Social media contests are an effective way to reach consumers and get immediate consumer response action. However, there’s been a lot of hearsay lately about whether or not the investment in contests is worth it. We’ll get into the details, but our short answer is yes!
Now, here’s why:
- Creative social media contests paint an air of creativity around your brand. It’s a way to show consumers how innovative you are and how widely you’re willing to dive into the entertainment side of marketing.
- It’s an opportunity to partner with endemic or non-endemic brands to bolster one another’s consumer base and establish a relationship that is natural to consumers and speaks to both entities’ products or services.
- Contests give consumers a reason to read what you’ve posted and to follow the steps for contest entry, acquainting them more closely with your brand in a gradual way. Consumers spend more time on your page, learning about what they’ll win (aka what you sell), and inherently get exposed repeatedly to your brand name and culture.
The contests can work in a variety of ways, but they usually involve some level of connectivity. This almost always includes followers tagging their friends or sharing the content in some capacity that organically increases your consumer database. Pretty great!
Giveaways (large or small), photo and video contests are both significant ways to engage the audience. They all have their own perks:
- Giveaways featuring large prizes like international trips or luxury stay-cations are obviously so desirable, they entice consumers to participate without much convincing. The reward is usually high enough that contestants will tag to get their friends involved for extra shots at the shared prize.
- Small giveaways work because they are conceivably winnable. The pool of participants is generally smaller, so the chance of winning tends to be greater!
- Photo and video contests work well on their respective platforms. Sometimes just the chance to have a photo featured or reposted by a brand is enough reward for the consumer to share and participate! Remember, consumers are part of the brand family, so inviting them into the inner workings of marketing increases the bond!
Like we said at the beginning, social media contests are worth the investment! In most cases, the investment in pretty light, intensifying the returns on the project. Whether you are looking for a marketing consultation, insight on contests and other strategies or a professional social media marketing service, EM360 is your team. Our specialty in small business marketing has made us a client favorite and won us a track record heavily speckled with successful campaigns. We look forward to hearing from you!
