Boost Customer Loyalty with Contests and Giveaways

By: Sync Marketing | In: Contests, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, sweepstakes management, sweepstakes marketing

5 Ways to Boost Customer Loyalty with Contests and Giveaways

Let’s face it—customer loyalty is like gold dust for any business. Loyal customers don’t just stick around—they sing your praises, refer friends, and become your biggest advocates. But how do you turn one-time shoppers into die-hard fans? One fun and powerful way is through contests and giveaways.

Not only do giveaways give your audience a reason to engage with your brand, but they also create positive experiences that keep them coming back for more. Here are five clever strategies to use contests to boost customer loyalty—and tips to make them wildly successful.

1. Reward the Faithful with VIP-Only Giveaways

Everyone loves feeling special, and VIP-only giveaways can make your most loyal customers feel like royalty. Think members-only sweepstakes for loyalty program participants or contests exclusively for newsletter subscribers.

To keep these contests exciting, offer personalized prizes, such as early access to new products or limited-edition merchandise. This sense of exclusivity strengthens customer relationships, creating a bond that casual customers just don’t get. For more ideas, check out Forbes’ insights on customer retention strategies.

2. Tap Into User-Generated Content

Nothing builds loyalty like making your customers feel part of your story. Contests that encourage user-generated content (UGC)—like photos, videos, or testimonials—are a surefire way to deepen engagement.

For example, ask customers to share photos of how they use your products with a branded hashtag, then reward the most creative submission with a prize. Not only does this boost customer loyalty, but it also provides you with fresh content to share on your platforms. A great example of this approach can be found in HubSpot’s marketing tips.

3. Celebrate Milestones Together

When your brand hits a milestone, turn it into a celebration your customers can join. Whether it’s your business anniversary, reaching a major sales goal, or launching a new product, tie a giveaway to the occasion.

For instance, “We just hit 100,000 Instagram followers! To celebrate, we’re giving away a $500 shopping spree!” Not only do these contests reward your loyal audience, but they also strengthen the emotional connection between your brand and your customers. This idea aligns perfectly with Sync Marketing’s sweepstakes solutions for creating meaningful campaigns.

4. Make It Easy to Enter (and Share)

The easier it is to enter your contest, the more likely customers will participate. Use simple entry methods, such as signing up with an email address or tagging a friend on social media.

Encouraging participants to share your contest with friends—perhaps in exchange for extra entries—can amplify your reach and foster a sense of community among your audience. Everyone loves to share something they enjoy, whether it’s a great contest or their favorite pizza spot.

5. Keep the Fun Going with Consistency

A one-off giveaway is nice, but regular contests are a game-changer. Hosting monthly or quarterly giveaways builds anticipation and keeps your customers engaged throughout the year.

To keep things fresh, create themed contests like a “Holiday Wishlist Giveaway” in December or a “Summer Adventure Sweepstakes” in July. Consistency not only keeps your brand top of mind but also establishes your company as a go-to for fun and rewards.

The Bottom Line

Contests and giveaways are more than just fun—they’re a strategic tool for building loyalty. By rewarding your most dedicated fans, creating engagement opportunities, and celebrating milestones, you’ll turn customers into lifelong advocates.

When you’re ready to launch your next loyalty-building sweepstakes, Sync Marketing has the expertise to ensure it’s not only successful but also stress-free. Let’s make your next contest unforgettable!

With these tips in hand, you’re all set to create campaigns that strengthen loyalty, drive engagement, and make your brand truly unforgettable. Now, go forth and giveaway like a pro!

Effective Sweepstakes Strategies

By: Sync Marketing | In: sweepstakes company, sweepstakes management, sweepstakes marketing

Effective Sweepstakes Strategies: Your Complete Roadmap to Success

When done right, a sweepstakes campaign is like a secret weapon in your marketing arsenal—building excitement, driving engagement, and growing your audience. But the secret to success lies in planning and execution. Without effective sweepstakes strategies, even the best idea can fall flat.

If you’re ready to elevate your next campaign, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ll dive into proven strategies to ensure your sweepstakes not only attract participants but also leave a lasting impression on your audience and your bottom line.

1. Start with Crystal-Clear Objectives

Before you jump into crafting your sweepstakes, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve? The answer to this question will shape every aspect of your campaign.

• Want to grow your email list? Focus on simple entry forms.
• Looking to increase social media followers? Design a campaign around engagement actions like tagging friends or sharing posts.

Break down your goals into measurable metrics. For example, aim to gain 2,000 new email subscribers or double your Instagram follower count. Need help setting clear marketing goals? This article from HubSpot dives deep into actionable strategies.

2. Understand Your Audience

One of the most critical sweepstakes strategies is tailoring your campaign to the interests of your target audience. Conduct a little detective work:

• What are their hobbies or lifestyle preferences?
• Are they drawn to luxury prizes, tech gadgets, or practical rewards?

A fitness brand might offer a wellness retreat or premium gear, while a beauty brand could feature an exclusive skincare set. The more relevant your prize is to your audience, the more likely they’ll engage.

Check Google Trends or use a tool like Answer the Public to uncover what your audience is talking about.

3. Pick a Prize That Wows

Let’s face it: the prize is the star of your sweepstakes. A compelling reward can turn a casual scroller into a loyal participant. Here’s how to pick the perfect one:

• Make It Relevant: Align the prize with your brand and audience.
• Offer High Perceived Value: It doesn’t have to break the bank—exclusive or experiential prizes work wonders.
• Create Excitement: Limited-edition or once-in-a-lifetime rewards generate buzz.

4. Keep It Simple

We live in a world of short attention spans. To maximize participation, your entry process should be quick and straightforward.

• Use simple forms requiring only essential details.
• Consider easy-to-follow actions like “Follow and Tag a Friend” or “Retweet and Win.”
• Avoid asking for too much—fewer steps mean more entries.

Include an enticing visual or video with your instructions. Eye-catching graphics can boost engagement by as much as 80%!

5. Shout It from the Rooftops

The best sweepstakes in the world won’t succeed if no one knows about them. Use multiple channels to spread the word:

• Social Media: Post frequently, use hashtags, and run targeted ads.
• Email Marketing: Notify your subscribers and encourage them to share.
• Collaborations: Partner with influencers to amplify your reach.

Pair your promotion with user-generated content (UGC) campaigns. For example, ask participants to share a photo with your product to enter.

6. Play by the Rules

One overlooked but essential sweepstakes strategy? Staying compliant. Each country has its own regulations, so understanding the rules is non-negotiable.

• Include clear eligibility requirements (age, location, etc.).
• Specify how winners will be chosen (random draw, judged entry, etc.).
• Always include a no-purchase-necessary clause.

7. Maximize the Post-Sweepstakes Impact

Your sweepstakes shouldn’t end when the winner is announced. Use this moment to strengthen connections with your audience and maximize ROI:

• Announce the winner on social media and via email.
• Send a follow-up email to participants with a special offer, like a discount code or exclusive content.
• Analyze campaign results. What worked? What could be better next time?

Use analytics tools like Google Analytics or campaign-specific tracking links to measure traffic and conversions from your sweepstakes.

With these effective sweepstakes strategies, you’ll be ready to launch a campaign that attracts attention, drives engagement, and meets your marketing goals. Remember, success comes down to aligning your strategy with your audience’s desires, promoting your campaign effectively, and keeping things simple and compliant.

Ready to take your sweepstakes to the next level? Contact Sync Marketing and let us help you design a show-stopping campaign that gets results.

Rise of Small Campaigns

By: Sync Marketing | In: Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, sweepstakes management, sweepstakes marketing

The Rise of Small Campaigns: How Sweepstakes and Contests are Redefining Brand Engagement

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, brands are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage with their audience effectively. One trend that has gained significant traction in recent years is the shift towards smaller campaigns with a focus on maximizing return on investment (ROI). Among these, sweepstakes and contests have emerged as powerful tools that not only offer substantial ROI but also provide a unique opportunity to reward consumers and create a positive impact on customers. Let’s delve into why brands are increasingly turning to these smaller campaigns and how they are revolutionizing brand engagement.

1. Cost-Effectiveness

Small-scale campaigns, such as sweepstakes and contests, offer brands a cost-effective way to reach their target audience. Unlike large-scale marketing initiatives that require substantial budgets, smaller campaigns can be executed with a fraction of the cost while still delivering significant results. This affordability makes them an attractive option for brands looking to maximize their marketing dollars and achieve a higher ROI.

2. Engaging and Rewarding Consumers

Sweepstakes and contests are inherently engaging, offering consumers a chance to win exciting prizes in exchange for their participation. This element of gamification not only captures the attention of consumers but also encourages them to actively engage with the brand. By offering appealing prizes, brands can create a sense of excitement and anticipation among consumers, driving participation and brand loyalty.

3. Building Brand Loyalty and Trust

Small campaigns like sweepstakes and contests offer brands an opportunity to build strong relationships with their customers. By offering rewards and incentives, brands can show appreciation for their customers’ loyalty and support, fostering a positive brand image. Additionally, these campaigns provide a platform for brands to interact directly with their audience, gaining valuable insights and feedback that can help enhance their products and services.

4. Creating a Memorable Customer Experience

Sweepstakes and contests have the potential to create a memorable customer experience that extends beyond the duration of the campaign. By offering unique and engaging experiences as prizes, brands can leave a lasting impression on their customers, strengthening brand recall and affinity. This positive experience can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty in the long run.

In conclusion, the shift towards smaller campaigns, such as sweepstakes and contests, is driven by their cost-effectiveness, ability to engage and reward consumers, and capacity to build brand loyalty and trust. As brands continue to explore new ways to connect with their audience, these smaller campaigns are proving to be a powerful tool for redefining brand engagement and driving meaningful results.

The Power of Sweepstakes in Brand Success: 2023 Recap

By: Sync Marketing | In: Marketing, social sweepstakes, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, sweepstakes management, sweepstakes marketing

As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s essential to reflect on the remarkable year that has passed and acknowledge the strategies that played a pivotal role in shaping the success of brands worldwide. One standout trend that gained significant traction in the marketing landscape was the use of sweepstakes. In this blog post, we delve into the reasons why sweepstakes proved to be a game-changer for brands in 2023 and explore the impact they had on consumer engagement, brand visibility, and overall success.

1. Enhanced Consumer Engagement: In a year marked by a highly competitive market, brands sought innovative ways to capture and retain consumer attention. Sweepstakes emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing consumer engagement. By offering exciting prizes and unique experiences, brands created a sense of anticipation and excitement among their audience. Social media platforms became the battleground for these campaigns, with users eagerly participating, sharing, and tagging friends, thereby amplifying the reach and visibility of the brand.
2. Building Brand Loyalty: 2023 witnessed a shift in consumer behavior, with an increasing emphasis on the values and experiences associated with a brand. Sweepstakes provided brands with a means to connect with their audience on a more personal level. By aligning prizes with the brand’s identity and values, companies fostered a sense of loyalty among participants. The positive association formed during the sweepstakes translated into lasting connections, turning one-time participants into long-term brand advocates.
3. Amplifying Social Media Presence: The year 2023 saw social media platforms continuing to dominate the digital landscape. Brands leveraged this trend by integrating sweepstakes into their social media marketing strategies. Toys R Us capitalized on social sweepstakes, including it in all of their marketing efforts.  The shareability of sweepstakes content, combined with the use of branded hashtags, contributed to a viral effect. Brands enjoyed increased visibility as users shared their participation, encouraging their friends and followers to join in. This not only expanded the brand’s reach but also generated valuable user-generated content.
4. Data Collection and Targeted Marketing: Sweepstakes provided brands with a unique opportunity to gather valuable customer data. Participants willingly shared their contact information, preferences, and demographics when entering, allowing brands to refine their understanding of their target audience. This data proved instrumental in crafting more personalized and targeted marketing campaigns, ensuring that brands could tailor their messaging to resonate with the specific interests and needs of their audience.
5. Driving Sales and Conversion: While the primary goal of sweepstakes is often to boost brand visibility and engagement, many brands in 2023 experienced a notable uptick in sales and conversions as a direct result. The excitement generated around the sweepstakes drew participants deeper into the brand’s ecosystem, increasing the likelihood of them exploring other products or services. Well-designed campaigns seamlessly integrated calls-to-action, guiding participants toward making purchases and driving revenue growth.

As we reflect on the year 2023, it’s evident that the power of sweepstakes emerged as a dynamic and effective tool for brands seeking to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of marketing. The power of sweepstakes lies not only in their ability to captivate audiences and enhance brand visibility but also in their capacity to foster genuine connections and brand loyalty. As we venture into the new year, it’s likely that the lessons learned from the success of sweepstakes in 2023 will continue to shape the strategies of forward-thinking brands.

How to Get Customers Excited to Shop Online

By: Sync Marketing | In: Marketing

While there has been a significant shift in consumer shopping habits due to COVID-19 as discussed in the Quantcast Blog, some consumers need more of a push to shop online. Today, I will discuss how to get customers excited to shop online by running a sweepstakes or contest.

Prizing

One of the most cost-effective ways to get customers excited to shop online is to incentivize them with a chance of winning a prize. What better way to do this than running a sweepstakes where your customers can win a gift card to your company or store? Many big box retailers have started  running sweepstakes to entice their customers to come online for a chance to win. While there, the hope is that they will see something they like and that it will translate into a sale.

In order to make the entry process “worth it,” it’s important that your prizing is up to snuff. We would recommend giving away several small gift cards (possibly one or more a day) with an overarching larger grand prize. This makes customers feel as though they have a better chance to win. Also, by giving away gift cards, you are encouraging them to shop online, and in most cases, they will buy more than what the gift card is worth. 

Surprise and Delight

Want to encourage more online sales? Offer a surprise and delight coupon to every person who enters the sweepstakes. Make the discount worth it at 20% or more.

Social Media Contests

Another way to get customers excited to shop online is to run a social media contest. Engaging with your customers is more important than ever.  Perhaps you can ask your customers to upload their favorite “lounge look” to Instagram for a chance to win. Julie Link Co-Founder of Sync Marketing wrote, 

“It’s not business as usual. Businesses are struggling to find ways to connect with their consumers while we are forced to “social distance” by staying home. So how do brands interact with consumers? How do they connect? A great way is engaging consumers with sweepstakes and contests.” 

Another way to encourage engagement is by including a call to action after entry. One way to share the sweepstakes and encourage engagement is to offer entrants extra chances to win by sharing on social media.

As we all try to navigate these times it’s important to continue to assess your goals and think of cost-effective ways to engage with your customers in a positive way. Sweepstakes have always been a great way to do that. If you want to brainstorm ideas on how a sweepstakes might benefit your brand, reach out to Sync today.

Why Should I Run a Sweepstakes?

By: Julie Link | In: Marketing

Why should I run a sweepstakes? Running a sweepstakes (or contest) has a plethora of benefits ranging from increasing brand awareness to engaging new and current consumers. Let’s break down the main benefits to see if this marketing tactic is right for you and your brand or service.

Customer Acquisition: Are you looking to grow your email database? Sweepstakes are one of the simplest ways to do so. The sweepstakes should either have an auto opt-in or ask entrants if they want to opt-in. If you’re collecting entries in California, you will need to be aware of CCPA. You can learn more about that here. At the end of the campaign, Sync Marketing will securely send you the email opt-ins to use for future marketing outreach.

It’s Cost Effective: Sweepstakes are extremely affordable compared to other marketing strategies. Using a platform like TurnkeySweeps by Sync allows you to run a full-service sweepstakes at an affordable price. While brands can put money into ad campaigns on social media, a great way to get free advertising is to ask entrants to share the sweepstakes for extra entries. While sweepstakes are cost-effective and provide great ROI, this article gets into the specifics of the best solutions for running cost-effective sweepstakes.

It Boosts SEO: If you are giving away a big prize and your sweepstakes garners a lot of views, it can significantly increase your SEO. Go a step further and tie your sweepstakes to a hashtag for another significant boost. The Content Factory agrees that sweepstakes are good for SEO:

“When a popular website links to your company, your site’s search engine ranking is improved. Ditto for tweets and Facebook updates about the contest that link back to your website. When more people are finding your website when the search online, more people are buying your products.” – Content Factory

It Creates Positive Interactions with Consumers: This is probably the most important. Especially during these times, it’s important to have positive interaction with your consumers. By giving away either cash, an experience, or a gift card, your consumers will appreciate your generosity and will continue to engage with your brand. Contests are also a great way to have a positive interaction with your consumers. By creating a skill-based promotion to win a prize, they will feel connected and invested in your brand.

If you have any additional questions about if you should run a sweepstakes, contact Sync Marketing at info@syncmarketing.net. We will answer any questions, provide pricing, and examples. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sync Marketing 2019 Decade in Review

By: Sync Marketing | In: Marketing

What a decade it has been. Sync Marketing opened in January or 2011 with the goal to offer clients a specialized service with acute attention to detail. It makes me proud to look back and see that we are still providing this service and haven’t strayed from who we are.

Our Clients

2019 was another great year for Sync Marketing. As we close on this decade we can look back and see enormous growth for Sync both personally and professionally. From the creation of our Turnkey sweeps platform, to receiving new accolades, 2019 was a year for the books!

We enhanced PII security for TurnkeySweeps by Sync by creating a new sweepstakes platform

TurnkeySweeps by Sync got a complete overhaul. The platform is now even more efficient, but most importantly, secure. While Sync never collects social security numbers or credit card information online, we have upgraded our system to meet and /or exceed the latest standards to protect PII.

2020 Top Shop!

Sync Marketing is honored to be listed among the greatest in the business as one of the Top 200 Marketing Agencies for 2020 by Chief Marketer. This is our sixth year receiving this award. In addition, this year we were names Top 10 B2C marketing agency.

Continued our NWBOC certification

Once again Sync Marketing renewed our certification 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.

We are so excited to see what this new decade has to bring!

Sync Marketing 2019 Decade in Review

Solutions for Running Cost-Effective Sweepstakes

By: Jennifer French | In: Marketing, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, Turnkey Sweepstakes, User Generated Content

When running a sweepstakes, there are a lot of factors to consider. As you start to plan, think of your objectives, target audience, timing, and theme. A major factor that can determine the entire scope of the campaign is your budget. Many marketing teams have the fortune of having large supporting budgets to run their campaigns. Some on the other hand have limited budgets. Regardless, all are in search of running a quality campaign which achieves their goals. Below are a few suggestions for running cost-effective sweepstakes.

Social Media

One cost-effective sweepstakes idea would be to offer your method of entry on one of your social channels. This will require you to create a campaign hashtag to track your entries. It will also require that a full comprehensive set of official rules be created. The benefit of running social sweepstakes is that it can increase your social following and allow you to collect fun user-generated content. These types of sweepstakes however are not ideal for a brand who is only looking to increase their email database. This is because there is no personal data collected from the entrants.

Here is an example of a social sweepstakes that is currently running for REI. In this sweepstakes, they are asking entrants to take a photo of themselves enjoying the outdoors. In order to be eligible, entrants must use both #OptOutside and #Collegesweepstakes when uploading their photo on Instagram or Twitter. Here are some additional reasons to run a social sweepstakes.

Prize Provider

You may not have the actual funds to run a sweepstakes, but you may have plenty of compelling merchandise, travel elements, or services to trade with a company who is already planning to run a sweepstakes. Companies are often looking for a partner to provide the prizing. This allows them to save money, offer compelling giveaways, and it helps their sweepstakes. A lot of time, the prizing that you can offer is at cost so it is less of an investment for your company. In exchange for providing the prizing, the company can feature the merchandise you are providing along with your company logo and link to your website. You should also ask them to collect and provide email opt-ins on your behalf. In exchange, you can promote the sweepstakes on your social media channels and marketing pushes to help promote the sweepstakes. If you are looking to utilize the cost-effective sweepstakes idea of becoming a prize provider, contact Sync Marketing today. We can put you in touch with companies who are looking for this type of partnership.

TurnkeySweeps by Sync

If you are looking for a cost-effective sweepstakes option that is full-service, you should consider our TurnkeySweeps by Sync platform. These turnkey sweepstakes are an affordable solution that can launch within one week of receiving approval on creative. With TurnkeySweeps, not only will you receive programming, design, legal and prize fulfillment at a very competitive rate, our price also includes Sync’s personalized customer service and management. They are a low-cost solution that offers exceptional ROI. Here is some additional information about TurnkeySweeps by Sync.

We know that budget can be a concern for everyone who is considering a promotion. With that in mind, reach out to a team member at Sync Marketing who will be happy to discuss your options and provide pricing that will work for you.

Cost-Effective Sweepstakes

Why Run a Back-to-School Sweepstakes?

By: Julie Link | In: Ask Sync, Ask Sync Marketing, Best Practices, Contests, Legal and Prize Fulfillment, Prize Fulfillment, Sweepstakes, sweepstakes company, Turnkey Sweepstakes

We’re now officially into summer, and while most people bask in that fact, marketers are already looking ahead and making plans for the back-to-school season. This is a prime time of year to focus on consumer loyalty and brand awareness. This is especially true for retailers that carry merchandise geared for children and young adults. Back-to-school sweepstakes are an effective marketing tool to accomplish these goals. Today I will go into a few reasons why.

1. Deals, deals, deals.

This is a great opportunity to provide incentives to consumers to shop your brand. Back-to-school sweepstakes allow you to incorporate coupons and surprise-and-delight offers to consumers. This can be accomplished by offering these deals after they have entered for a chance to win. For example, once they receive the “thanks for entering,” message, offer them 20% off their next purchase. Not only is this optimal for reengagement but its also an invaluable way for you to obtain insights on your consumer. If you find that a high percentage of consumers redeem the coupon from the sweepstakes, then you will know that sweepstakes are resonating with consumers.

2. Consumer Loyalty

It’s a two way street. While you’re looking for consumer loyalty, so is your consumer. By running a back-to-school sweepstakes, you will in turn receive loyalty because you’re offering you consumer something in return. Once you receive their email address, the hope is that these consumers will keep coming back. If you are offering them incentives, like sweepstakes or surprise and delight offers, it’s even a better reason to return to your site. So, after you run that back-to-school sweepstakes, make sure to follow up with a pre black Friday sweepstakes and keep the momentum going! Check out some of our work samples for more inspiration on back-to-school sweepstakes.

3. Showcase your back-to-school merchandise

What better way to showcase your new back-to-school product than with a back-to-school sweepstakes. Through banner ad campaigns, social media posts and in-store POP, you will be able to promote your new products all while promoting the back-to-school sweepstakes.

When running a back-to-school sweepstakes, also keep in mind the prizing for your sweepstakes. Optimal prizing could be a daily awarding of your product or service with an overarching grand prize like cash or a trip. People love to start planning trips as soon as the reality that summer is over kicks in and cash offers consumers some hope of financial relief to offset some of the money they spend to send their kids back to school. To learn more about ideas for prizing and some of the best types to give away, click here.

As this year’s back-to-school season quickly approaches, consider running a sweepstakes. You will be sure to be top of your class with consumers.

Back-to-School Sweepstakes

Updated Pinterest Guidelines for Running a Sweepstakes

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

Running a Sweepstakes or Contest on Pinterest is a great way for a company to market themselves. They are able to encourage consumers to “pin” a variety of their products and pages, which in turn increases engagement. This also results in entrants’ friends seeing the pins and therefore leads them to the company’s website. But, before running any promotion on a social media platform, it’s important to know what is allowed by that platform. Recently, Pinterest has made some changes, so today I will discuss the updated Pinterest guidelines for running a sweepstakes or contest.

All of these updated guidelines can be found in Pinterest’s Acceptable Use Policy. Previously, their guidelines stated that companies were not permitted to “run a sweepstakes where each Pin, board, like, or follow represents an entry;” require that people “Pin from a selection;” or “require a minimum number of Pins.” Within the new guidelines, none of those restrictions appear in the Pinterest Acceptable Use Policy.

In addition, the new guidelines state that companies who run campaigns should, “encourage authentic behavior, keep Pinterest spam-free, and be sure to comply with all relevant laws and regulations.” What does this mean for you and your brand? Make sure your campaign hashtag includes, “sweepstakes” or “contest.” This way consumers are aware that their friend is pinning that particular image for a chance to win a prize.

The new guidelines also state that companies who are running campaigns should not require participants to Pin one specific image. Furthermore, they acknowledge that requiring consumers to Pin from a selection is now allowed. This is a benefit to your brand because the more options there are to pin, the more diversity of images of your brand will be on Pinterest.

“Give Pinners the ability to choose Pins based on their tastes and preferences, even if it’s from a selection or a given website.” – Updated Pinterest Guidelines

Lastly, Pinterest is now requiring that there is a limit of one entry per person. This new guideline may affect entry numbers slightly, but know you are getting more genuine content.

What do the updated guidelines mean to companies running a sweepstakes on Pinterest? More brand exposure for you! Now that you can require pinning from a group of images, means your images will appear on entrants’ boards. With this change, you should definitely consider adding a Pinterest sweepstakes to your marketing plans. Not convinced? Here is an article giving five reasons why Pinterest is great for business.

As we’ve said before, social media platforms change their guidelines on a regular basis. Recently Facebook has taken out the language about not allowing shares for extra entries. This implies that this is now permitted. Here is a link to Facebook’s guidelines.

Regardless, it’s important that you make sure you’re up-to-date on all of these changes each time you run a social media campaign. Hiring Sync will help you with knowing you’re running a complaint promotion. Our team is in direct contact with the legal teams at all of the social media platforms. We are even alerted if there are any changes to their guidelines that could affect your upcoming promotion. Consider reaching out to Sync for your next sweepstakes or contest.

Updated Pinterest Guidelines for Running a Sweepstakes or Contest.