Flower Shop Network
Social Media Contests

Social Media Contests

Running a contest or giveaway on social media is a great way to increase your shop's exposure with new and previous customers. Contests can help build your social media base and increase your engagement on the platforms you run them on. They are a cost-effective way to reach more consumers through likes and shares while increasing your brand awareness. With a social media contest, your followers will basically be doing all the marketing for you! Not sure where to start? We've got you covered with our step-by-step guide.

Set Your Goals and Budget

It’s important to know what you want out of the contest so that you know exactly which kind of contest to run. Are you trying to increase your followers? Boost your brand awareness? Figure out what you want to achieve to help decide if a contest is the right direction to go. You’ll also need to evaluate how much you’re willing to spend on the contest to determine the giveaway, as well as if you’ll be willing to pay to boost the post on social media.

Decide on Your Contest

Now that you know your goal, you can pick the kind of contest to run. If you’re looking to gain more followers, make a rule that participants must like or follow your page to enter. Looking to grow your email list? Make a form that requires an email address to enter. No matter what, it’s a good idea to require entrants to like, share, and tag a friend in the comments of the post. This ensures that your contest, and therefore your brand, spreads organically to lots of social media users!

Pick Your Platform

Where does your audience spend most of their time on social media? For florists, this is most likely going to be Facebook or Instagram, depending on your target audience. This will also help you pinpoint exactly what to give away. What would make your audience want to enter a giveaway? Whether it’s a fresh bouquet, a gift card, or something else, stay relevant to the audience who follows you on whichever platform you choose.

Follow the Rules

Different social media platforms have different rules for contests, so make sure you’re in compliance with them. Facebook just wants to make sure that you clearly state what the contest or promotion is, and let your audience know that Facebook is in no way affiliated. Read Facebook’s full rules here. Since Instagram is owned by Facebook, their guidelines are pretty similar. Twitter discourages creating multiple accounts and posting the same tweet multiple times, along with a few other rules. Make sure to abide by your chosen platform’s rules to ensure your contest runs smoothly.

Run your Contest

Now that you have everything ready to go, it’s time to run your contest! Make sure the photo you post for your giveaway is eyecatching and prominently displays what you’re giving away. Be sure to specify how long the contest is open, and promote it consistently during that timeframe. Watch the entries pour in!

Choose a Winner

After your contest is over, pick a winner! If you’re choosing a random winner, make a numbered list of all entrants and use a number picker, like Google’s random number generator, to select the winner’s name. Make an announcement on social media, and contact the winner directly through direct message.

Running a contest is a great way to get your audience more involved on your social media. Get your customers excited about your brand and stand out from your competition by hosting a giveaway today!

Need help with your social media? Our social media services team can help! Learn more.

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