Running an online giveaway in today’s digital age can help you connect with your audience and grow your business. Here’s how you can leverage the latest techniques and technologies.
Benefits of Online Giveaways
People love the excitement of competition. When they participate or win, it creates positive feelings, which can enhance the perception of your brand. But giveaways do more than just generate good vibes—they can also attract new customers.
Giveaways significantly influence purchasing decisions, with 75% of participants indicating they’re more likely to make a purchase. Given their impact, it’s essential to know how to run them effectively.
Types of Giveaways
There are two main types of giveaways:
- Sweepstakes: Participants enter based on chance, like a lottery.
- Contests: Participants perform specific actions, such as submitting photos or providing email addresses. Winners are chosen based on votes or judging criteria.
Legal Considerations
Ensure your giveaway complies with legal requirements, which can vary by location and platform. Consult with your legal team to avoid any issues.
Establishing Goals
Determine what you want to achieve with your giveaway. Goals could include boosting social engagement, generating leads, driving sales, or a combination of these. Clear goals help you set rules and measure success. For example:
- Generate Leads: Require email addresses for entry.
- Increase In-Store Traffic: Ask participants to upload photos from your store on social media.
Choosing the Right Tools
Select a tool that suits your brand and target audience, supports multiple platforms, and is mobile-friendly. Popular options include:
- ShortStack
- Offerpop
- Stackla
These platforms help you create and manage giveaways.
Creating a Home for Your Giveaway
Create a dedicated page or microsite for your giveaway where participants can enter, read the rules, and understand the fine print. Avoid hosting directly on social media due to potential restrictions.
Promoting Your Giveaway
To generate buzz:
- Social Media: Use your channels to promote the giveaway, provide updates, and feature winners.
- Email Marketing: Announce the giveaway in newsletters.
- Paid Ads: Consider social media ads and search/display ads for wider reach.
- UTM Links: Track entries from different channels with custom URLs.
Engaging with Participants
Promote user-generated content and showcase the prizes across your marketing channels. Choose relevant and appealing prizes that resonate with your audience. If the entry requires significant effort, offer worthwhile rewards. Consider smaller prizes for all participants to make everyone feel valued.
Measuring Success
After the giveaway ends, assess your progress towards your goals. Use tools like ConstantContact or MailChimp to compare new entries with your existing contacts. The benefits can extend beyond the giveaway period; studies show that 84.5% of participants share posts from brands even after the giveaway ends.
Frequency of Giveaways
Run giveaways periodically, but avoid overdoing it to prevent audience fatigue. Always ensure compliance with laws and platform regulations.
Getting Started
Ready to run your own giveaway? Choose a service to set it up, work with your marketing team to plan a promotional campaign, and use social media to generate excitement. With these steps, you can create a successful online giveaway that boosts your marketing efforts.
