Social Media Contests In 2021 | Great For Brand Marketing

Social Media Contests In 2021

Before starting any campaign, one needs to sort these three things out.

The Why, How, and When, and running a social media marketing campaign is no different. Before Initiating one, there should be clarity about WHY the campaign is being run, the time frame, and its expectations. And IF your main goal with a digital marketing campaign is to Boost engagement, inspire virality, and make a connection with customers in a brief period of time, then running social media contests should be your go-to plan.

Are Social Media Contests In 2021  Still Worth It?

Now the question arises whether social media contests are still relevant to this day, and for that, you need to understand the following traits of modern-day consumers.

While it’s true that today’s socially active customers are more complex and “savvy” than the generations that came before them, it’s also true that these consumers look for stronger relationships with the brands now more than ever. They now don’t solely look for a good product but the experience that comes along with owning it. For example, an athlete might prefer ADIDAS over NIKE if he finds the brand’s adverts more relatable and has an emotional attachment with the brand.

Keeping that in mind, one should leave no stone unturned to build a positive brand persona and a healthy connection with consumers. What better way to optimize the relationships with your audience than through a platform designed for social interaction? And what better way to do it than to loop the user in the feedback process through contests

So, the simple answer to whether social media contests in 2021 still work–yes, they still are a lethal digital marketing tool but only if you use them innovatively and warily.

Prerequisites Of running Social Media Contests In 2021

• Knowing your audience

No matter what changes in the world of marketing, one rule will always remain the same. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to know your audience. One simply can’t succeed at marketing without optimizing the target audience. The process has been simplified by data collection tools of social media platforms that specify advertisers’ exact target audience. SO know your audience type, Whether the average consumer is a “creator type” or a “spectating type” and advertise accordingly.

• Building brand identity

Like any other marketing campaign, a Social media contest is an excellent opportunity to build your brand’s identity. Instead of going the traditional marketing route, here the brand has the room to experiment and innovate. It also helps to develop and strengthen a community around your brand and the product, which will help you yield long-term benefits. So remember to use it as a tool to stand out. Analyze what unique stuff your brand has to offer and plan accordingly. 

• Rewards that matter

If you want to run a successful social media contests in 2021, you need to think of prizes that matter to your audience. Rewards like getting to spend time with a celebrity or a trip to a place not all can visit are some blueprints that can be followed. These prizes work well because they are experiences rather than material possession. Not all individuals can experience them despite monetary means, contrary to an iPad or a watch that one can get, hands-on, in one way or another.

 But remember, the reward does not necessarily have to be highly lucrative, especially for brands starting fresh. You just need a prize rewarding enough to excite people into participating and connecting with you.

• Apprehending the budget

It might seem obvious, but it’s crucial to reinstate that “know your budget and boundaries.” It’s very easy to get carried away but remember DO NOT promise what is not certainly deliverable and is in your reach, as the backlash you will experience if the prize is not remitted will ruin your brand persona.

• Keeping it Joyous

Last but not least, make the experience fun for the end consumer. The campaign should not feel like a hardcore marketing one but more like an interactive game that creates a healthy competitive environment amongst the masses. So social media contests in 2021 can not bump up engagement if they are not entertaining to participate in.

Social Media Contest Examples

Following are some templates that can be used as a reference point for planning your social media contests in 2021

• Collaborations with influencers can be done to initiate a chain of hashtags where folks recreate a piece of content and inspire a trend. This strategy has primarily been seen in action in campaigns of Music videos and albums throughout recent years. 
• Contests about people sharing their personal experiences like a travel product manufacturer requiring recipients to share stories of how their product made their day
• Millennials are seen to like brands having an affinity to give back to the community, which can be leveraged into the marketing strategy. And contests can be run around this idea.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, in today’s race for engagement era, social media contests encourage the consumer to make the first move, which for any brand is treasurous to say the least. Also, it is most probable that winners might share their joyous acquaintance of winning on social media, which will further add to the campaign’s exposure and fire up the movement even more.