If you are looking for ways to draw traffic to your website, you might want to consider holding a contest or giveaway. While these can draw a lot of "freebie seekers" who are only interested in the prize, you can generate a lot of buzz that will bring qualified leads, too.
Consider the products and services offered by your website and then use your imagination to create a fun contest that will appeal to the average customer you will be targeting with this promotion.
For example, for a website whose content focuses on issues relation to parenthood one creative contest might be that people have to tell the story of the most embarrassing thing their kids have said in front of others or the funniest mistake they have made in parenting.
You can also hold a contest centered on a new product launch. For example, if you have a website that features time-management tips for busy women and you are getting ready to release an informational product that explains how to survive the holiday season, you could offer a contest where your visitors submit their funniest Thanksgiving cooking disaster or their best time-saving tip for holiday shopping.
Contest prizes can be arranged by owners of other websites or can come from your very own products and services. If you choose to go with a different website for prizes, you won't have to spend any money on them and the other website's owner will probably be happy to receive some free publicity. If you do this, be sure to mention the name of the provider of the prizes on your website.
For the less creative, simply asking for visitors to submit their personal information and holding a giveaway choosing a random winner from the submissions is still a great idea. You can use the same system for prizes that was outlined in the previous paragraph.
Giveaways can be used to keep customers coming back for more from your business. In a service based business like graphic design, you could allow customers that have paid for your services to fill out a giveaway form each time they do so and offer a monthly prize. This might be added incentive for customers to return in an attempt to win your monthly prizes.
To be successful, you'll want to promote your contest as much as possible. You'll want to send a notice to your mailing list as well as putting information about the contest on the main page of your website and blog. If you offer a podcast, make sure you mention it to your listeners.
A large number of other sites will allow you to advertise your contest with them as well. Google "contest submission sites" to get a hold of some good possibilities. Press releases can also be well utilized to stimulate interest for your event.
Contests and giveaways can really help you bring traffic to your website. Once you start offering them, you gauge which type your visitors like the best and you will be able to create great results.
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