After a week of freezing temps, we’re already ready for spring, but these cold months can actually be ideal for keeping a “captive” audience engaged! To take advantage of our tendency towards human hibernation this winter, encourage your followers to participate in these fun contest ideas.
1) “What Does Winter Mean to You?” Photo Contest
- People love any opportunity to share photos of their kids, the sunset, their pets, etc. Increase organic traffic and raise brand awareness by inviting followers to post a photo of what winter looks like to them in the comments. Examples could be snowy landscapes, frosty or foggy mornings, the family building a snowman, and so much more! Use a hashtag like #whywelovewinter and encourage entrants to share a bit about their image. The photo with the most likes and replies is your winner!
2) “Snow Day Smiles” Selfie Contest
- Selfies are practically a national past-time at this point. Tap into that by inviting followers to upload selfies during a snow day! Create a hashtag like #snowdaysmiles and have entrants post their photos and a description of how they’re spending their snow day in the comments. Prizes always increase activity, so put together a small gift basket with goodies like hot cocoa, teas, dry soup mix, even socks – anything that evokes warmth and comfort! – and choose your winner based on which photo has the most engagement.
3) Snow Day Shopping Giveaway
- Inclement weather can keep followers off the road and in the house. Brighten up a boring day by offering a gift card to followers who share their favorite winter activity on your post! Use Facebook Live or Instagram TV to your advantage and draw a winner at random from the entrants in real time.
Suggestions For Any Of The Above Contests
- Announce the winner on Facebook/Instagram Live
- Make a cute/funny/silly team video announcing the contest on social media
- Send an email to your database announcing the contest (in addition to a social media post)
If you would like more ideas or have questions, feel free to reach out! We’re here to help!