Category: Social Media

Run a Sweepstakes Overlay with a Contest to Boost Engagement

One of the downsides of running a contest is that you will get fewer entries than you would for a sweepstakes. This is expected since a sweepstakes entry requires relatively little information from an entrant and is determined by chance. A contest, on the other hand, requires the entrant to put thought into the entry submission, whether it be by creating a drawing or photo or essay or video

February 9, 2016

How to Prevent Contest Voting Fraud

Eric Grimm, former Senior Programmer, wrote this piece about voting fraud — and how to stop it. Online contests are all the rage with the kids these days. After the initial entries are judged, frequently the finalists’ submissions are opened up for voting by the public at large to determine a final winner. If the prize is tantalizing enough, this creates a rather large target for voter fraud. This

January 19, 2016

Things To Consider When Working With A Celebrity — Risky Or Rewarding?

Rosemary Stein, VP from our Chicago office, wrote this piece for MK on what to consider when you want to run a promotion that involves a celebrity. There are advantages and disadvantages to using celebrities in your promotions. Athletes, actors and musicians can influence purchase especially when they align themselves with a product that is relevant to the brand’s target demographic. Very popular celebs can appeal to a broader

January 15, 2016

50 Reasons to Run a Sweepstakes or Contest

Looking for a reason to run a sweepstakes, contest, instant win game, rewards program or loyalty campaign? Here are 50 of them! To create an email opt-in list. To create a mobile opt-in list. To give away your products. To build your brand. To encourage brand loyalty. To encourage product try-on. To encourage product usage. To encourage product trial. To reward your loyal customers. To introduce your customers to

November 4, 2015

Holiday Contest Planning Guide

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Time to run a holiday contest that will reengage your customers, create brand loyalty and have everyone talking about you in the coming year. No, you don’t need a Kardashian spokesperson to make that happen. Nor do you need a 7 figure budget. What you need is a great idea, a goal and a plan to get you there! We can help!

September 24, 2015

If You Build It, Will They Come?

So you launched a Sweepstakes or Contest yet no one is entering. While there could be multiple factors for this lack of consumer response, the first thing to check is your media plan. If you do not promote your own Sweepstakes or Contests, chances are no one else will. You must use media to drive awareness and traffic to your website or Facebook page. Here are some examples of

July 7, 2015

The Value of User Generated Content (UGC) in a Contest

User Generated Content (“UGC”) are digital assets (videos, photos, essays) created by an individual. When UGC is used in conjunction with a Skills Contest, entrants become really invested in their submissions, and in turn, the brand. Contests, compared to Sweepstakes, typically see a lower number of entries. However, the quality of the entry submissions and entrant engagement often outweighs the high entry count. A “standard” UGC Contest typically consists of

May 12, 2015

Fun with Bonus Sweepstakes Entries!

Many clients want to extend the reach of their sweepstakes by adding in ways to earn bonus entries, either through social sharing or sending emails. This method of providing an extra entry for sharing about the promotion sounds easy enough, but you may want to consider all the pros and cons before implementing an incentive for entry mechanism in your next program. Pros: 1. Viral engagement! Letting

April 21, 2015