How to make sure your giveaway, gives back!

Social media competitions are a fantastic way to show your tribe a little lovin’ and thank them for their support. Giveaways drive engagement in your profile through likes, comments and shares, generating valuable hype around your brand. However, when you’re giving away something for nothing, it’s essential to strategically plan and make sure you get something back.

What’s in it for you?

‘Like, tag a friend and share’ this post and you go in the draw to win… Sure, this gets your name out there but what are you really trying to achieve? When you’re creating a competition it’s essential to define a specific purpose. Are you promoting a new product or experience? Can your audience see relevance and value in your prize? Does the campaign promote your business or are you just giving away something for nothing? Taking time to engage with your tribe should be driven by a measurable goal, hence your campaign should be designed to achieve it. If you’re trying to grow your followers, ensure your audience shares the post. Request your audience sign up to your website to grow your email subscribers for EDM. Before you launch the competition, get the facts and figures about your current performance. Throughout the campaign track your progress and on conclusion, evaluate how your giveaway helped you get ahead.

Make the prize matter

As much as your followers would love a dream holiday to Bora Bora, is that really relevant to your accounting firm? If it’s not, make it! Giveaways should reflect your brand’s identity and core values, promoting your business while rewarding your customers. If you’re in hospitality, offer a dining experience your followers will come back for. Make sure that sample taste of your unique product or service entices the winner back through your door with friends tailing.

Phone a friend

Do you have a sister brand or partner in the industry whose products and services complement you? Pick up the phone and brainstorm a unique collaboration that will leave your social networks buzzing. Develop a unified partnership showcasing the best of both brands and engage twice the followers in one hit. It’s a win win!

Time is money

In an effective marketing campaign, timing is crucial to achieving optimum results. There’s no point boosting your Christmas competition in September, create urgency and excitement around your prize by launching the campaign on a strategic date. If you’re promoting your new product, unveil your giveaway before its release and create hype. The unlucky ones may not win the prize, but they’ll be curious enough to give it a try anyway. Use analytic insights to identify peak traffic hours for your business and post promotions at times your target audience is active.

Get creative to get feedback

The ‘like, tag a friend and share’ this post promotion might be effective in increasing your followers, but you can make your engagement with audiences count for more. Ask your customers to direct message you feedback to go in the draw to win. Once engaged in a private, two-way communication facility you can take the time to individually respond to your tribe and gain valuable insight into your brand’s image. Ask the questions that matter. What can we do better? What do you love about our business? What do you want to see next? Not only are your customers getting rewarded, your gaining knowledge that will help you grow.

Social network feeds are bursting with quick giveaways and marketing ploys that promote a brand. How often do you like a page, only to unfollow when you don’t come out a winner? Make your competition exciting and engaging so you don’t blend in with the crowd. Strategically design your giveaway to benefit your objectives so the campaign is truly a win-win.

The Wild team have decided to eat our words and host our own social media giveaway. Our graphic designers were left drooling after revamping Table One Espresso’s latest menu so we’re giving a lucky follower the chance to devour a delicious meal for two. Head to our Instagram page to enter then holla at hey@wildandfree.com.au for the low down on running your own giveaway.