Social Media Contests Done Right.
Is your brand holding a contest via Twitter, Facebook, or any of the other million-and-one social media channels? Great! Social media contests are fast becoming a prime source of widespread brand promotion. However, as with any other ‘official’ contest intended for J.Q. Public, certain guidelines come into play. Said guidelines are intended to ensure the fairness of these competitive events. Ignoring them could come back to haunt you down the road. People seldom appreciate being deceived. And you could even find yourself in hot water with the FTC should that organization smell something fishy.
Here are several contest guidelines worthy of serious consideration. Bear in mind, they don’t guarantee commercial success. But they will help get your social media contest on the road to right.
1. Tell All.
No, you’re not expected to reveal precious brand secrets with your contest. However, disclosure of certain information is critical, particularly in the eyes of the FTC. One of the biggies for the FTC group is mentioning any link between product endorsers and product marketers. For instance, if you require contestants to say something about your brand as a precondition for entering, that little stipulation definitely must be brought to light.
2. Share knowledge.
Intending and getting are two different things, of course. Marketing execs might be ready, willing, and able to implement disclosure requirements. But everyone else may be in the dark about this whole disclosure thing. So make absolutely sure every member of your team is tuned into these requirements. The fate of your contest may depend on it.
3. Keep Contestants in Check.
Even with the best of intentions, oversights happen. Marketers should expect some contestants to neglect contest guidelines now and again. The optimal solution? Monitor contestants to make sure as many as possible stay on the straight and narrow.
4. Know your Terms of Service.
Every social media platform has its own ‘terms of service’. Twitter’s may bear little resemblance to those of Instagram. Therefore, contest holders must be clued into the specific terms of service associated with their chosen social media platform.
If you have any questions or comments about social media contests, or about any brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way…
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