How many competitions are there running on the net at this time? 1000 maybe? Nah, 100,000 is more than likely and when they pass their closing date there will be just as many to take their place.
So, why are companies so desperate to give away free stuff just for answering a question or two? I'll tell you why...
...because it is an INCREDIBLY effective and very INEXPENSIVE way to get your company name mentioned on hundreds, if not thousands of websites, message boards, forums, blogs and conversations both in the online and offline world, not to mention the good PR it generates - that's why!
Who doesn't want their company name-dropped all over the place for what amounts to mere peanuts when compared to the costs of traditional advertising?
There are thousands of specialist competition and freebie sites whose sole purpose is to inform the rest of the internet when a new competition or freebie offer hits the internet. There are as many mailing lists, newsgroups, message boards and blogs on the same subject and YOUR company name could be plastered over all these when you add a competition giveaway to your site.
But it doesn't stop there.
If you are reading this as a webmaster then you obviously know all the major search engines look upon inbound links as being one of the main deciding factors in deciding which pages rank where in the organic search engine results. All these free, one-way inbound links pointing directly at your website are pure gold dust in terms of increasing your link popularity and thrusting you up towards the top of the search engines.
Whilst everyone else is rushing around participating in link exchange programs, renting links on websites, buying their way into search directories and more costly measures to help get the jump on their competitors, you could be flying up the rankings by giving away something as cheap as a $20 DVD once a month.
Of course, you can also make your generosity work extra hard for your business as well and really milk that competition freebie... Rather than just give one lucky visitor a chance to win something when they leave their details at your site how about some of these ideas to get a double hit from your freebie:
1) Newsletter Competition
A competition give-away to everyone who signs up with your newsletter. Draw an email address from the hat every month and announce it in the newsletter and you'll treble your subscription rate and keep them reading. Want to ensure they really read it? Ask a question about a specific aspect of the newsletter and get people to email it in and draw a winner from one of the entrants. You get more subscribers AND you ensure they're reading!
2) Newsletters again...
Add a checkbox to your competition entry page, order page etc. offering people the chance to sign up for your newsletter (making sure to offer the hook of exclusive newsletter give-aways, freebies, coupons etc. of course) and you've got a bunch of new subscribers. This is a less effective means of building your mailing list but it still works.
3) The Scavenger Hunt Competition.
Get people to browse around your website to give you the answers to a question or two you propose. Think "By how much is the Super Megatron 2000 reduced by this month"? and use these questions to direct people to your latest promotions and offers. Not only do you get all those extra visitors from blogs and comeptition sites like you wanted, but you also show these extra visitors the highlights of your site which will either encourage them to buy there and then or bookmark you for future reference rather than hitting and running.
4) The Repeat Competition Hook
Giving away different freebies in your competitions each month ensures two things. Firstly, competition addicts (of which there are many) will hit your site every month giving you a chance to market your offers to them at least once a month. Secondly, you ensure those search result boosting links continue to multiply every month...
...and so on. If there is any aspect of your website or business you feel is a real hook and worth promoting to customers then a decent competition used correctly is the perfect way to highlight it to a wide audience without spending a fortune on advertising.
But hang on, this isn't the ONLY way to use competitions to your own advantage. Another great way is to not run your own competition at all but to simply SPONSOR a competition on another site. Getting into a small competition sponsorship deal with a high traffic site in a related (but non-competiting) subject area can bring some awesome targetted traffic your way. If they archive their competition results and past sponsorships, then that's another one-way link you got into the bargain as well.
The possibilities here are endless and it's not going to cost you anything more than a few bucks each month in order to start the ball rolling.
So what are you waiting for?
Mark Falco is the webmaster and owner of dvd rental services and dvd rental services.
Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..The beauty of the Internet is that it allows you... Read More
Does your web site's visitors keep on hitting the back... Read More
1. Generate Targeted Traffic from Online Discussion Forums.Online discussion forums... Read More
Cross promoting is when two or more businesses promote their... Read More
Niche markets and mini sites are taking lately by storm... Read More
How many competitions are there running on the net at... Read More
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product or... Read More
Being a restaurant owner means you are always interested in... Read More
It's a fact. While most link partners are scrupulously honest... Read More
So, you don't have a multi-million dollar advertising campaign? You... Read More
If your website is not generating a lot of sales... Read More
It's no big secret that banner ads have become less... Read More
How to improve conversion rate for your website? How to... Read More
Many business owners and online marketing experts focus their efforts... Read More
Would it surprise you to know that Compaq Computer? outsources?... Read More
After spending substantial time and efforts the big day came... Read More
Here are 4 of the most easiest and... Read More
Interested in boosting your link popularity, raising your Google PR,... Read More
With all the "How To" articles, and great advice available... Read More
I created my first website in 1995 - it was... Read More
There's such a thing as taking search engine optimization too... Read More
The number one key to getting business in the real... Read More
Seeking effective affordable website promotion should begin with listing your... Read More
1. Tell people you have a siteThis might seem blindingly... Read More
We all know the many "free" traffic producing avenues. We... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..The latest trend in online marketing focuses on local search.... Read More
"One in a million". What do I mean by that?... Read More
We have a running joke in our office that one... Read More
(but also one of the most crucial part)It is time... Read More
Once your web site is done, it does you little... Read More
Each week I receive dozens of article submissions to my... Read More
You have your site into the search engines, but where... Read More
Does your business struggle with profitable online marketing? If so,... Read More
What is link popularity?The quantity of links in different websites... Read More
First Generation - The Popup Popups, if you're somehow, strangely,... Read More
With the web today you "sorta haveta" have a rank... Read More
Learn How To Use These Six Explosive Marketing Techniques To... Read More
Consider for a minute my son's website for grass mowing,... Read More
If you want to make money on the web, you... Read More
Here are the website promotion tactics to reinforce and increase... Read More
What do you do next! you have been working so... Read More
Almost anyone who has tried submitting to free-for-all sites will... Read More
You may ask, what is perpetual marketing?Perpetual marketing means when... Read More
1. Tell people you have a siteThis might seem blindingly... Read More
The internet has the capacity, sometimes, to divorce not just... Read More
Promotion... also known as selling. Not an easy task in... Read More
I doubt that anyone reading this article hasn't at one... Read More
Search engine optimization by some is considered a science and... Read More
Five Nifty Ways to Make Your Site Sticky!'Stickiness' is one... Read More
There are many ways to market your web site, both... Read More
Web Site Promotion |