Audience engagement is everything on social media. If you can get people following, commenting, liking and sharing your posts, you’re on the fast track to successful social media marketing! However, racking up the likes isn’t as easy as it looks. Sometimes you need to offer a little incentive, and that’s where a giveaway comes in handy.
A giveaway encourages people to engage with your brand and get others to do the same, and in exchange, you offer a free product or service. Simple, right? There are a few things you can do to make your giveaway extra fun and exciting, so we’re here to offer a few pointers to help you make the most of your social media sweepstakes.
Decide What Your Focus Is
The very first step is determining your end goal. Do you need an influx of followers? Do you want people to share your post to their friends list so you can reach a wider demographic? You need to decide first on what you intend to ask of your audience, and be specific in your instructions so that everyone understands how to enter the contest. You can ask your audience to follow your brand, like and share your post, comment on a thread, or even post their own photos and tag you in them. Do whatever makes the most sense in helping you get to that end goal, but don’t overcomplicate the entry process or you may not get nearly as much participation as you’d hoped.
Offer Something Worthwhile
You’re going to be gaining a ton of exposure and even more followers to potentially sell to, so don’t skimp on the winnings! You need to offer something that makes it worth your audience’s time to actually do what you’re requesting. You can give away a specific item (i.e., one of your top sellers) or offer a gift card so that people can choose their own gift. Everyone loves a shopping spree!
Make a Sweet Ad
Don’t just share a wordy post about your giveaway … instead, spread the word with an image. Graphics are much more likely to catch people’s eyes and invite them to share your post, so create a promo image specifically for your sweepstakes. For super-fast social media-friendly ads, use Easil templates and customize them with your own text. If you’re giving away a product, make sure that the gift is in the image so that people know what they’ll be receiving if they win. Don’t forget to use that oh-so-attractive word, “FREE!” And be sure to include all the details underneath the image to avoid any confusion or disappointment.
Share and Share Alike
Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? LinkedIn? Pinterest? All of the above?? Well, then share to each platform! Don’t waste a perfectly good social media outlet; use all of them to your advantage, and you’ll gain that much more momentum. Then, post reminders every day about when the contest closes to add a bit of urgency about getting those entries in.
Follow Through and Offer Plenty of Thanks
When the contest closes, it’s time to keep your promises. Send out your giveaway gifts promptly, and include a big thank you note to the winner. Post the winner’s name and a “congratulations” graphic on social media, then thank everyone who joined and encourage them to keep watching for your next big sweepstakes!