How do I run a contest?
There are a number of contest options available, including giveaways, hashtag contests, photo contests, etc. First choose the goal (e.g., engagement, lead collection, brand awareness) and prize to help you can determine the type of contest you want to run. Read our post, “8 Steps to Running a Successful Contest,” for a complete overview.
How long does it take to create a campaign
The time it takes to build a campaign depends on the type of campaign you plan to create. We offer professionally designed templates and themes to help save you time. This means that building something simple, like a giveaway, might only take a few minutes to set up. Our Getting Started Guide will help you to create your campaigns quickly. As a best practice, we suggest giving yourself plenty of time to create, test and promote your campaign before it goes live.
How do I run a contest on Facebook?
We suggest using Facebook to drive traffic to your contest instead of publishing your contest to Facebook. You can embed your contest on your website — as a landing page or as a pop-up — and then promote it on Facebook. We recommend keeping contests on your own properties because it gives you the freedom to run the contest your way, without worrying about Facebook’s restrictions. Want to learn more about Facebook contests? Read “Everything You Need to Know About Running a Facebook Contest.”
Do i have to know code in order to use ShortStack?
Nope! ShortStack allows you to create online campaigns without the use of code. Use our widgets and Style Panel to build and style your campaign. If you do happen to be code-savvy, then you can use our Code Widget and CSS Editor to further customize your campaign.
How do I select a winner for my contest or giveaway?
I won't run a contest for a few Months, can I pause payments until I need ShortStack Again?
Yes! We offer the ability to pause payments for up to 3 months. This is a great option if you run a contest every other month, or are taking a break for one reason or another. During the pause period, you will not have access to any part of ShortStack (entries, emails, the builder, etc), but you will not be charged. Your data will be stored and ready for your return! Learn more about pausing your account.
How do I run a contest on Instagram?
Instagram does not allow campaigns to be published directly to their platform. However, you can publish your campaign as a standalone landing page or embed it on your website, then post a link to the contest in your Instagram profile description and direct entrants to the link to enter. Alternatively, you can run an Instagram hashtag contest where people enter by including the contest hashtag (hashtag contests are available on our Brand and Enterprise plans). For more in-depth information on Instagram contests, read “How to do an Instagram Giveaway.”
Can I run weekly, monthly, or yearly contests?
We suggest choosing a few different times a year to engage with your fans and run contests, create quizzes, send emails, etc. Why? Because repetition is important for brand awareness. Check out our Perpetual Campaign Guide. Also, if you are in need of ideas for campaigns to run throughout the year, our blog post “The complete 12-month marketing plan for contests, giveaways & promotions” is overflowing with suggestions.
CAN I CUSTOMIZE SHORTSTACK TEMPLATES?
ShortStack’s templates are professionally designed and fully customizable to fit your campaign and match your company’s branding. You can update the text and images, change the form fields, update the appearance using our Style Panel and the CSS Editor (available on the Business Plan and higher plans), and much more.
Can I test campaigns or show them to my client/colleagues before publishing?
How much does it cost to run an Instagram contest?
Can I just create a contest and expect to start seeing entries?
Can I run a campaign on my website?
Can people share the contest to Instagram?
How do I get more followers/likes on Facebook?
How do I moderate UGC from social media contests and promotions?
Are there any additional fees?
How do I create a video upload contest?
Is ShortStack compliant with Facebook and Instagram rules and regulation?
How do I choose a company to build my next Facebook/IG/Social contest/promotion/giveaway?
Can I reward entrants for sharing to social media?
Can I restrict how many times someone can enter/vote?
Certainly! You can restrict entry via:
- Email address,
- Facebook ID (Business Plan and higher plans), and
- Mobile device login (Brand Plan and higher plans).
Entries can be restricted to:
- Once only,
- Once every X number of minutes/hours/days, or
- A maximum of X entries.
Voting can be restricted via the Voting Widget. Voting Widget restriction options include:
- Anonymous Fingerprint,
- Anonymous IP Address,
- Facebook ID (Business Plan and higher plans), and
- Mobile device login.
The frequency of voting can be restricted to:
- Once only,
- Once per entry,
- Once every X minutes/hours/days, and
- Once per entry every X minutes/hours/days.
We also provide captcha fields for both the entry form and the Voting Widget to help protect your contest. Check out our blog post, “7 Essential Security Features You Need to Prevent Cheating in Your Next Contest or Giveaway,” for the best practices on repelling cheaters.