Sweepstakes vs. Contests; What Produces the Best ROI?

By: Sync Marketing | In: Best Practices, Contests, Sweepstakes

ROI is definitely a major consideration when running sweepstakes vs. contests… but did you know that the majority of people don’t know the difference between sweepstakes vs. contests and think that the words are interchangeable. In most cases, companies are looking to run a “sweepstakes,” but are referring to it as a “contest.” Here is a good reference to differentiate between the two. Below I will take it a step further and discuss Sweepstakes vs. Contests: What produces the Best ROI?

So for those who are not familiar with the acronym, ROI is Return On Investment, which is a major factor when running any type of marketing campaign. Although I would love to be able to tell you which of the two would give you the best ROI, there are a lot of factors to consider. For arguments sake, let’s treat this as a boxing match, the main event; Sweepstakes vs. Contests.

In this corner, Sweepstakes. Here are the stats:

• Obtain large quantities of entries; Entering a sweepstakes is typically easy breezy, so that’s why the entry count is typically higher than with a contest.
• Inexpensively promote your product or service; You can run sweepstakes with very little investment, but make sure that your budget covers the legal components as well as the design. Here is a good reference to the importance of legal guidance on a sweepstakes. Even more affordable sweepstakes options can be found in the form of a social media sweepstakes or turnkey sweepstakes.
• Collect consumer data; A sweepstakes is a great vehicle to collect basic consumer data, preferences, and email opt-ins, but be careful, the more information you require from an entrant, the greater the chance of losing them before entry.

Here are a few tips to improve your ROI when running an online sweepstakes: https://www.syncmarketing.net/ask-sync-marketing-maximize-roi-running-online-sweepstakes/

In this corner, Contests. Here are the stats:

• Gain quality entries vs. quantity; People who enter contests are asked to take an extra step vs. entering a sweepstakes so you are getting people who are really interested in your product and/or the prize you are offering.
• Gather user-generated content; Your contest can require people to upload a photo which shows them enjoying your product. You can’t ask for better promotion than organic promotion.
• Reach people who are interested in your company; When a contest entrant opt-ins in to receive emails, you typically have a better email open rate than by someone who provided their email address thorough a sweepstakes.
• Create PR Buzz; Contests seem to excite the media a bit more than a basic sweepstakes because it’s a challenge and people love a good challenge.

Here are a few tips on running a successful contest: https://www.syncmarketing.net/ask-sync-marketing-questions-running-successful-contest/#.V2L0MI-cHyQ

In the end, you need to be your own “referee” when deciding on running sweepstakes vs. contests. They really are in different weight classes so to speak. Ultimately your goals (and budget) will determine which one you run and a sweepstakes administrator can help you decide. The results will show if your ROI was strong for you. For any questions, contact Sync Marketing at 323-596-7962.

Sweepstakes vs. Contests

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

Reasons to Hire a Sweepstakes Agency for Your Next Campaign

By: Jennifer French | In: Best Practices, Contests, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Marketing, Sweepstakes

If you’ve never run a sweepstakes or contest before and you are considering adding one to your marketing plans in the near future, it is important that you do your homework on the subject before you begin the process.  There are many things to first identify when planning a sweepstakes. Budget, timing, target audience, goals, etc., (see tips for running a successful sweepstakes), are just a few. You will also need to figure out how the overall process works, and for that, we recommend working with an agency that specializes specifically in sweepstakes and contests.  Here are a few important reasons why you should hire a sweepstakes agency for your next campaign.

Strategy

With anything, you need to start with a plan. Consulting an agency to help you determine how to build the best promotion to meet your goals, all while staying within your budget, is a great place to begin. With these goals in mind, a sweepstakes agency can present a plan for the overall concept of the campaign and determine the best platform to showcase your promotion. Some of these types of campaigns could include; social media, sweepstakes microsite, or an iFrame on your company’s website. They can also brainstorm creative and cutting edge concepts offering you a one-of-a-kind sweepstakes.

Management

There are a lot of moving parts to think about when running an online sweepstakes. Working with an agency who has experience with the process who can take on the management of the promotion is imperative for busy marketing teams.  Not only do they have the expertise, but they are dedicated to the project and will make sure that it is running successfully so that you can focus on other tasks at hand.

Design

A lot of companies have internal creative teams, but do not have teams that specialize specifically in sweepstakes creative. It’s imperative to know how best to design a mobile-optimized sweepstakes. Understanding this ensures that the functionality and flow works from a consumer standpoint. In addition, when you hire a sweepstakes agency, they will be able to design all of the supporting creative such as web banners, in-store POP and social media.  It’s a one stop shop for your promotion, which will save you time and money in the long run.

Programming

In your research you may have come across a sweepstakes app that can build a basic entry form and capture online entries at a low cost.  If that is your only goal, then this could be a valid option for you. If you want to have any customization to your promotion, you will need to hire a sweepstakes agency for programming.  An agency’s programming team can add an instant win component, award extra entries for completing tasks such as sharing on social media, or even collect photo and video uploads.  The sky’s the limit on the possibilities.  They are also able to collect and deliver email and mobile opt-ins. This is typically a big reason companies run sweepstakes. Lastly, if budget is an issue, reach out to us about Turnkey Sweepstakes by Sync Marketing.

Legal Compliance

This is probably one of the most important reasons to consult a sweepstakes agency.  Most companies have in house legal counsel that has a general background in the field of their company’s specialty (i.e. retail, manufacturing, automotive, etc.). With a sweepstakes agency, the legal team specializes in promotion law and stays up-to-date on all of the changes in the field.  If you hire a sweepstakes agency, not only will they create the necessary official rules, affidavits of eligibility and release forms for you, but they will review all of your supporting marketing materials to ensure legal compliance.  Here’s a recent article which outlines Sync Marketing’s legal services.

Prize Procurement and Fulfillment

Does your marketing team have time to select, notify and verify all of the sweepstakes winners?  And after that is complete, do they have time to arrange winner travel, ship out prizing, and/or file tax documentation to the IRS?  If the answer is no, then you should definitely hire a sweepstakes agency.  Not only will they provide these types of services, they will also make sure that all of this is done in compliance with the official rules.  Speaking of prizing, here is an informative article on types of prizing you should consider for a sweepstakes.

Analytics and Reporting

How do you know if your sweepstakes was a success?  The analytics. When you use the services of a sweepstakes agency, they will work with you before the campaign begins to identify the types of metrics you are looking to receive. In addition these metrics can be provided as often as necessary or on a 24/7 password protected website. Without metrics, you cannot clearly determine your ROI.

Running an online sweepstakes is a cost effective way to reach and reward your consumers and promote your company and brand. As we have outlined here, without the proper guidance, mistakes can be made along the way.  We hope the information provided today gave you some better insight on why you should hire a sweepstakes agency for your next campaign. While you’re at it, consider reaching out to Sync Marketing for your next sweepstakes campaign.  Contact us today! Jennifer@syncmarketing.net or 323-596-7962.

Hire a Sweepstakes Agency like Sync Marketing for your next campaign.

Retail Sweepstakes: How to drive consumers in-store with a retail sweepstakes

By: Julie Link | In: Contests, Instagram, Marketing, Sweepstakes, User Generated Content

Are you a retailer whose goal is to create a promotion that drives in-store traffic and sales? If so, running an online sweepstakes is a great way to not only collect consumer data, but to also drive consumers in-store. Today, I will discuss how to drive consumers in-store with a retail sweepstakes.

Instagram Sweepstakes

Running an Instagram sweepstakes provides many benefits for brands. These include gathering user-generated content, increasing their social reach, and interacting with consumers. If you’re a retailer, it can provide even more. One example is when launching a new brand of products. By encouraging consumers to come into your store and take a photo with the new merchandise with the campaign hashtag, you not only have the opportunity to drive in-store traffic and increase your Instagram reach, but it also allows you to obtain user-generated content for your brand.

Sync Marketing has extensive experience running Instagram sweepstakes. Check out our work page to see some examples of Instagram sweepstakes that succeeded in driving in-store traffic and increasing sales. Most specifically, is our Claire’s Show Us Your Minions Style Contest. One this to keep in mind is that because some entrants may not have access to visit a store to participate in the sweepstakes, you will need to provide an alternate means of entry. This can be done either online or a by offering a mail-in option. Both are services that Sync Marketing offers.

Secret Code Sweepstakes

Another way for retailers to drive in-store traffic when running an online sweepstakes is to direct consumers in-store to obtain a secret code word. They will need to go to the counter to ask a store associate, and then will be asked to go online or text-in the secret code for their chance to win. In this situation, we think an SMS (text-to win) campaign is extremely effective. As with the Instagram sweepstakes example, you will need to offer an alternate means of entry.

Exclusive Coupon Offer

Another effective idea is to offer an exclusive in-store only discount to all those who enter your online sweepstakes. This is where retail sweepstakes can really stand out from other traditional forms of media. We recommend that for these types of promotions, you run a sweepstakes with a large grand prize and an easy entry method. After consumers enter, you can have the in-store discount coupon code appear on the thank you page and in a follow up email. This will ensure that the entrant is able to easily access the coupon after closing the webpage. Typically, this discount offer is most effective when it appears as a surprise and delight offer. It’s also a great way to encourage consumers to visit your store who may have not planned to visit and/or shop otherwise. We have seen a recent upswing of retailers adding this element to their retail sweepstakes.

If you’re a retailer and are considering running a retail sweepstakes, reach out to Sync Marketing. We can put together a results-driven sweepstakes to drive in-store traffic and sales. 

Retail Sweepstakes

Common Mistakes Companies Make When Running an Online Sweepstakes

By: Jennifer French | In: Best Practices, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Marketing, Sweepstakes

Running an online sweepstakes can be an easy and effective way to promote your company’s services and/or products, when it’s done correctly. By omitting important key components in your sweepstakes campaign, you not only run the risk of upsetting your loyal customers and potential new customers, but also open up your company to potential legal ramifications. Below are a few common mistakes companies make when running an online sweepstakes.

No Official Rules Posted

This is a big mistake to make as this is one of the most important elements of a campaign. You must always create official rules that are easily accessible to the public throughout the sweepstakes entry period. The official rules should outline the sweepstakes eligibility, start and end dates, prize values and winner selection date. Not only do the official rules add legitimacy to your sweepstakes, it holds you accountable to run the promotion as stated.

Requiring a Purchase to Enter or Win

There are instances when a promotion awards an entry to a consumer for making a purchase, but in most cases, this is not an acceptable practice. If you do decide to add a purchase for entry, in most cases you must have a “free” method of entry that is clearly disclosed in all of your marketing materials and advertising. Also, payment should be for an actual legitimate product or service, and not just for an entry. Click here for more information on that subject.

Didn’t Bond or Register Promotion

If the promotion is open to residents of Florida or New York and the total ARV of all prizing is over $5,000, you will need to bond and register the sweepstakes in these states. Here is a link to Florida’s statute. Here is one to New York’s statute. Also, if you are a retailer and the promotion is open to residents of Rhode Island, you will need to register the sweepstakes in this state as well. For additional information click here.

There are many elements to consider when running a sweepstakes, which is why its best to hire an agency who specializes in sweepstakes. If you have any doubt about how to proceed with setting up your next sweepstakes and have legal questions, be sure to reach out to Sync. Here is a blog article with additional reasons why you should hire an agency like Sync for your legal and prize fulfillment needs.

Common Mistakes Companies Make When Running an Online Sweepstakes

Questions Regarding Taxes on Sweepstakes Prizing

By: Sync Marketing | In: Ask Sync, Ask Sync Marketing, Best Practices, Sweepstakes

February is the beginning of tax season so we thought it fitting to address some questions that we’ve received from winners and clients alike regarding paying taxes on sweepstakes prizing.

How will I know if I will have to pay taxes on a prize?

Any prizing that you win that totals over $600 in value will be reported to the IRS, and you will receive a 1099 for the tax year in which you accepted the prize. During the process of accepting a sweepstakes prize, you will be asked to fill out and sign a W9 form, so this will be your first indication that you will have to pay taxes on your prize. The amount of taxes that is paid is based on the individual, so it is recommended that you speak with a tax professional to determine what your taxes will be before you accept the prize.  Here is a good article about prizing and paying taxes: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/you-win-and-now-you-owe-taxes-2014-03-12

How do I determine the ARV on a prize for tax purposes when running a sweepstakes? 

We are often asked by our clients to determine the approximate retail value (ARV) of a prize for a sweepstakes. If the prize is an item that is sold by our client, that is the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, which we use to determine the ARV. If, however the prize is a service or trip, we do our due diligence to research the average price of the trip elements to ensure that the ARV is on target.  For more information, see our previous blog article about ARVs here.

What if I accept a prize such as a trip but end up canceling at the last minute? Do I still have to pay taxes on the prize?

Ultimately this is up to the sponsor of the sweepstakes. If the trip elements were already booked and paid for by the sponsor, they will submit a 1099 to the IRS for the advertised ARV.  However, if there are elements of the trip such as food or ground transportation at your destination that wasn’t pre-paid, you could dispute the ARV since those elements were never purchased by the sponsor. Here is an article about taxes on vacation prizes.  http://contests.about.com/od/vacationsweepstakes/f/Which-Taxes-Do-You-Pay-On-Vacation-Prizes.htm

If you are a client thinking of running a sweepstakes or if you have additional tax questions, please contact us at info@syncmarketing.net.   

How Long Should I run a Sweepstakes?

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

How long should I run a sweepstakes? Once a client determines the benefits of adding a sweepstakes or contest to their marketing plan, this if often the most common question they ask. There are a few important factors when determining the length of time that your sweepstakes or contest should run, so let’s get started.

1. What type of prize are you providing? If you want to provide smaller weekly prizes and a large grand prize, then running your sweepstakes or contest for a month to six weeks is a good amount of time. This way, consumers feel like they may have a chance to win a weekly prize and you will receive many entries because there is a large grand prize tied to the promotion.

2. What is your goal? If your goal is to create hype for a new product or service, then a really exciting short term sweepstakes before the launch of the product or service is the way to go. This way there are a couple weeks of build up (the sweepstakes), then the grand prize is selected on the day the product or service is launched leading to good PR opportunities along the way. The same goes for seasonal sweepstakes. If it’s a Valentine’s day sweepstakes, try to launch it towards the end of January so there is some build up. Then, close the sweepstakes a week before Valentine’s day so that hopefully the winner receives their prize in time for the big day.

3. Who is your target demographic? If you’re running a summer sweepstakes and your prize is a cruise, you want to obtain many email opt-ins, and are gearing it to an older demo, a longer sweepstakes should do the trick. If you’re targeting millennials or younger and are running a user- generated Instagram sweepstakes where you ask entrants to upload photos, then the shorter the better.

To sum it up, most sweepstakes run between 2-6 week, with four weeks being the sweet spot. This allows consumers to get excited and not feel like it’s so long that they don’t have a chance. There are always exceptions to this rule, so if you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Sync Marketing’s Year In Review – 2015

By: Sync Marketing | In: Contests, Marketing, Sweepstakes

Just like that, another year has come and gone. However, last year seemed to pass faster than most. Perhaps a good reason for this was how busy Sync Marketing was throughout the year. Below is a recap of our best moments of 2015.

Judged in the 2015 Chief Marketer Pro Awards

In 2014 we were honored to take home Silver at the 2014 Pro Awards for our work on the Dodge Dart – Win a Dart. Date a Winner. Sweepstakes. In 2015 we saw another side of the awards when co-founder, Julie Link, was given the opportunity to judge the entries.

“It was an honor to be asked to be a judge in the 2015 Chief Marketer Pro Awards. It allowed me to gain a great perspective on the unique and creative work that other agencies are putting out there.” – Julie Link

Valued Clients Old & New

We were honored to continue our relationships with our clients in 2015 and create work for them that delivered great ROI. We were also fortunate to bring in many new clients in 2015, a 111% percent client gain from 2014. Some of our most recently obtained clients are American Eagle Outfitters and Crate & Barrel. Crate & Barrel’s latest sweepstakes with Sync can be found here.

2016 Chief Marketer Top Shop

We were humbled to be named among an exceptional group of agencies for the Chief Marketer 2016 PROMO Top Shops. The Top Shops is a listing of the Top 100 U.S. Promotional Marketing Agencies selected by the editors of Chief Marketer. It will be a goal of ours to continue to a part of this list every year.

Sync is NWBOC Certified

In 2015, Sync Marketing was also certified as a business owned and controlled by a woman by the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC), the first national certifier of Women Business Enterprises. The goal of the certification program is to streamline the certification process and increase the ability of women business owners to compete for contracts at a national level. To find out what Sync Marketing co-founder, Jennifer French said about the certification, click here.

We thank all of our clients, family and friends for their support and/or business. We hope to continue to offer our clients creative work, exceptional customer service and successful campaigns throughout 2016 and beyond. 

How do I maximize ROI when running an online sweepstakes?

By: Sync Marketing | In: Advertising, Ask Sync, Ask Sync Marketing, Best Practices, Contests, Facebook, Instagram, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Sweepstakes, Twitter

To answer this question, I am going to first ask you to image that you have agreed to volunteer to bake a cake for your child’s school bake sale to raise money for their upcoming class trip. Your goal with this task is to make the most appealing product that will fetch the most money possible, doing so all within a set budget for purchasing your ingredients. Why this exercise, you may ask? Because this scenario is very similar to the process of trying to maximize ROI when running an online sweepstakes.  Below is the “recipe” for a successful sweepstakes campaign:

Identify your goals:  The goal of the bake sale is to raise as much money with as little financial investment as possible. It’s a challenge because you don’t want to invest too much money towards creating the cake, but the product must still be appealing to fetch a decent price.  Does that sound familiar?  You want to run an online sweepstakes to reward your consumers and get your name out to the masses, but you have a limited budget.  If money is an issue, you may want to consider running a simple social media initiative on Instagram or Twitter for example.  These types of promotions are a cost-effective way to engage your consumers all while promoting your company and/or product.  Here is an article on the benefits of running an Instagram sweepstakes: https://www.syncmarketing.net/benefits-runnings-instagram-promotion/#.VoR5y_9Iios

Know your Audience:  It’s a bake sale that will be attended by other parents at the school who will be most likely be buying the cake to serve to their family that evening. A rum raisin cake might be your baking specialty, but based on the audience, it most likely will be passed up.  The same goes for your online sweepstakes.  If your core consumers are not on social media, it would make much more sense to host the sweepstakes on an iFrame on your website, or on a dedicated sweepstakes microsite.  It may cost a bit more money, but the investment will pay off when you receive entries and email opt-ins. Identifying your audience and their habits is very important to maximizing your investment.

Quality of the Product:  So you signed up to participate in the bake sale knowing that baking is not your forte and now you are nervous.  Since you are not one to shirk responsibility, you whip up your best attempt at a chocolate cake, but it looks more like a hockey puck with frosting.  You certainly get an “A” for effort, but unfortunately, no one is buying your cake.  The same goes for a sweepstakes.  The overall quality of a sweepstakes consists of many ingredients, so to speak.  The design, value of the prizing, and overall user experience are very important to its success.  The icing on the cake is having clearly outlined official rules.  This is something a consumer really values because it’s the basic recipe to the promotion; it outlines the entry period, eligibility requirements, prize description and how they will be contacted if they win to, name a few. It also allows you to rest assured that you are running a legally compliant promotion.  Here is an article outlining the benefits of hiring an agency like Sync to handle your legal needs for running a sweepstake or contest:  https://www.syncmarketing.net/2014/07/#.VoVbSP9Iios

Product Display:  You made the most perfectly delicious cake and you are so excited to bring it to the bake sale to hopefully fetch a handsome price.  The problem is, you wrapped it in cellophane and it’s sitting on the back end of the table in the cold auditorium and it’s completely passed up.  Don’t make the mistake of letting your perfectly constructed sweepstakes go unnoticed by hiding it in the clutter of the online world. Even with a small budget, you can promote your sweepstakes or contest on social media channels, by writing a blog post, or by calling it out on your website’s home page.  You should also consider sending emails to your current subscribers.  The more traffic, the more entries and the higher return on your investment.    

For more information on building the perfect sweepstakes check out this article:  https://www.syncmarketing.net/steps-take-run-successful-sweepstakes-contest/#.VoVhF_9Iios

Sweepstakes Trends in 2015 and looking ahead towards 2016

By: Julie Link | In: Best Practices, Contests, Facebook, Instagram, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Marketing, Sweepstakes, User Generated Content

As 2015 comes to a close, Sync Marketing discusses sweepstakes trends in 2015 and what to be on the lookout for in 2016.

Biggest Sweepstakes Trend in 2015

When talking sweepstakes trends, Mobile-optimization was definitely one of the biggest in 2015. Our clients either asked to have it included or when we suggested adding a mobile version for the sweepstakes, they were much more receptive than in years past. As mobile devices and tablets become more and more relied upon by consumers, it is imperative that companies make the shift to spending extra dollars on creating mobile and tablet-optimized sweepstakes and contests. To take a closer look at our services, including mobile-optimization, click here.

What will be the biggest marketing trend of 2016?

Consumer Engagement Marketing will be the biggest marketing trend of 2016. As social media and experiential marketing categories grow, we foresee companies making even more of a shift to engage their consumers directly in this medium, rather than spending big dollars on traditional advertising mediums such as media buys and direct mail. When companies run a simple social engagement sweepstakes on Twitter or a photo contest on Instagram, they engage consumers and establish a positive interaction with consumers. Not only does this method of marketing allow companies to interact with their consumers, but if they run an Instagram photo contest, for example, they will receive user-generated content and will be able to reward their consumers with prizes as part of their participation, creating a feel-good situation for all.

What was the best sweepstakes marketing effort of 2015? 

The #Hashtag. Whether a hashtag started because of a celebrity tweet or a presidential debate, hashtags took over the internet in 2015. And, the companies and marketers who acted on it, received amazing exposure. From #picoftheday social engagements to asking users to share their #TBT photos, companies increased their reach by interacting with the most popular hashtags, all while gathering user-generated content along the way. And with regards to sweepstakes, companies using hashtags for their sweepstakes, created their own trending hashtags as part of their promotion. Take a look at some of our social sweepstakes, here.

What was the biggest sweepstakes faux pas of 2015?

Not running social media sweepstakes correctly. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking this important element and be sure to entrust its care to an experienced team who specializes in sweepstakes and contests. The FTC implemented many new rules with regards to social media sweepstakes and it’s important to make sure to hire an agency like Sync Marketing to make sure you run a legally compliant sweepstakes or contest.

As we enter into 2016, sweepstakes trends are as important as ever. Consider hiring Sync marketing for you future sweepstakes and contest needs. To learn a little more about Sync and what we’ve been up to, click here or call us at 323.596.7962.