Customer interaction through social media platforms gives users a greater sense of connection with the company. Whether it be through social media contests, answering questions or a simple shout-out, people thrive for these types of social interactions. According to a recent study by the market-research firm Ipsos, 52 percent of consumers are motivated to stay connected with a brand by contests.
Taco Bell’s recent ‘Breakfast Phone’ campaign is a great example. The fast food chain sent 1,000 highly influential Twitter users “Breakfast Phones” (see photos and a story) to utilize in Taco Bell’s social media contests. The Samsung T404G phones received calls and text messages that gave directions for the next social media challenge for a chance to win prizes.
These social media challenges were a way for Taco Bell to start promoting its new breakfast menu on Twitter. The influencers in turn spread the word and generated a lot of buzz on social media hyping up the new menu.
Challenges included answering a question, posting a picture, sharing a Taco Bell related meme, etc. on social networks using the companies-related hashtags. For every challenge, a select few phone holders were selected to win prizes.
Taco Bell truly engaged with their social media followers to make the contest fun and personal. The selected phone users were consistantly being involved in the Taco Bell brand, which made them fans of the whole campaign.
Social Media Contests for Marketing
- Know What’s Popular. The type of social media contests that work well are the ones that are constantly changing. Do your research and then tailor your contest accordingly.
- Stick to Your Guns. Will this campaign benefit your brand? If the answer is yes, it is important to know what your brand is aiming to achieve from the contest. Don’t get lost in the end goal you set at the beginning of the process.
- Research Your Social Media Influencers. Taco Bell didn’t just pick 1,000 random Twitter users, it strategically chose 1,000 Twitter users who have a big following. Why target 10,000 people when you can target 10 people who each have 1,000 followers?