A well-planned blog contest can increase brand exposure, engagement and bring new leads. Curious to see if running a fun and complaint blog contest can help you meet at least one of those goals? Here we will share some of the useful tips to run a successful blog contest.
According to a recent survey by Quorocreative, 43% of people simply skim over blogs. For this reason, it is imperative that blog owners do everything they can to keep their audiences engaged while also consistently attracting new readers. A blog competition is a wonderful way to give back to your audience while also growing your brand.
In order for your competition to be as effective as possible, it is essential that you not only understand the benefits of a blog competition but also know how to go about hosting one. From deciding on the entry requirements and clearly defining your prizes to promoting your competition and choosing the winner, here are a few things you need to keep in mind when hosting a blog contest.
Blog Competitions have Many Benefits
If you are unsure whether a blog competition will benefit your particular brand, you simply need to take a closer look at all the benefits they offer. Apart from driving a boatload of traffic to your blog, a competition will also enable you to expand your email list, significantly increase your blog subscribers, and reach more people on social media.
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Running a competition via your blog instead of solely on social media will also make it easier to navigate your way around the plentiful restrictions that platforms such as Facebook and Instagram impose.
Make Sure Your Prize is Clearly Defined
There is no denying that the main reason anyone enters a competition is to win a prize. There are a number of things to remember when finalizing the prizes for your competition. If you want to entice people to enter your competition you have to ensure that the prize is relevant to your audience and to your brand in general. In addition to this, you need to stipulate exactly what prizes are up for grabs, how many winners there will be, and who will win what.
Another clever marketing tactic is to include the cash value of your prize(s) in either the heading or description of the competition. When people know how much a prize is worth, they are more inclined to enter. When deciding on your prize you can also start thinking about how you are going to choose your winner. If you are selecting a random winner, look for a random name generator that will make the task at hand considerably easier.
Don’t Overcomplicate Entry Requirements
The easier it is to enter a competition, the greater the chances of someone actually entering. There are various actions you can ask your readers to complete in order to earn an entry.
Some of the most popular actions including leaving a comment on a blog, signing up for an email newsletter or subscribing to an RSS feed. Even though your blog contest is not primarily being held on social media, you don’t have to steer clear of it completely.
Competition entry requirements can include social media-centric actions such as sharing the competition on Facebook, tweeting about it, following your LinkedIn, or inviting people to enter via Instagram. There is, of course, nothing that prevents you from putting a more creative spin on your competition either. You can ask entrants to submit an idea for a blog, post a photo inspired by one of your blogs, or even to vote on a new logo or tagline for your blog.
Clarify the Rules
In order for your blog competition to be successful, it has to have a very clear set of rules that need to be followed by everyone who enters. By having rules, your competition remains fair to everyone who enters. Although your competition rules will be specific to the contest you are hosting, there are a few general ones that can be included as well.
This includes the start and end date of the competition, any applicable age restrictions, whether the prize can be exchanged for cash, and if entry is restricted to people residing in certain cities/states/countries. In order to provide full transparency, also stipulate whether the competition is sponsored by a third party. If you are unsure of how to draw up the rules of the competition, make use of a giveaway rule generator that will be able to assist you.
Promote Your Blog Contest
One of the most important aspects of hosting a blog competition is promoting it properly. Without adequate promotion, you might not receive as many entries as you have hoped for which could, in turn, impact the overall effectiveness of the competition. A blog competition can be promoted in various ways.
Social media is always a good place to start, especially if you have an established presence on more than one platform. If you want to reach a new niche audience on Facebook, consider boosting your competition post or running a paid advert or a couple of days. You can also entice your current subscribers to enter the competition by sending some info about it as well as a link to enter the competition, to your email list.
Pick and Announce Your Winner
The most exciting part of any competition is undoubtedly the part where the winner is announced. Always make sure that the manner in which the winner is chosen is completely fair and transparent. As already stated, using a reputable random name generator is a good way to choose a random winner.
If a winner is chosen through a judging process, the panel’s decision has to be fair in every regard. When announcing the winner, notify them privately in addition to making a public announcement. Also, clarify any further actions required in order to claim the prize such as providing a delivery address or banking details.
Wrapping Up
Running a fun and compliant blog contest is a great way to keep people interested in your blog while also placing the spotlight on specific aspects of it. As long as your competition is both interesting and fair, it can turn out to be a very beneficial exercise for your blog.
