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If you’ve ever entered an online contest, you may have wondered why companies are willing to offer fabulous trips and other big prizes in exchange for simple Likes or Shares. What could possibly be in it for them? As part of their marketing strategy, it is not unusual for brands to hold promotional activities like contests on social media platforms such as Facebook, with the hopes of converting Likes into paying customers. Competitions can be a great way for organisations to attract a following by enticing people with free giveaways such as a trip through a holiday competition. Why Facebook? Facebook is a popular choice for companies running contests, due in part to the sheer number of people using the platform. In the first quarter of 2016 there were a reported 1.65 billion active users. That’s a big audience and huge potential for organisations looking to attract more traffic, awareness and future customers. The Social Media giant also makes it so easy! Brands previously had to use a third-party application to hold a holiday competition on this platform, but now companies can set things up directly on the platform itself. Since not all corporations are skilled in digital technology, the ease of running a contest on Facebook makes it that much more attractive. There are different kinds of Facebook competitions that companies can organise, ranging from the simple, random draw sweepstakes in exchange for a Like or Share, to the more challenging where entrants are also required to submit a photo, video or take part in a survey for a chance to win. Likes and Shares When a company requests you to Like their page to qualify for a contest entry, the business holding the holiday competition benefits by adding your information to a list for future engagement. These new contacts will receive information on company news, promotions, sales or other upcoming contests. Also, when you Like a page, the action often shows up on the pages of your Facebook friends too, and brands hope your friends will be motivated to follow your lead and Like their page as well. Of course, when you Share content, that too will be seen by your friends and helps to promote the organisation. Create and Submit Some contests will require more thought, effort and creativity if you want to come out a winner of their holiday competition. In addition to the basic Like and Share, you may be asked to submit a photo with a caption or create a video with a particular theme to be considered. The advantage of these competitions is that there will be less competition due to the work required and they will give you a chance to let your creativity shine! However, these contests are not random draws, so you will need to put some effort into making your entry stand out from the others. Brands holding these contests obtain shareable and sometimes very entertaining content from entrants, which they can use in their marketing efforts. Sometimes entries are judged by a panel, while others are based on the number of engagements received from other Facebook users. This is good for the company holding the holiday competition, as the number of people being reached increases with each interaction, resulting in a greater potential for turning contacts into customers. Surveys Companies may require people to participate in a short survey to qualify for entry in a competition, in which they may give their name, email address, etc. Although very little effort is required by those entering the contest, the information gathered can be invaluable to a business and may influence future product, service or promotional decisions. Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore, an award-winning team of specialists in global single trip and annual travel insurance policies. Besides providing great deals on travel insurance, Patrick also collects and shares the best free holiday competition offers to help his clients find opportunities to win a free break.
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