Friday, July 15, 2016

#SproutChat Recap: How to Run a Social Media Contest

A great way to engage your community on social is to show them your appreciation. Holding a social media contest can boost your following, generate valuable user-generated content and increase brand awareness in new communities and markets.


Throughout our #SproutChat we discussed the factors that are necessary for a contest on social to be successful. Our community offered tips on how to garner interest and keep track of entries and shared their thoughts on industry leaders and the ideal longevity of a contest on social.


Create a Worthwhile Contest That Supports Your Brand


It's crucial you understand why you're having a contest and determine what your goals are. Your strategy and the social network you choose to host your contest on will vary based on your primary objective.


If you want to build a mailing list, you'll need to ask for email addresses for entry. If you're low on content resources and budget, you'll want participants to submit images or videos that your brand can leverage and share on social. If you want to build brand awareness, your first priority may be to come up with an eye-catching Twitter hashtag.


Start by talking to your team and work together to decide on a challenge that can be addressed and potentially solved with a contest.














It's All About the User Experience


Understand what type of barrier to entry works best for your brand and audience. Before launching your contest, test out the path to entry and make sure the process is clear and easy to understand. There are a number of tools for social media monitoring that can help you build, execute and measure your efforts. Don't neglect to explore your options and try to simplify any tedious data collection.














Prizes & Contest Duration Should Match


Consider the time and effort for entry and what a compatible prize would be. Make sure that the duration of your contest and the prizes you're offering are comparable. If you're missing the mark, you'll likely realize it right away.


Award the best entrants as winners, but look for opportunities to highlight other participants that spent time and put effort into being involved. This will help strengthen brand loyalty and encourage more fans to participate in the future.














Learn From the Top of the Leaderboard


Gain inspiration and ideas from brands that are slaying it at hosting social contests.








Join us every Wednesday at 2 p.m. CDT on Twitter for #SproutChat. Stay up to date on weekly topics and discussion questions via our Facebook community. See you next time!


 


This post #SproutChat Recap: How to Run a Social Media Contest originally appeared on Sprout Social.




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