Introduction
Contests are a great way to quickly build your mailing list and introduce your blog to your market. They can also be a great way to increase your website traffic, and even better if you use a viral contest, such as using Rafflecopter.com to offer extra entries to people who share your contest page. Here are some key points to keep in mind when starting a contest:
1: Offer Niche Products as Prizes
The first key to a successful contest is to be sure you're offering niche products, preferably your own products, as prizes. This will attract the right people, those who are interested in your products, and help you build a targeted mailing list. Avoid offering cash prizes as it may attract untargeted freebie seekers.
2: Separate Your Contest Mailing List
The second key to a successful contest is to be sure you separate your contest mailing list from the rest of your list. A lot of people give out little-used email addresses to enter contests, so you'll need to spend a little extra time “warming up” this list, and later removing the cold dead addresses. This will help you keep your contest list clean and targeted.
ChatGPT Prompts:
Here are eight prompts that can further explore the topic of starting a contest, especially in the context of digital marketing and audience engagement (copy and paste one at a time into ChatGPT for more insights):
- Understanding the Legalities of Online Contests:
- What are the legal considerations you need to be aware of when running an online contest?
- How do rules and regulations vary by region or country, and how can you ensure your contest is compliant?
- Strategies for Promoting Your Contest Beyond Your Website:
- What are effective strategies for promoting your online contest beyond your website?
- How can partnerships, influencer marketing, or paid advertisements expand the reach of your contest?
- The Psychology Behind Effective Contest Prizing:
- What psychological factors should you consider when choosing prizes for your contest?
- How do different types of prizes influence participation rates and the quality of entrants?
- Leveraging User-Generated Content in Contests:
- How can contests be structured to encourage the creation of user-generated content?
- What are the benefits of incorporating user-generated content into your contest strategy?
- Maintaining Engagement After the Contest Ends:
- What strategies can be employed to maintain audience engagement after a contest has concluded?
- How can you transition contest participants into regular followers or customers?
- Analyzing the Success of Your Contest:
- What metrics should you be tracking to measure the success of your contest?
- How do you analyze this data to inform future marketing strategies?
- Avoiding and Mitigating Contest Frauds and Scams:
- What are common scams or fraudulent behaviors associated with online contests?
- How can you design your contest to minimize these risks and ensure a fair contest?
- Integrating Contests into a Larger Marketing Strategy:
- How can contests fit into a broader digital marketing strategy?
- What considerations should be made to ensure that your contest supports and aligns with your overall marketing goals?
Each of these prompts delves deeper into the strategic, psychological, and operational aspects of running an online contest. They're designed to encourage a comprehensive understanding of the contest's lifecycle, from the legalities and promotion strategies to participant engagement and post-contest analysis.
Conclusion
A contest is a great way to quickly build your mailing list and introduce your blog to your market. By offering niche products as prizes and separating your contest mailing list, you can attract the right people and build a targeted mailing list. Remember to use a viral contest, such as using Rafflecopter.com to offer extra entries to people who share your contest page, this will increase your website traffic and help you reach a wider audience. Keep in mind that running a contest takes time and effort, but by following these tips, you can effectively increase your website traffic and build a targeted mailing list for your business.
Case Study: Building a Targeted Mailing List through a Contest
Background: A new blogger in the health and wellness niche wanted to quickly build their mailing list and introduce their blog to their target market. They recognized the potential of running a contest as a way to attract the right people and build a targeted mailing list.
Objective: To increase website traffic and build a targeted mailing list for the blog.
Strategy:
- The blogger offered niche products as prizes for the contest, such as a one-year subscription to a healthy meal delivery service and a high-quality water bottle.
- They used Rafflecopter.com to create a viral contest, where participants could earn extra entries by sharing the contest page on social media.
- They separated the contest mailing list from their regular mailing list to ensure that the new subscribers were truly interested in the blog's content and offerings.
Implementation:
- The blogger promoted the contest through their social media channels, email list, and relevant online communities.
- They used Rafflecopter.com to manage the contest entries and randomly select the winners.
- After the contest ended, they added the new subscribers to their targeted mailing list and began sending them relevant content and promotions.
Results:
- The contest generated a significant increase in website traffic, with over 1,000 unique visitors to the contest page.
- The blogger was able to build a targeted mailing list of over 500 new subscribers who were genuinely interested in the blog's content and offerings.
- The blogger saw an increase in engagement and conversions from the targeted mailing list.
Conclusion: Running a contest can be an effective way to quickly build a targeted mailing list and increase website traffic. By offering niche products as prizes and using a viral contest platform, the blogger was able to attract the right people and build a targeted mailing list for their business. While running a contest takes time and effort, the results can be worth it for businesses looking to grow their audience and increase conversions.
