A social media contest gets your name out there. Especially when people share the contest.
• Way more engagement: People like, comment, share, and follow. All that engagement makes social media sites show your brand to even more people.
• Leads, leads, leads: Get emails and contact info from people entering. Now you have a list for future marketing!
• Website traffic boost: Make people click a link to your site to enter. More traffic!
• Free content!: Ask people to send photos or videos about your brand. Boom! Free marketing material.
• Know your audience better: See who's joining in and what they like. Good stuff to know!

Okay, I'm In. How Do I Plan a Killer Social Media Contest?

Glad you asked! Here's a step-by-step guide.

1. What's the Point? (Define Your Goals)

What do you really want from this contest? More followers? Leads? More people on your website? Figure that out first. This helps you decide what kind of contest to run and what prizes to give.

Want more brand awareness? A contest where people share your stuff might work. Need leads? Ask for email addresses to enter.

2. Where Are Your People Hanging Out? (Choose the Right Platform)

Where does your target audience spend their time online? Pick that platform for your social media contest. Each one is different. For example:

• Facebook: Good for reaching lots of people and different ways to enter.
• Instagram: Best for contests with photos or videos.
• Twitter: Easy, quick contests with retweets or hashtags.
• TikTok: Perfect for short videos and young people.

3. What's the Bait? (Select a Compelling Prize)

The prize is super important. It needs to be something your audience wants. Something that connects with your brand, too. Like…

• Your own stuff (products or services)
• Gift cards
• Fun experiences (concerts, spa days)
• Cash
• Cool, exclusive stuff

Make sure the prize is worth the effort. A big prize gets more people interested. But don't make it too hard to win, or people will give up.

4. How Do People Enter? (Entry Method and Rules)

How will people join your social media contest? It should be easy, fun, and match your goals. Like:

• Liking a post
• Commenting
• Sharing
• Tagging friends
• Following you
• Sending a photo or video
• Using a hashtag
• Answering a question
• Giving their email

Write clear rules! Tell people how long the contest lasts, who can enter, and how the winner will be picked. Be honest and up-front.

5. Make It Look Good! (Engaging Content and Visuals)

Your contest post needs to look amazing. Use great photos or videos to grab attention. Write clearly about the rules, how to enter, and what the prize is. And use those hashtags!

Tips for awesome content:

• Use eye-catching pictures
• Write short, easy-to-read text
• Show off the prize!
• Tell people exactly what to do
• Use hashtags

6. Shout It From the Rooftops! (Promote Your Contest)

Don't just post it and hope for the best. Share it everywhere! Social media, your website, email… You can even pay for ads to reach more people.

How to promote:

• Share on all your social media
• Make a special page on your website
• Send an email to your list
• Run social media ads
• Team up with influencers
• Work with other businesses

7. Did It Work? (Track Your Results)

When the contest is over, see what happened. Look at the numbers that matter to your goals. Like:

• How many people entered
• How much people liked, commented, and shared (engagement)
• How many new followers you got
• How much traffic went to your website
• How many leads you got
• If sales went up

Use this information to make your next contest even better. Did you reach your goals? What worked well? What could you do differently?

Different Flavors of Social Media Contests

Lots of ways to run a contest! Here are some ideas:

• Like-to-Win: Just like the post to enter. Easy and quick engagement.
• Comment-to-Win: Comment on the post. Starts conversations and gets you feedback.
• Share-to-Win: Share the post. Spreads the word about your brand awareness.
• Tag-a-Friend: Tag a friend. Gets your brand in front of new people.
• Photo/Video Contests: Send a photo or video. Free content for you!
• Hashtag Contests: Use a specific hashtag. Helps you track entries and builds brand awareness.
• Quiz/Trivia: Answer questions. Fun way to test knowledge of your brand.
• Sweepstakes: Random drawing. Easy to enter, but might not get as much engagement.

The Golden Rules: Best Practices

To make your social media contest the best it can be, follow these rules:

• Follow the rules: Know the rules of the social media site you're using.
• Be clear: Explain the rules, how to enter, and what the prize is.
• Keep it simple: Make it easy to enter.
• Use great pictures: Make it look good!
• Promote, promote, promote: Tell everyone about it.
• Talk to people: Answer questions and comments quickly.
• Say thanks: Show you appreciate their participation.
• Announce the winner: Tell everyone who won and tag them.
• Give the prize fast: Don't make the winner wait!
• Look at the results: See what worked and what didn't.

Tools to Help You Out

There are tools that can make running a social media contest easier. They can help with:

• Tracking entries
• Picking a winner
• Analyzing data

Some popular tools:

• Rafflecopter
• Gleam
• ShortStack
• Woobox
• Wishpond

In Conclusion: Make Social Media Contests Work for You

Social media contests can really help you get the word out, get people interested, get leads, and get traffic to your website. Follow these steps to make a social media contest that actually works for your business. Set your goals, pick the right platform, find a great prize, make it easy to enter, create awesome content, promote it like crazy, and track your results. With a good plan, social media contests can help you reach your marketing goals and grow your business.