One thing that all online marketers agree on is that running giveaways can really boost your brand image. But that is not the only benefit to a good giveaway strategy. If you’re not sure how to do branding in Instagram, increase your followers in a sustainable way, or improve interactions, carrying out a giveaway could be a great way to start.
However, launching a giveaway is about more than simply setting up a contest, preparing the graphics, and awarding the prize. For a giveaway to be effective, a great deal of time must be invested in establishing a transparent, straightforward, creative dynamic that grabs the attention of users.
Tips for managing prizes and winners in your giveaways
Choose the right platform
Why manage your sweepstakes manually when you could rely on a professional platform? Manually picking the prizewinner of a giveaway does not always convey professionalism or create trust. It can also lead to mistakes that can be very costly and even damaging to your reputation.
A situation like that would undermine your goal of building your brand on Instagram or on any other social network that you may have set your sights on.
Make sure you choose a platform that’s a global leader like Easypromos,and that enables you to create and manage end-to-end online campaigns adapted to any type of digital channel and device.
Prize creation
Let’s assume that you’ve finally decided to manage prizes and winners through an online platform. First, you should make sure that the platform allows you to create multiple types of prizes. Certain subscriptions only allow you to create a single type of prize with the amounts you want or with several types of incentives.
It is important to be specific when establishing your prize. Ask yourself how many prizewinners you want there to be, what type of action they must perform, what type of prize you’re going to give the winner/s (a dinner for two, a year-long gym subscription, a discount code per user, etc.). The possibilities really are endless.
It’s also important to say what the prize will be, provide a short description of it, indicate the number of units available, and explain the conditions of delivery.
Assigning the prize
Another matter to consider is how to assign the prize. You have several options:
- By random draw: this dynamic usually attracts plenty of entries from Instagram and Twitter. If your goal is to capture leads in Instagram or build your brand in Instagram, this is one of the most convenient types of prize allocation. It enables you to carry out a giveaway among all registered users or a specific segment of users.
- By manual assignment: if you’d prefer to choose the winner manually, this option allows you to do so. The advantage of doing this from a platform is that it offers a more controlled and professionalized environment.
- By participation: this option enables you to assign prizes directly to all users who take part in the promotion. For example, you could capture leads on Instagram by distributing a discount coupon to all users who fill out a form.
- By a ‘instant win’ dynamic: this option enables you to assign a prize the moment the user participates. The prize is assigned automatically as soon as the user registers.
Establish clear terms & conditions and set deadlines
The clearer the information related to the sweepstakes or promotion, the better. Remember that well-written terms and conditions will prevent any misunderstandings that could lead to reputational damage.
It’s not necessary to declare the terms and conditions before a notary, but it’s a good idea to publish them on your website and put a link to them in your brand’s Instagram bio (or in whichever social network the action is to be carried out.)
One of the most important pieces of information to include in the terms and conditions is the start and end date of the promotion, as well as the dates on which winner/s will be announced, and prize/s awarded.
Pick and announce the winner
Once the participation period has ended, it’s time to pick and announce the winner.
Depending on which tools you’ll be using, the prize will be assigned automatically or randomly. Whichever method you use, transparency and trust must always prevail. Transmit both these values to your community!
Always make sure you announce the winners publicly. One good practice is to take a screenshot of the screen when the platform picks the winner. Alternatively, use tools like Easypromos which includes a Claim Your Prize module and a downloadable video for announcing the winners on social media.
When contacting the winner, be approachable and provide all the information they’ll need to claim their prize.
Follow these simple tips to manage your next sweepstakes successfully. And remember that good organization and transparency are just as important as the design and dynamics of the giveaway.
