When it comes to attracting traffic and getting them to sign up for an email or other type of list there are many different options to choose from. A recent study has shown that one of the most effective ways to quickly attract new visitors and get them to sign up for your list is to host a contest. It could be held directly on a web page, or through Facebook or just about any other platform and it will still result in a rapid boost to the number of people signing up.
The study shows that when sites hold contests which offer $500 worth of prizes they gain up to 700% more email subscribers than when they aren’t holding contests at all. These numbers fluctuate quite a bit depending on the specific niche, with fashion and clothing companies generating 11 times more leads through the contest and some professional services companies only seeing about 5 times more leads.
Regardless of where the contests are held, brands who hold them also found that during the contest they generated increases in traffic and interaction on their Facebook and Twitter accounts as well. It is clear that contests are a great way to engage customers and get them to sign up for your email list, but the question is whether or not they will convert into buyers down the road. In most cases these contests will draw in a combination of targeted visitors and those who are simply there for the contest itself. One of the main benefits is that it will get users who are visiting the site anyway to take that next step, and these types of visitors are often easier to convert down the road.
While these contests are an excellent way to bulk up an e-mail list and drive some quick traffic, they don’t do as much to keep people coming back or to directly convert sales. For that, a site needs high quality content which will engage and help sell the products or services to visitors. A survey from B2B magazine found that 47% of customer retention, brand awareness, lead nurturing and customer acquisition was credited to having high quality, custom content.
When combined, however, a contest is a great way to build up a list and having high quality site content and well written e-mail content it can draw in a significant number of buyers. Over the long term this is an excellent way to build and maintain an active list for virtually any niche or industry.
Click HERE for the study regarding contests. Click HERE for the B2B Magazine survey.
Have you ever used contests to build your lists? What types of prizes do you offer, and do you find that the contests was an effective way to build a great list?
