Social media com­pet­i­tions can be cost effect­ive and easy to run, but not neces­sar­ily a tool for win­ning more customers.

Ask your­self, is it about build­ing a com­munity when in real­ity it is not about build­ing a dia­logue, just someone want­ing a prize.

We thought earlier this year, at The ID Group that if we ran com­pet­i­tions then we’d grow a fan-​base. Here is why we wanted to cre­ate a social media competition:

• use social media chan­nels in a way that was dif­fer­ent to broad­cast a message
• use altern­at­ive means to cre­ate a dia­logue with people
• give prizes away that were not geo­graph­ic­ally sens­it­ive ie. cinema tickets
• cre­ate an ele­ment of fun and build up
• build recog­ni­tion to The ID Group brand

This is what we real­ised and look­ing back some les­sons learnt.

• Rather than a loyal com­munity, what takes it’s place are followers/​fans who like free stuff and not much else
• By giv­ing away prizes, whilst being aware of the geo­graph­ical nature, the demo­graphic wasn’t neces­sar­ily a wish­list of poten­tial pro­spects (so doesn’t com­pli­ment the tar­get markets)
• The major­ity of people are ‘enga­ging’ with you because of a prize, not to build a dialogue
• You may receive new fol­low­ers (and looks great when oth­ers see you brim­ming with pop­ular­ity), but the like­li­hood of becom­ing cus­tom­ers is pretty slim
• It becomes an almost face­less exer­cise. It’s great when receiv­ing inform­a­tion from new people, but do we know who these people are (and to build a dia­logue with)

So if this isn’t the best way to build a loyal com­munity, what is?

Over the fol­low­ing blog art­icles, we’ll high­light some examples where look­ing to build a com­munity has worked in 2012. The secret, look­ing to provide inform­a­tion and value to people that they can use, share and inter­act with. There are no short­cuts to build­ing a fol­low­ing and a com­pet­i­tion is by no means a quick win.

Before you go and buy that new iPad mini for your next com­pet­i­tion, have a think. If it’s to use as a tool to build a com­mit­ted fol­low­ing to your brand, think again! Suc­cess is never meas­ured by the amounts of Face­book ‘likes’ you have.

Be Soci­able, Share!

•