Running a Twitter Contest: Response to Gareth

Hello,

I tried having a contest a few weeks ago on twitter, but there wasn't much of a response. I've heard that a contest is a good way to increase followers and promote a business... where did it go wrong? Thanks, Gareth

Gareth,

I'm not sure what your contest looked like, but there are a few basic tips to make your Twitter contest as successful as possible. As you may know, there are lots of different types of contests you can hold. The most common are hashtag contests and retweet contests. Hashtag contests require users to incorporate specific hashtags (hyperlinked keywords with pound signs in front of them that link to all other mentions of that word). This article has tips on how to track a hashtag contest.

Make sure the content on your Twitter account is interesting and appealing. It doesn't do much good to run a contest and gain more followers if they just come to realize that they have no interest in your tweets (I'm not saying this is what happened necessarily). To avoid being unfollowed or forgotten as soon as the contest is over make sure you have funny or informative content up prior to the contest and after it.

Making your product the prize of the contest showcases your work. Be sure that your product is something people will want, and promote it as such. Giving away something too small or common may actually discourage people from participation. You should also keep the length of your contest in mind. A one-day contest may sound like a great way to make your contest seem urgent, but it may prevent you from reaching a large number of people. At the same time, if you stretch a contest out, it can result in people losing interest or forgetting. The ideal length for a contest is around seven to ten days.

Lastly, entertain people! Retweeting "Win a FREE _______, just RT..." is not going to entice people unless the prize is out of this world. Instead include a fun fact about your product; anything people will find interesting or humorous. Hold a trivia contest or make your promotion a game people will activly engage in. When the contest is over, be sure to announce the winner, and update everyone as to how it went. Hope this helps; let us know if you come accross any more Twitter contest issues.