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12 jul

Sweepstakes Promotions: Exploring the Top Three Types

By: Sync Marketing | In: Ask Sync Marketing, Best Practices, Instagram, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, sweepstakes marketing

Sweepstakes promotions are an essential tool for any brand as the help business engage and rewards consumers. Not only provide an opportunity for entrants to enter for the chance to win amazing prizes but also serve as an effective marketing tool to build your brand loyalty. In this blog post, I will discuss sweepstakes promotions and the top three types to run.

  1. Social Media Sweepstakes Promotions

There is no denying that we are in a digital world and all brands need to focus their marketing efforts in this space. Social media sweepstakes are extremely effective in reaching the users of platforms like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. These promotions often require users to like, comment, share, or tag friends to enter the sweepstakes. Or, if running a contest promotion, required entrants to upload content for a chance to win. Either way, brands can increase their social media reach, generate user-generated content, and ultimately enhance their brand loyalty and visibility.

Social media sweepstakes promotions are an effective way for brands to track metrics, while gaining insights into their audience’s preferences. It can even foster a sense of community among their followers. Moreover, participants can quickly spread the word about the sweepstakes, helping businesses to achieve organic growth and exposure. Whether it’s a once in a lifetime vacation experience or a limited edition product launch, like Porsche and Xbox are doing, social media sweepstakes have proven to be an effective way to create excitement and boost brand awareness.

  1. Online Sweepstakes Promotions

There’s nothing like a good ol’ enter to win sweepstakes promotion. These promotions typically require participants to fill out an entry form on a dedicated website or landing page for the chance to win a prize. This allows brands to capture valuable user data like email addresses and demographics.

Businesses can customize their promotions to align with their target demographic, ensuring that the prizes offered resonate with their potential customers. Online sweepstakes promotions are also versatile, allowing businesses to run them for a specific period or as recurring campaigns, thus maintaining a constant stream of engagement.

Furthermore, online sweepstakes promotions enable businesses to easily comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as age restrictions and official rules, making the process secure and transparent for all participants. With the convenience and accessibility of online platforms, brads can reach a larger audience, boost brand loyalty and enhance customer engagement.

  1. Event-based Sweepstakes Promotions

Event-based promotions offer an exciting twist to the traditional sweepstakes experience. These promotions are often tied to a specific occasion, such as holidays, product launches, or major sporting events. By leveraging the buzz and excitement surrounding these events, businesses can generate heightened interest and engagement.

These types of campaigns create a sense of urgency and anticipation, encouraging participants to act quickly to enter and have a chance to win exclusive prizes. These promotions can be conducted through various channels, including social media, websites, or even in-person events. By aligning the prizes with the event’s theme or context, businesses can tap into the emotional connection that participants have with the occasion, further enhancing their brand’s relevance and impact.

Sweepstakes promotions provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to connect with their audience, create brand awareness, and drive customer engagement. From social media sweepstakes to online campaigns and event-based promotions, the possibilities are endless.


14 jun

Navigating Social Media Contest Rules and Regulations

By: Sync Marketing | In: contest company, Contests, Facebook, Instagram, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company

In the ever-evolving realm of social media, sweepstakes and contests have emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their audience, boost brand visibility, and encourage user participation. However, to ensure a successful campaign, it is essential to ensure that your social media contest rules and regulations are compliant. In this blog post, we will delve into the critical considerations and legal guidelines associated with running social media contests, enabling you to execute captivating campaigns while staying within the boundaries of the law.

  1. What are Social Media Contests? Social media contests are promotions conducted on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, where participants have the chance to win prizes based on certain criteria, such as likes, shares, or creative submissions. These contests can generate buzz, attract new followers, and encourage user-generated content.
  2. Understanding the Rules and Regulations:
    1. Disclosure of Material Connection: To maintain transparency, it’s important to disclose any material connection between your business and the contest participants. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, if you provide incentives, such as free products or discounts, in exchange for contest participation, you must clearly disclose these relationships.
    2. Compliance with Platform Policies: Each social media platform has its own set of rules and guidelines regarding contests. For instance, Facebook requires businesses to use a third-party app for running contests and mandates that promotions should not be conducted on personal timelines. Familiarize yourself with the platform-specific rules to avoid any penalties or contest disqualification.
    3. Age Restrictions and Geographical Limitations: Depending on the nature of your contest, you may need to consider age restrictions and geographical limitations. Some countries or states may have specific regulations related to contests and giveaways, especially when targeting minors. Ensure your contest complies with the legal requirements in the regions you are targeting.
  3. Ensuring Fairness and Avoiding Misrepresentation:
    1. Clear Contest Rules: Provide participants with detailed instructions, eligibility criteria, and any specific entry requirements. Clearly state the start and end dates, the method of selecting winners, and how prizes will be awarded. This will help avoid confusion and set clear expectations for all participants.
    2. No Purchase Necessary: To ensure your contest is not deemed an illegal lottery, include a “no purchase necessary” clause. Offer alternate means of entry, such as a mail-in option, for participants who do not wish to make a purchase or may not have access to social media platforms.
    3. Intellectual Property Rights: When running contests that involve user-generated content, it’s essential to address copyright and intellectual property concerns. Clearly state in your rules that participants grant your business the right to use their submissions for promotional purposes. Additionally, remind participants to only use original content and respect the intellectual property rights of others.

Social media contest rules and regulations can be an exciting and effective way to connect with your audience and achieve your marketing goals. However, it is crucial to prioritize compliance with the rules and regulations that govern these promotions. By understanding and adhering to the disclosure requirements, platform policies, age restrictions, fairness guidelines, and intellectual property considerations, you can run successful and legally compliant social media contests that resonate with your audience. Remember to consult legal resources and seek professional advice when needed to ensure your contests are in full compliance with local laws and regulations. With a solid understanding of the rules and regulations, you can confidently harness the power of social media contests to engage, excite, and build meaningful connections with your target audience. Contact Sync Marketing today to get started on your next social media contest.


31 may

The Top 3 Ways to Promote a Sweepstakes: Harnessing the Power of Influencers and More

By: Sync Marketing | In: Best Practices, Instagram, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Marketing, SMS Campaigns, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes

In today’s digital age, sweepstakes have become an increasingly popular marketing tool for businesses aiming to engage with their target audience and drive brand awareness. However, with the ever-growing competition, it’s crucial to determine how to promote a sweepstakes effectively to ensure your campaign stands out from the crowd. In this blog post, we will explore the top three ways to promote a sweepstakes, with a special focus on utilizing influencers as a powerful tool to boost your campaign’s reach and impact.

  1. Leverage the Power of Influencers:

Influencer marketing has emerged as a game-changer in the realm of digital advertising. Collaborating with influential individuals who resonate with your target audience can significantly enhance your sweepstakes’ visibility and credibility. Here’s how you can effectively leverage influencers to promote your sweepstakes:

a. Identify Relevant Influencers: Conduct thorough research to find influencers who align with your brand values, have a substantial following, and engage with an audience that overlaps with your target demographic.

b. Build Authentic Partnerships: Approach influencers with a personalized pitch that highlights how your sweepstakes aligns with their audience’s interests. Encourage them to create engaging and creative content that showcases the sweepstakes and encourages participation. Check out how the Best of the Backyard sweepstakes partnered with relevant influences to put together a joint ad for their promotion.

c. Amplify Reach and Engagement: Influencers can help generate buzz by sharing sweepstakes details on their social media platforms, blogs, TikTok or YouTube channels. If you’re in retail, consider offering exclusive promo codes or unique content for their followers to encourage participation and maximize engagement.

d. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage influencers and their followers to create UGC related to your sweepstakes. This content can serve as valuable social proof and drive further participation.

  1. Optimize Social Media Channels:

Social media platforms provide an ideal landscape for sweepstakes marketing due to their extensive reach and engagement potential. Here’s how you can effectively utilize social media to promote your sweepstakes:

a. Engaging Visual Content: Create visually appealing graphics, images, and videos that communicate the essence of your sweepstakes. Eye-catching visuals will capture users’ attention while conveying key information.

b. Engage with User-Generated Content: Encourage participants to share their experiences, thoughts, or creative entries related to the sweepstakes. Repost and engage with this UGC to create a sense of community and encourage further participation.

c. Run Targeted Ads: Utilize social media advertising tools to create highly targeted ads aimed at your desired audience segments. Tailor your messaging to highlight the unique value proposition of your sweepstakes.

d. Collaborate with Social Media Influencers: As mentioned above, partnering with influencers on social media amplifies your reach and adds an extra layer of authenticity to your campaign.

  1. Leverage Email Marketing:

While social media platforms are powerful, don’t overlook the potential of email marketing. Email campaigns allow you to reach a qualified audience directly, making it an effective way to nurture leads and convert them into participants. Consider the following strategies when incorporating email marketing into your sweepstakes promotion:

a. Build an Engaging Email List: Prioritize building a permission-based email list by offering incentives, such as exclusive content or discounts, to potential participants. Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations and clearly communicate how their information will be used.

b. Craft Compelling Email Content: Create attention-grabbing subject lines and engaging email content that conveys the value and excitement of the sweepstakes. Include enticing visuals, clear instructions, and a compelling call-to-action.

c. Utilize Segmentation and Personalization: Leverage customer data to segment your email list and personalize your messages. Tailor your emails based on demographics, interests, or participation history to enhance relevance and increase conversion rates.

Automate Email Sequences: Set up automated email sequences to guide participants through different stages of the sweepstakes. Send confirmation emails upon entry, reminders about upcoming deadlines, and notifications to winners. Automation saves time and ensures consistent communication.

e. Encourage Social Sharing: Include social sharing buttons in your emails to encourage participants to share the sweepstakes with their friends and followers. Incorporate referral programs or incentives for participants who refer others to increase viral potential.

Conclusion:

When it comes to marketing a sweepstakes, incorporating a well-rounded strategy is key to driving engagement, expanding reach, and increasing brand awareness. Leveraging the power of influencers, optimizing social media channels, and utilizing email marketing are three effective ways to enhance the success of your sweepstakes campaign.

Influencers can help you tap into their engaged audiences, while social media platforms provide a vast landscape for promoting your sweepstakes through visually appealing content, targeted ads, and user-generated content. Email marketing allows for direct communication, nurturing leads, and maintaining participant engagement throughout the sweepstakes journey.

Remember, it’s important to customize these strategies to align with your brand’s objectives and target audience. By employing a combination of these approaches and continuously evaluating and optimizing your campaign, you’ll be well-positioned to run a successful sweepstakes and achieve your marketing goals.

 


08 may

5 Tips for Running a Social Media Sweepstakes

By: Sync Marketing | In: Ask Sync Marketing, Best Practices, Facebook, Instagram, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, sweepstakes marketing

Social media sweepstakes can be a great way to increase engagement, grow your following, and reward your audience. However, managing a social media sweepstakes requires careful planning and execution to ensure its success. In this blog post, we will discuss 5 tips for running a social media sweepstakes.

  1. Clearly Define the Rules and Regulations 

The first and most crucial step in managing a social media sweepstakes is to define the rules and regulations. Clearly outline the eligibility criteria, entry requirements, prize details, start and end dates, and any other important information related to the sweepstakes. It is essential to ensure that your sweepstakes comply with the rules and regulations of the country in which you are running the sweepstakes. Moreover, include a disclaimer stating that your sweepstakes is in no way affiliated with or sponsored by the social media platform.  

Hiring a sweepstakes company to handle this element for you can be helpful as we specialize in sweepstakes law and stay up to date on the latest changes in social media. In addition to drafting the official rules and abbreviated rules, Sync review all of your marketing materials to ensure it is legally compliant and contains the necessary disclaimers. 

  1. Choose the Right Platform 

Choosing the right social media platform is important for the success of your sweepstakes. Different platforms have different rules and regulations, so it is important to choose a platform that aligns with your sweepstakes requirements. For instance, if you want to run a photo or video-based sweepstakes, Instagram or TikTok may be the right platforms. If you want to reach a wider audience, Twitter may be a better choice. Sync recommends running campaigns on no more than two platforms at a time. This way your messaging can be more focused and you can better track the success of the campaign. 

Check out Acer’s #AcedIt Hole in One sweepstakes with the LPGA that Sync has been managing for the last five years.  

  1. Promote Your Sweepstakes Effectively 

To ensure maximum participation in your sweepstakes, you need to promote it effectively. Use all the relevant social media channels to reach your target audience. Create visually appealing graphics, videos, and posts to grab the attention of your followers. Moreover, collaborate with influencers or other brands to reach a wider audience. Make sure to include a clear call-to-action in all your promotional content to encourage people to participate. 

  1. Monitor and Respond to Entries 

Once your sweepstakes is live, it is essential to monitor all the entries and respond to any questions or concerns promptly. Using a sweepstakes company like Sync Marketing to track and manage all of your entries, will ensure that all entries meet the eligibility criteria. Moreover, Sync can respond to any questions or concerns related to the sweepstakes within 24 business hours. This will not only improve the user experience but also help build a positive brand image. 

  1. Announce the Winner and Follow Up 

After the sweepstakes has ended, it is important to announce the winner publicly and follow up with them after they have been confirmed and verified. After obtaining the necessary release forms from the winner, use social media to publicly announce the winner and tag them in the post. Before doing all of this, you will need to contact the winner privately to inform them of their win and provide them with details on how to claim the prize. This is typically don’t through direct message. Make sure to follow up with the winner after they have received the prize to ensure that they are satisfied with their experience. 

In conclusion, managing a social media sweepstakes can be a great way to engage your audience and grow your social media following. By following these top 5 tips for running a social media sweepstakes, you can ensure that your sweepstakes is a success and builds positive brand awareness. Contact Sync today to find out how we can help you execute your next social media sweepstakes!

tips for running a social media sweepstakes

31 oct

Holiday Promotions

By: Julie Link | In: Instagram, Sweepstakes

It’s the spookiest and sweepiest time of year! For retailers, the end of October is the time to start ramping up holiday promotions for the season.  And what better way to do this than with a sweepstakes? Sweepstakes are a great solution for retailers because they are cost effective, engaging and produce exceptional ROI. Today, we will discuss the best game plan for running holiday promotions this season.

Type of Sweepstakes

The basic enter to win sweepstakes often produce the best ROI. If the prizing is good and the entry method is simple, it’s a win-win for both customer and brand.

Instagram: If you want to generate some UGC this holiday season, then let your customers imagination go wild by running an Instagram Contest.

Partnerships! Why not partner with a complimentary brand to come up with a fun and engaging sweepstakes. Partnership are great because you receive free advertising from the partner and better prizing. Here’s an example of a fun holiday partnership between Abercrombie and Paper Culture.

Prizing

If you are a retailer, the best prizing is your product. We recommend giving out several gift cards and a larger grand prize. Having more smaller prizes allows consumers to feel like they have a chance to win, while also enticing them with the larger grand prize ($1,000 gift card, a trip, etc).

Consistency!

Our clients customers love it when they run a few during the holiday season. It keeps them engaged with the brand while also feeling as though the brand values them because they are giving away their product. We recommend running a Thanksgiving sweeps, Holiday sweeps and New Year sweeps to keep customer engagement high.

Sync is currently offering a 25% discount for brands who want to run three sweepstakes this Holiday season.  Contact us today for details.

It’s not too late to get started this holiday season. Sync can turn around sweepstakes in less than a week. Please contact us today to get started!

 

Holiday promotions!


11 oct

Running a Sweepstakes to Boost CRM and Loyalty

By: Julie Link | In: Instagram, User Generated Content

One of the major goals of running any sweepstakes is to collect information about consumers. What you do with this information as a brand or company can have varying results. CRM (Consumer Relationship Management) and loyalty take on different roles with respect to brand-customer relationships. In this article, we will speak to the benefits of running a sweepstakes to boost CRM and loyalty.

Before we get into the benefits of running a sweepstakes, it’s important to know what the difference is between CRM and loyalty. Ultimately, it comes down to the expectations set between the brand and the consumer with respect to the relationship. When a brand invites a consumer to join their loyalty program, they are asking them to do more, so customers expect more in return for their efforts.With a loyalty program, a brand is looking for customers to be a  fan of the brand and is products; is willing to provide the brand with personal information, and in return wants more exclusive interactions. Conversely, when a company invites a customer to sign up for CRM, they are simply asking for an email address and the customer is promised nothing more in return than receiving non-exclusive promotional emails. Here is a great article that outlines these differences in more detail.

The tween retailer, Justice, recently ran a sweepstakes to offer their Club Justice loyalty members a chance to win a VIP trip to LA to attend their annual Club Justice Awards. This promotion was offered not only to reward their consumers’ loyalty to their program but to drive new consumers to join the loyalty program. One of the stipulations of the sweepstakes was that entrants must be enrolled in the program at time of entry. Part of Justice’s loyalty program is they offer of great perks including the opportunity to win this exclusive prize. This is a good example of a brand running a sweepstakes to boost CRM and reward consumer loyalty.

In order to help your company maximize its CRM and loyalty efforts, it is important to have a clear understanding on these two distinct disciplines. Sync will layout a plan to utilize sweepstakes to boost CRM and loyalty, maximizing the best digital consumer experience and ROI. Contact us for your next CRM or loyalty promotion. https://www.syncmarketing.net/


13 mar

How to run an effective sweepstakes

By: Sync Marketing | In: Advertising, Best Practices, Contests, Facebook, Instagram, Instant Win, Marketing, Prize Fulfillment, Turnkey Sweepstakes, User Generated Content

There are many ways to run a sweepstakes, but which one is right for you? From straight forward enter-to-win’s, to UGC collection sweepstakes, to photo contests, the possibilities are endless. Today we will discuss the questions you need to ask first on how to run an effective sweepstakes that will produce the best return on your investment.

What is your goal?

Let’s start with the basics. What is the goal? Do you want to capture user-generated content? Do you want to increase your loyalty program? Or do you simply want to increase your email database? Once this question is answered, you can get started on the ideation step for setting up your sweepstakes or contest.

What is your theme?

Is this campaign a one-off to drive a new product? Do you want to offer sweepstakes quarterly to attract loyalty from your consumers? Do you want to center the sweepstakes around a holiday? Themes will help give your sweepstakes or contest a focus and will feel more organic for your brand or service.

How are people going to hear about it?

Promotion is key. Do you have a large social media following? This is a cost-effective way to promote a sweepstakes, but it’s always important to put some advertising dollars behind any promotion. Depending on how much money you want to put towards the promotion of your sweepstakes will also affect how long you should run your sweepstakes. If you have a small budget, try to pack a punch and run it for only a few weeks to get the best bang for your buck.

What do you do with the information once the promotion is over?

An integral part of making your sweepstakes or contest have a lasting impression with your consumers, is what you do once the sweepstakes is over. At Sync, we always encourage our clients to share the winner information on their social media pages after the sweepstakes is over to reinforce their messaging. One idea is to send out an email to all of those who opt-ed in to the sweepstakes to not only announce the winner, but to thank them with a surprise and delight offer.

If you make sure to ask yourself these questions before putting together your sweepstakes, it will help ensure that you run an effective sweepstakes. If you need help with ideation don’t hesitate to reach out to us

Effective Sweepstakes

28 feb

Different Types of Sweepstakes to Run on a Mobile Device

By: Jennifer French | In: Contests, Facebook, Instagram, Marketing, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, Text Message Sweepstakes

Mobile phones are such a big part of our daily life that it’s hard to remember a time without them. If you are anything like me, you are constantly checking email, looking at social media, searching things online and of course sending text messages. And we are not alone.  Marketers are counting on the fact that one’s smart phone is a direct extension of their user. When a company decides to include a sweepstakes as part of their marketing strategy, it is imperative that they make the site optimized for mobile devices. Results show that large numbers of people who enter a sweepstakes do so from their phone. With that in mind, below are different types of sweepstakes to run on a mobile device.

Text-to-Win

An SMS or Text-to-Win sweepstakes is one of the easiest ways to enter a sweepstakes as it doesn’t require much from the entrant. These types of campaigns tend to work well at events where people can quickly and easily text in for a chance to win. Here is a blog article that discusses the benefits of running a text message campaign.

Social Media Campaigns

Twitter and Instagram sweepstakes have become increasingly popular. For companies, they are very low in cost to run and easy to enter. A common sweepstakes has entrants snapping a photo on their phone, including the campaign hashtag, and then posting to enter. Because these types of campaigns typically produce a lot of fun user-generated content, they’re popular among brands. Running a sweepstakes on a social platform is also a great way to get your promotion viral. Here is a post on tips for running a promotion on a social media channel.

Enter by Using an App

More and more brands of all sizes are offering apps to their consumers to make their mobile experience even better. Apps are an effective tool to increase brand loyalty and reward consumers for their frequent purchases or using their app. Adding a sweepstakes component to the app is an additional way to increase consumer engagement and drive sales. McDonald’s has run several sweepstakes to promote their app, most recently the “Shake a Gift Game” in December. Consumers were invited to use their app daily for the chance to win food and prizes. Here is a link to McDonald’s app.

Lastly, one thing to keep in mind is that with any sweepstakes you must have a set of official rules for the campaign. Among other things, the rules must clearly outline how to enter the promotion. If you are considering the different types of sweepstakes to run on a mobile device, Sync Marketing can help. We can guide you on the best type of mobile-optimized promotion for your needs. Contact us today.

Different Types of Sweepstakes to Run on a Mobile Device


29 sep

Marketing to Millennials with a Sweepstakes

By: Julie Link | In: Advertising, Best Practices, Contests, Facebook, Instagram, Marketing, Sweepstakes, User Generated Content

Marketing to millennials can be a challenge. They are currently the largest living generation and that’s a lot of people to target with many different personalities and habits. So, if you are a brand, how do you get their attention and stand out among all the messaging sent their way? Surprisingly, marketing to millennials with a sweepstakes or contest is an extremely effective method. Below I will break down a few reasons why this method works.

They Love to Share

Millennials love to share with anyone and everyone who will like, retweet or view their messaging. Whether it’s Instagramming a photo of their lunch, snapchatting a reunion with their best friend, or tweeting their opinion on the election, sharing is their impulse reaction. Why not take advantage of that constant need to share by inviting millennials to share their talents by snapchatting a video for their chance to win a prize.

Here’s an excerpt from an article on Marketingland.com on the subject:

“I didn’t expect that my daughter and her friends were looking for coupons but was a little surprised that they were willing to actively engage with the brand and even enter into a traditional sweepstakes (albeit via sharing a picture).” For the full article, click here

They Love to Engage

This is the next step that organically occurs after asking millennials to share. They in turn engage with your brand. When running a sweepstakes or contest, think about engaging with millennials rather than focusing on selling your product or service. Have your prospective customer tell a story with your hashtag. The more you engage with them by having them organically spread content about your brand, the better your content and relationship with that millennial will be. American Eagle’s latest #WeAllCan campaign is a great example of this.

They Love to Reach People

The natural step of sharing a photo on Instagram and an opinion on Twitter is to reach the masses. Prizing is an important component when running a sweepstakes geared towards millennials. Make sure that the prizing is something that will resonate with them. If your prize is an experience trip, have your winner share their experience through social media by using the campaign hashtag. Get them excited by telling them the winner’s experience on their trip will be featured on your social media channels. This is a great way to spark the interest of millennials. Knowing their experiences will be shared with thousands to millions of people is reason enough to enter for them.

If you’re interested in marketing to millennials with a sweepstakes, reach out to us today for a quote.

 


26 may

Sweepstakes are Making Waves in the Digital Space

By: Julie Link | In: Facebook, Instagram, Instant Win, Marketing, Sweepstakes, Twitter, User Generated Content

It’s no surprise that the digital age is becomes more of a prominent fixture in our daily lives. This is especially true for millennials. As such, marketers are doing everything they can to break through the clutter to reach their consumers. One of the best ways for marketers to increase their ROI and engage with consumers through digital, is by running sweepstakes. This cost effective promotional tool is a win-win for consumers and brands. Below I discuss the three key aspects as to why sweepstakes in the digital space are becoming increasingly more popular.

1. Content is King

User-Generated Content (UCG) is an effective tool for marketers to gain authentic usable content for free. Once way to get UGC is with a video dance contest hosted on a microsite. Or, a cutest puppy photo sweepstakes held on Instagram. By running these types of campaign, brands are able to gather this UGC for free and use it on their website and social media channels.

Legal Alert: Keep in mind that specific language needs to be included in the official rules and winner release forms to be able to utilize this content in your future marketing. That’s why hiring an agency that specializes in promotion law is key to running a legally compliant promotion.

Some of the most memorable and talked about commercials and campaigns in recent years are completely customer created. In the past, brands shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce and run a commercial spot.  Now, they can award an eager fan an exclusive experience prize and in turn receive an exceptional ad. The most well-known example of this is the promotion that Doritos ran. Here, they asked consumers to submit their own Doritos commercial for the chance to have their spot aired during the big game’s half time show.

2. Social Media

Every type of company, especially retailers, are running social media campaigns. That’s because it’s not only an inexpensive venue to run a promotion, but an invaluable tool to engage with consumers. Even if a brand is running an online sweepstakes, social sharing is a great way to spread the word about the brand. There is no better person to share your content than a consumer. That’s because they are already interested in your brand and therefore excited to share with their friends.

The use of hashtags in promotions has seen a dramatic increase this year as well. Not only is it a way to track entries, but if you create a clever hashtag (that of course must include sweepstakes in the tag), the viral possibilities are endless.

3. Mobile

For large brands, creating a well adaptable user-experience focused app is a great tool to increase brand loyalty and exposure. With apps comes the easy addition of layering on a sweepstakes component. This allows brands to reward consumers and increase engagement. Last summer Sync Marketing was a part of a Slurpee instant-win campaign that rewarded those who used the app and purchased a Slurpee to be entered for their chance to win from thousands of prizes. This was a great way to layer on a sweepstakes, drive sales and bring exposure to the app.

In addition, because digital has become a fixture in our daily lives, sweepstakes now must be mobile-optimized so that the user experience is seamless and enjoyable. As a result, this leads to a good ROI for the sweepstakes.

 “So many consumers these days are on the go so you want them to have a good user experience on their phones,” says Julie Link, from a recent Chief Marketer article.

As sweepstakes in the digital space become increasingly popular, there is no better time to add them to your marketing plans. If you’re a brand considering adding a sweepstakes to increase your digital reach, you are on the right path. This is because it’s one of the most affordable ways to spread the word, engage consumers, and create quality content.

Sweepstakes in the Digital Space