- Contest Factory
- March 31, 2020
It’s no secret that giving people a chance to win a contest or free product is a proven tactic to increase engagement on social media channels. The challenge is finding ways to stand out in the flurry of digital content.
Here are 7 fun, creative contest ideas to get your customers in the game, your product in their hands, and your brand in the spotlight.
1. Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes are easy to manage and great for recruiting followers, increasing shares and email subscribers, and getting people to visit your store. You can reward extra shares and tags across your social media channels with small discounts or free online resources you might have available.
Note: Make sure you are in compliance with sweepstakes rules for the social media platform you are using. If you need help with official rules, Contest Factory has these services available.
2. Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts add an element of adventure for participants and are a great way to leverage Instagram. You can include a task in your Stories and social media feeds and participants get an entry each time they complete a task. The first one to complete all the tasks wins.
Scavenger hunts also provide countless ways to market your brand and products. You can assign tasks that have participants hunt your website for answers, take photos with your products in various locations, or get them to visit your retail store. Just make sure your prize is comparable to the work it takes to win it!
3. Photo Contest
Photo contests are another interactive way to increase engagement and brand recognition. Ask users to share photos that are relevant to your brand or even request images of your brand be shared. Invite users to vote on your contest, bringing even more attention to your contest with a viral component. Each user that enters the contest may invite their friends to vote for them. These same voters will be exposed to your brand and potentially become a customer.
Check out some successful photo contests facilitated by Contest factory.
4. Trivia Contests
Educate participants and get them excited about your brand with clever trivia questions. Using highly specific questions about the company’s history and your product lines will increase customer engagement and visits to your website or store. You can also offer bonus points for recruiting other followers to join in the contest.
The refer-a-friend element really leverages your ability to go viral. Check out Contest Factory’s Trivia Contest case studies.
5. Hashtag Contests
6. Selfie Contests
Selfie contests are the perfect way to inspire your customers to show off the value and popularity of your products. Encourage fun, creative photos so you can repurpose them for future posts. You can also throw pets into the mix, because who doesn’t want a selfie opp to show off their new puppy or pet lizard?
7. Video contest ideas
Video contests will not only increase engagement and following, but they will also serve as testimonials to further promote your company. You can request videos of customers using your products or sharing what they love about your brand and products. You can compile the top 10 entries from your video submissions and offer the ability to be featured in ads as one of the valued prizes.
Managing your Contest
Although guaranteed to increase engagement and audience reach, contests can be time-consuming and pull resources from other important aspects of your business. There are a variety of affordable, user-friendly software options that can help eliminate the stress, time, and guesswork that goes into managing contests. You get brand exposure and new customers with virtually no effort, and your customers get fun, engaging ways to experience your products and services, a win/win.
Now, it’s your turn. Go get your head in the game and show ‘em how it’s done!
