These top tips have been supplied by PromoVeritas, the global experts in running promotions, via all media, legally, securely and fairly:
1. Know the rules
Each social platform has its own set of rules on what it allows and what it does not. Can someone enter just by sharing, can you announce winners via a message on the platform, what items are not allowed to be used as prizes – and they are constantly changing. local laws of the selected country you are running a promotion in.
2. Know the Law
You also need to know the local laws of the country where you are running the promotion. What is the minimum age of entry allowed, must I register the activity with the authorities, are there any taxes to be paid on the value of the prizes. If you are aiming your promotion at residents of a certain country, just because it is on social media, does not mean it is exempt from compliance with the national laws.
3. Plan Ahead
Poorly planned promotions can bring a host of problems. With a little extra time and advice from us, you can get all aspects of the promotion right including having good Terms & Conditions and ensuring you can capture all the entry data.
4. Don’t skimp on your T&Cs…
Every promotion should a set of terms and conditions – it is a CAP Code requirement– even for simple Twitter campaign that only lasts a couple of hours. The protect you from malicious claims by consumers and will help to ensure that the campaign runs smoothly. Oh – and of course it is a legal requirement! Best option is to have a link in your post to www.promoterms.com where the full terms can easily be hosted.
5. Gather data properly
For your promotion to be compliant you must be able to prove that you have selected or chosen winners from all the relevant entry data. Ensure you have the correct software for this because otherwise some platforms only allow you to gather data from the last week, or just the last 150 entries.
6. Engage with your fans
Try to create compelling and imaginative promotions, so your audiences will engage and connect with your brand more deeply.‘Retweet to win…’ is not very exciting. Be aware of each platform and what they allow.
7. Be wary of public voting
It may seem a good idea to ask the public to vote for the winner of your competition, but these frequently go wrong as people cheat through the use of sophisticated bots, or they buy facebook ‘Likes’ (£50 will get you 1000+) And if you are actually judging entries, CAP Code 8.25 requires there to be at least one independent judge involved. Again, talk to PromoVeritas for help.
8. Use of Hashtags
Using a hashtag is essential for promotions run on Twitter or Instagram but make sure that yours is unique, otherwise you will be gathering data on the wrong people ! Consider possible mis-spellings as well.
9. Don’t forget your winners
It is a requirement of the CAP Code that you contact your winners within a reasonable amount of time and make your winners list available – even for social media promotions. So don’t forget to announce them or let your followers know where to find the list. www.PromoWinners.com is an easy way to ensure compliance with this rule.
10. Plan for the worst – Risk Analysis
It is essential to plan your promotion carefully but you should also plan for the worst. Run a full risk analysis, have pre-agreed standby processes and statements and anticipate problems.
For a more detailed version of the article and examples of badly run promotions please read our blog on PromoVeritas website.
EasyPromos recommend PromoVeritas. They can advise you on the best mechanic, the best prize structure as well as draft your Terms & Conditions, compile the entry data, assist with winner management and prize delivery. Everything that you need to keep you legal, compliant and safe. In addition, Easypromos clients can claim a 15% discount off first use of their core services.
