Launch appealing social media contests

Using social media is a great way for marketers to enrich their contact list. One thing you can do is encourage your social media followers to join your email list by launching a contest. For example, announce that you will be holding a draw for a special gift among all of your email subscribers at the end of each month, or among subscribers who have signed up within a certain period. 

Photo contests, selfie contests, essay contests, caption contests or video contests are many contest ideas that you can try out. But make sure there’s a direct link between the competition and your newsletter content so that subscribers don’t unsubscribe from your communications once they have received their special gift. You need to make them want to stick around for more. 

How to launch successful social media contests

There are few things to keep in mind when launching a competition on your social networks: 

• First, determine which social media platform is the best based on your sector, your potential customers’ criteria, and your overall digital marketing strategy. If you’re a B2C brand targeting people between the ages of 20 and 35 years old with an established presence on Facebook, then a Facebook contest might be the best solution for you to attract contestants. 

• Define which type of contest you want to implement depending on your target audience, and specify clear contest rules. Take note that contest rules need to be compliant with the platforms you’re hosting your competition on, as well as with local and government laws. 

• Make sure to offer a great giveaway that will make social users want to participate and subscribe to your email list. Running contests like rafflecopters or sweepstakes isn't worth it unless you’re ready to reward the winner with something really worthwhile.