This presentation is from Affiliate Summit East 2013 (August 18-20, 2013) in Philadelphia, PA). Session Description: Learn, step by step, to use contests to generate free user generated content and build your editorial site. I’ll use case studies and specific examples to help you launch your contest program.
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How to Use Contests to Get User-Generated Content
1. How to Use Contests to
Get User-Generated
Content
Corey Post
ContentAndContests.com
2. My Background
Speaker and Writer
Content and Online Marketer for Over a Decade
Experience
VP Marketing at Shoeboxed.com
Director of Online Marketing, Cornerstone OnDemand (IPO -
CSOD)
Director of Consumer Memberships, IAC/InterActiveCorp
Social Media Consultant, ReachLocal (IPO – RLOC) and
LegalZoom.com
Founder, ContentAndContests.com
MBA from The Darden Business School at The University of
Virginia
3. Why Content Contests?
Provide an Engaging, Interactive Experience for Your Users
Create Brand Ambassadors
Develop Leads and Expand Your Customer Base
Build a Library of Evergreen Content
Earn Social Shares and Links
People Share the Content They Create
Search Engine Rankings - User Generated Content is “Google Food”
Rank for “Real World Terms” That Users Enter as Queries
Rank for Long Tail Terms
Search Engines Look for Social Proof
Learn About Your Users
4. Steps for a Successful
Content Contest
1. Determine the Goals of Your Contest
2. Outline Your Contest Parameters
3. Develop Your Budget
4. Optimize Your Content for Search and Social
5. Promote Your Contest
6. Choose the Winner
7. Notify and Promote the Winner
5. Determine the Goals of Your
Contest
Photo, Essay, Video
Submissions
Survey Responses
Social Shares – Facebook,
Twitter, Pinterest
Links
Sales
Registrations/Leads/Email
Addresses Captured
Visitors/Unique Visitors
Time on Site
Shoeboxed Messy Desk Contest
6. Parameters – Content
Original Content Creation and Submission
as Requirement to Enter
UGC Forms
Text
Images
Video
Audio
Relate Content to Your Business
Interests Existing and Future Customers
400 Word Piece About the Benefits of Your
Product
Picture or Video of Your Product in Use
(Generally) More Difficulty in Creation =
Fewer Pieces of Content Created
Exception – Audio
Quality Videos are Difficult to Produce
7. Parameters – User Data
Determine Your Data Goals
Sales/Leads
Learn About Your
Customers/Readers
(Generally) More Data =
Fewer Entries
(Generally) Lower Entry Time
(time it takes user to
participate) = More Entries
Only Ask for What You Need
Maximize Your Participation
Minimum Ask = Name + Email
8. Parameters – Time Frame
Shorter Contest Time Frame
Benefits
Excitement
Top of Mind
Challenges
Potential for Fewer Entries
Potential for Lower Quality of Entries
Longer Contest Time Frame
Benefits
Potential for Higher Quality of Entries
Potential for Higher Volume of Entries
Challenges
Procrastination/Loss of Excitement
Reader Forgets to Enter
Amount of Time is Subjective
Found Two Weeks to Hit Center of Bell
Curve
9. Parameters – Prizes
Giveaway Your Product
Connect to Your Product
If You Offer an IPad, Your
Product Should Relate to
Technology, Business, etc.
Have Multiple Prizes – 1st
Place, 2nd Place, etc.
Multiple Chances to Win
Make Sure the Prize is
Valued by Your Target Market
What Has Your Competition
Successfully Used?
10. Parameters – Guidelines
Different State and Federal
Laws May Apply
Consult an Attorney if
Necessary
Facebook, Twitter and Other
Social Networks Have
Specific Rules
Don’t Risk Your Social
Presence – Follow All
Platform Rules
Go to
ContentAndContests.com/AS
E for Links to Rule Sets
11. Budget
Prize
Large Range, From T-shirt (~$10) to Tech Gadget Like a Tablet (~$300)
Offer Your Product to the Winner (cost of goods)
Offer Your Services to the Winner (cost of time)
Press Release
Written In-house (free) or by a Freelance Writer (~$40)
Distribution on a PR service (~$350 for one release)
Blog Article Announcing the Contest
Written in-House (free) or by a Freelance Writer (~$30)
Facebook Page for the Contest
Developed In-house (free)
Contest Administration (reviewing submissions, contacting winner, etc.)
Managed In-house (free)
Celebrity Judges
Barter for Services or Pay for Time
12. Optimize Your Content for
Search and Social
Host Contest on Subfolder, not
on Subdomain, not on Mini-
Site
Own the Links!
Use Keywords in Your H1,
URL, Meta
Do Your Research with
Your Favorite Keyword Tool
Consider Long Tail Terms
Make Contest Easy to Share
Use Social Share Buttons
CMS Should Facilitate
This
Consider a Voting
Mechanism
13. Promote Your Contest
People Need to Know About
Your Contest for it to be a
“Winner”
Email
Include Prize in Subject
Line
Newsletter
Blog Post
Announce Contest, Give
Updates
Press Release
Forums
Contest Directories
Blogger Outreach
Social Media
PPC (if you have the budget)
14. Choose the Winner
Celebrity Judges
May Help Promote Your
Contest
You Might Have to Pay Them
Staff Picks
More Control
Votes
Users May Encourage Friend
Involvement
Social Engagement
Consult Social Network Rules
“Random Drawing”
15. Notify and Promote the
Winner
Notification
Email - Opportunity to Interact with All Entrants
Blog Post/Social - Traffic and Shares
Promotion
Write a Blog Post
Create YouTube Videos
Interview the Winner
Video
Email
Feature on Social Channels
16. Case Study - Shoeboxed
The Messy Desk Contest
Offered iPad mini with Shoeboxed
App Installed
Relates to Our Product
Created Landing Page
Asked for Original Photos of
Messy Desks
Judged Contest on Repins
(Pinterest)
Promoted Through Email,
Newsletter, PR Service, Facebook
Paid Campaign, Social Following,
Blog
Results
200 Incredibly Messy Desk
Photos
25,000 Repins
155 Links
17. Questions?
ContentAndContests.com/ASE
Will Include Links to Social Platform Contest Rules
(extremely important for social contests)
Will Include Case Studies/More Examples
Linkedin.com/in/coreypost
Twitter.com/coreypost
Corey@ContentAndContests.com