Running contests but no one is entering? Here’s why…

Posted on March 12, 2015 in Facebook, Facebook Marketing Services, Marketing, Online Marketing, Social Media Management, Social Media Marketing Services

z145One of the most reliable ways to build an email database and enhance your overall brand is to run contests on a frequent basis. It is a huge boost for your overall marketing strategy and has become a staple in social media marketing campaigns. The results, however, are rather disheartening as contests are not drawing the numbers that businesses are looking for.

  •  The problem remains, as always, the form to enter the contest. While recent research has revealed that contest forms are the highest filled out form, it remains a sad fact that only three out of ten are ever filled out to completion. It demonstrates that contests have validity in marketing campaigns but, again, businesses just can’t seem to get the entry form right.
  • But when you consider that less than one of every ten “contact” forms are ever filled out and sent in, a contest’s 30% response rate seems pretty good, no? In reality, your contests are getting about the same response as anyone else but you could do better. Contests work so make it easier for your visitors to participate.
  • The main problem has always been the length of any form. Most marketing efforts try and gather in too much information. Not that the information is not valuable, but people are just not going to sit there in fill in twenty or so boxes. You have to keep your forms as short as possible.
  • One answer has been allowing people to simply click in certain information that can be garnered at their Facebook pages. Marketing research and analytics has found that allowing people this quick option has increased participation and conversion rates by nearly 200%. So, what are you waiting for?
  • Actually embed your contest form on your Facebook page. Again, doing this will easily double your conversions. Keep the number of fields in your form to less than ten. Less is more. Less fields to fill out, the more people will take the time to do it. Also, allow your visitors to save their form. This will allow them to return to it and not have to start from the beginning. This option, too, will increase your conversion rate.
  • Finally, your social media marketing will receive a huge boost with contests because contests have proven to work with regard to generating conversions. The easier you can make it for your visitors, the more likely your participation rates will go up. This will equal more customers and more sales. After all, isn’t that what this is all about?

– Written by Kevin Sawyer