Building and maintaining engagement on your business’s social sites is not always as simple as it seems. If you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, you should consider running a social contest! Who doesn’t love the chance to get something for free? The answer is no one.

Here are a few reasons why social contests should become a staple in your marketing toolkit:

Contests build your fan base. If you want to increase your likes on Facebook, a contest is an easy way to do that. Incentivize your customers or patients with a super cool prize if they “like” your business page or a post on your page within a certain time frame. Then, use a tool like Woobox to pick a winner (or two).

Contests create connections. If you want to increase your engagement on a social site, try running a contest that is user-based. Ask your fans to send in their own pictures or videos of them using your product or performing a particular task. This allows you to directly connect and communicate with your customers, while also sending more traffic to your page from their social friends.

Contests provide information. You don’t want to make your participants jump through too many hoops, but you want your contest to gain value for your business. Considering running a contest that requires participants to sign up for your newsletter or fill out an information sheet. In doing this, you will be gaining a new follower and an email address with which you can share your business’s information. If you decide to go this route, however, make sure the prize is worth it for participants to take the extra steps.

Contests are free marketing. Thanks to the magical “share” button, your contest can turn into free marketing for your business. When people have the chance to win something for free, they usually want to spread the love with their friends and family. The easiest way to pass the word along is by sharing it on their own social profiles. And, ta-da! Free marketing for you and additional eyes on your business.

Contests can provide all of these benefits for your company. They should become an important part of your marketing strategy, however, don’t over-do it! Endless prizes can drown out the excitement a contest brings and lower the involvement. Keep your contests simple, concise and timely.

Interested in learning more about social media marketing? Call us!