10 Proven Marketing Strategies to Boost Online Competition Entries

Running an online competition is one of the fastest ways to grow your audience, build brand awareness and drive sales. But even the best prizes won't get the results you want if people don't hear about your competition in the first place.

Whether you're launching your first giveaway or managing multiple competitions a week, smart marketing is what turns a good idea into a high-performing campaign.

In this guide, we'll walk you through 10 proven marketing strategies to help you promote your online competition, boost entries and keep people coming back for more.

1. Leverage Social Media to Build Hype

Social media is one of the most effective ways to spread the word about your competitions quickly. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok allow you to reach large audiences at minimal cost.

Tips to boost competition entries through social media channels:

• » Use high-quality visuals and short, punchy captions.
• » Post multiple times throughout the competition period, not just once.
• » Post a few times on the final day of the competition to create urgency.
• » Engage with followers by responding to comments and messages.
• » Pin your competition post to the top of your feed for maximum visibility.
• » Use trending sounds and relevant hashtags to expand your reach.

2. Use Email Marketing to Reach Your Existing Audience

Your existing email list is full of warm leads who are more likely to enter and share your competition.

Here's how to make the most of email:

• » Send a clear launch email with the prize details and entry instructions.
• » Schedule a reminder email halfway through the competition period.
• » Use a "last chance to enter" email 24-48 hours before the draw to create urgency.
• » Include social sharing buttons in your emails to encourage forwards.

3. Launch a Referral Program

A referral program gives entrants an incentive to share your competition with their friends. Offer bonus entries for every friend they refer who enters the competition.

Example: "Get 3 extra entries for every friend who enters using your unique link."

This builds excitement and encourages word-of-mouth marketing, which is often the most trusted form of promotion. It is also one of the most effective ways to grow your reach quickly without the expense of paid advertising.

4. Collaborate with Influencers

Influencers can bring targeted traffic to your competition. Micro-influencers with highly engaged audiences often provide better ROI than big-name celebrities.

Collaboration ideas:

• » Sponsor a post or story on their channel.
• » Exclusive early access to the competition for their followers.
• » Co-host the competition with the influencer to tap into their audience.
• » Provide the influencer with a unique referral link to track entries.

5. Run Smart Paid Advertising Campaigns to Expand Your Reach

Paid ads can be a powerful way to drive targeted traffic to your competition, especially on platforms like Facebook and Instagram where you can laser-target specific demographics.

Tips for effective paid ads:

• » Focus on short, eye-catching videos or images.
• » Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) like "Enter Now" or "Don't Miss Out".
• » Retarget visitors who viewed the competition page but didn't enter.
• » Test different ad creatives and copy to see what resonates best.
• » Set a reasonable budget and monitor performance closely to optimise ROI.

6. Use Coutdowns to Create Urgency

Adding countdown timers to your competition page and social posts encourages people to act quickly. Even a simple "Only 2 days left to enter!" message can significantly boost entries as the deadline approaches.

7. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

Ask entrants to post about your competition, tag your brand and share why they are excited. This not only spreads the word but also builds social proof and trust.

You could even run a secondary competition for the best UGC post, with a small prize for the winner. This encourages more people to create and share content about your competition.

8. Partner with Complementary Brands

Teaming up with other brands can help you reach new audiences. Look for companies that share your target market but aren't direct competitors.

Example: If your prize is a fitness package, partner with a gym or health-food brand for a bigger prize bundle and more exposure.

9. Keep the Momentum Going Post-Competition

After the competition ends, don't let the engagement drop off. Announce the winner publicly and share their reaction (with permission). This builds trust and encourages people to enter future competitions.

Follow up with all entrants via email, thanking them for participating and teasing upcoming competitions. You could also include a special offer or discount to future competitions. This keeps your audience engaged and looking forward to what's next.

10. Plan Consistent Competitions, Not One-Off Giveaways

The most successful competition businesses treat giveaways as part of their ongoing strategy. Regular competitions keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. Consider running weekly or monthly competitions with different themes or prizes to maintain interest.

A simple calendar can help you plan ahead and ensure you always have competitions live.

Final Thoughts

Marketing is the engine that drives successful competitions. By combining these 10 strategies, from social media hype to referral programs and influencer collaborations, you'll build steady entry growth and a loyal audience eager for your next giveaway.

If you want the running side of your competitions to be as smooth as your marketing, check out DrawEngine. It's a powerful platform that's designed to build, manage and grow your competition business with ease.

Disclaimer

DrawEngine is a software platform for running online prize draws, raffles and competitions. We do not operate or manage raffles directly and we do not provide legal advice. Whilst we will help you in any way that we can, operators are solely responsible for ensuring their competitions are run in compliance with local laws and regulations.

Page last updated: 11th October 2025