How to Run Effective Social Media Contests

Running a social media contest can feel like organizing a backyard barbecue: you want it to be fun, engaging, and memorable. But like any good host, you also need to keep an eye out for pesky party crashers trying to spoil the fun. In the world of social media contests, these party crashers often come in the form of cheating or fraud. This article will walk you through the essentials of crafting engaging social media contests while also safeguarding them from unwanted shenanigans.

Social media contests are a powerful tool in the digital marketer’s arsenal. They offer an opportunity to increase brand visibility, grow your audience, and encourage active participation from your followers. When executed correctly, contests can transform passive observers into enthusiastic brand advocates. But to achieve this, you must first understand what makes a contest appealing and how to maintain its integrity.

Let’s get into it!

Why Run a Social Media Contest?

Social media contests can be incredibly effective in achieving several marketing goals:

• Brand Awareness: Contests increase your brand’s exposure as participants share entries with their networks.
• Audience Engagement: Contests encourage interactions, fostering a sense of community among your followers.
• Content Generation: With user-generated content (UGC), your audience becomes a valuable content creator, providing authentic material that promotes your brand.

Common Types of Social Media Contests

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of contest management, let's look at some popular contest formats:

1. Like, Comment, and Share: Simple and effective, this contest type boosts post engagement and reaches a broader audience.
2. Photo/Video Submission: Encourages creativity and generates UGC, which can be reused for future marketing campaigns.
3. Caption This: Engages users’ creativity and humor, often resulting in viral-worthy content.
4. Quiz or Trivia: Interactive contests that challenge participants’ knowledge related to your brand or industry.

Crafting a Foolproof Contest Strategy

Now that you’re sold on the benefits of social media contests, it's time to design a strategy that maximizes engagement while minimizing the risk of cheating.

Set Clear Goals and Rules

Defining clear objectives and rules is paramount. It’s like setting the playlist for your barbecue; it determines the vibe of your gathering. Specify what you want to achieve—be it increasing followers, promoting a new product, or collecting user-generated content. Then, outline the rules, including eligibility, entry methods, and deadlines. The clearer the rules, the less room there is for misinterpretation or exploitation.

If you’re looking for a more detailed guide on writing rules for your Instagram, Facebook, or other social media contest, check out this guide. 

Choose the Right Platform

Different social media platforms cater to different types of audiences and content. Instagram is great for visual contests, Twitter for quick engagement, and Facebook for community-building. Select the platform that aligns with your audience and contest type.

You’ll also want to consider which platform is best for your brand. Some businesses get more engagement on one platform over another, so be sure to consider where your contest will get you the most bang for your buck. 

Automate Where Possible

Automation tools can streamline contest management, from entry collection to winner selection. Tools like ShortStack offer features to help manage entries, verify participant compliance, and randomly select winners. Automated processes reduce the chance of human error and ensure fairness.

Combating Cheating and Fraud

No one likes a party pooper, and in the world of social media contests, cheaters are the ultimate downers. Here’s how to keep them at bay:

Verification and Validation

To prevent fraudulent entries, require participants to verify their identity. This could involve linking their entry to a verified social media account or providing contact information.

One increasingly popular method for verifying participation is to link to a landing page where participants can submit their entry in a form. This strategy offers so many additional benefits, including: 

1. Quality data collection: Collect valuable contact information for each participant such as their name and email address. Entry forms can include an opt-in checkbox to gain consent for future marketing and promotion announcements. 
2. Detect bots: Forms allow you to enable bot detection, helping you to weed out unlawful entries, keeping your contest fair and fun for everyone. 
3. Time management: By enabling entry validation or requiring participants to submit an email address, you save yourself the hassle of checking each social handle to verify it’s a legitimate account or whether they’ve entered more than once. 

Monitor for Unusual Activity

Keep an eye on entries that display suspicious patterns, such as a sudden influx of votes from a single IP address or new accounts with minimal activity. Use analytics tools to detect anomalies and take action as necessary.

Disqualify Rule-Breakers

Have a clear policy in place for disqualifying participants who don’t adhere to the rules. Communicate this policy upfront and enforce it consistently. Transparency is key to maintaining trust with your audience.

Picking a Winner: The Final Countdown

Choosing a winner should be as fair and transparent as the rest of your contest. Use random selection tools for chance-based contests or appoint a panel of judges for skill-based ones. For example, ShortStack.com allows you to import entries (from Facebook or Instagram) into a list. Then, use their Pick Random Entries feature to choose one or more entries completely at random. You can even tag the winning entries to keep track of previous winners if you like to run regular contests. Announce the winner publicly and provide evidence of the selection process to reinforce credibility.

Real-World Examples of Successful Contests

The #GoProYourSummer Challenge

GoPro offers regular photo and video challenges as a testament to the power of UGC. Take a look at the recent #GoProYourSummer video contest to see some of the striking content captured by GoPro cameras. By encouraging users to share their best GoPro shots, the brand not only generates content but also showcases the ability of their product and builds a community of loyal fans.

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Brisbane City’s “12 Stays of Christmas”

For Christmas, Brisbane City created a giveaway to promote their town and increase their visibility on Instagram and Facebook. However, this wasn’t just any giveaway. The “12 Stays of Christmas” gave entrants the opportunity to earn extra chances to win one of 12 prizes if they followed Brisbane City on Instagram or visited the Brisbane City website. The strategy earned them 2,521 new Instagram followers and 1,990 new Facebook Likes.

Final Thoughts

Running a successful social media contest is all about striking the right balance between engagement and security. By setting clear rules, choosing the right platform, and employing robust anti-cheating measures, you can host contests that not only captivate your audience but also elevate your brand’s reputation. Remember, the goal is to create an enjoyable experience for everyone involved—without the party poopers.

So, are you ready to fire up the grill and host a social media contest that sizzles? With these strategies in hand, you’re well-equipped to maximize engagement and keep the cheaters at bay. Happy contesting!