3 Tips for Running a Social Media Contest

Social media is a significant part of our everyday lives. It is where you learn more about organizations or take a mental break from the day. While scrolling through your feed, you might see companies running giveaways or contests. Your small or medium-sized business (SMB) could benefit from using a social media contest strategy, but first, there are things you need to know.

Social media contests generally garner a high rate of engagement. A recent study from Easy Promos found that contests on Facebook generated 1,000 percent more interactions. Similarly, Instagram accounts that hold contests grew 70 percent faster than other accounts. In addition to driving more engagements and follows, contests can generate new leads, increase brand recognition, and engage inactive audience members.

But before running your first contest, there are some things you should know.

Some tips to consider

Before you do anything else, read the social media platform’s policy on giveaways or running a contest. It is wise to know what Instagram versus TikTok requires to ensure you have no problems legally with the contest.

The next tip would be to keep the contest on brand. If your SMB is in the hospitality industry, try partnering with other hospitality, food, or beverage organizations to keep the contest under one theme. For example, if you own a hotel, a gift card at a local restaurant would be a great matchup. While partnering with a shoe store nearby does not have the same effect.

You would run a social media contest just like a social campaign. Set your goals, determine the details of the campaign, or in this instance, the contest, decide which platforms this contest would work best, and then market it. Goals can include anything from the number of participants to the engagement rate. Details are what the participants have to do to be considered for the giveaway. Options include having the participant follow other accounts, tag friends in the post, or share the post to their page. This will also help your team determine which platforms the contest should run on.

Another important component of a social media contest is the timeline. How long do you plan on running the campaign? How long is the promotional period? Will you have a quick turnaround for the winners?

Things to keep in mind

It may seem easy enough to run a social media contest, but there are things to be aware of. It is worth repeating how imperative it is for you to review the social media platform guidelines for giveaways or contests. Any problems caused by this can be easily avoided if you and, if you have one, a legal team review the policies. Additionally, try to ensure the way you pick your winner is genuinely random or use a fair scoring system. Should a participant inquire or the social media platform perform an audit, you will want your answer to be reasonable and easily understandable.

Social media contests are an impressive tool to have in your marketing bag. Create an exciting contest, pick a gripping prize, and you’ll reap the rewards from the increased awareness and engagement. Ensure you are prepared for any downsides a contest might hold for your SMB.