Without a well-optimized contest landing page, your contest might not go very far—and the effort and resources that you’ve put into organizing and running your campaign could be at stake.
When thinking about getting those contest landing pages right, flip what you know about home pages on its head. A home page should be fairly static and include virtually everything as it relates to your brand, calmly and quickly directing people to the information that they need.
On the other hand, your contest landing page should get people excited.
The page should be structured to convince them that entering the contest is the right thing to do at that very moment. The prize should be readily apparent and tantalizing.
In fact, the offer should be so compelling that they immediately share it with friends after they have entered the contest. That word of mouth will do wonders for your traffic and conversion goals— and that’s what you want.
Contests can have a huge number of benefits, from finding talent, to collecting user-generated content, to spreading brand awareness, to building followers and lists. Let’s dive into the strategies and tactics behind building high converting contest landing pages.
How to create an amazing contest landing page
Chris Fitzner is a Creative Marketing Strategist with Appian. With over 7 years of experience across multiple industry verticals, Chris has run contests across all social channels. He stresses the need for alignment with the client’s target audience and brand voice when it comes to contest landing pages.
Fitzner notes that, “There are multiple variables to look at to make sure your contest is going to be a success.” Before any contest gets launched and any contest landing pages go live, Fitzner recommends that brands ask and answer the following questions:
- What is the goal? (e.g. social media engagement, followers, email acquisition, etc.)
- What platform will be used to host the contest?
- Who is the target audience?
- Is it a contest or a raffle? (There is a difference and it matters)
- Is there alignment with the legal team for terms and conditions?
- What is the budget?
- How will the contest entrants be reviewed and judged?
- How long will the contest run?
Once you’ve got a good handle on those questions, there are some key elements that should drive how you construct your contest landing page.
Catchy headline
Make it pop.
Your title should immediately draw in entrants by letting them know that something valuable is up for grabs and that their action is needed. One way to make contest headlines really sing is to toss in the actual dollar value of the prize to further entice entrants.
Throwing in added benefits in a checklist fashion (as in the example above) also helps to underscore for entrants what they’re getting by completing the call to action.
Your headline should be straightforward yet attractive. Keep it brief and let the prize draw entrants into the contest.
Copy that converts
Keep the copy lean and action-oriented.
Find a quick and easy way to direct entrants to the finer details and rules of the contest with a link to another page. Most people don’t even review these but make sure they’re clearly noted to cut down on any confusion and to prevent legal issues. .
Contest landing page copy should instill a sense of urgency. Note the end date for the contest. Include a few simple steps for entrants to follow in order to increase their chances (like social shares).
The goal here is to move people from interest to action using a few focused words along with compelling visuals.
High-quality images
Make sure to choose high-quality images that convey value.
In the example above, we see a very happy family in the midst of travel with an attractive mountain vista behind them. Concepts like “family” and “travel” and “nature” tend to be associated with positive emotions.
So the image on the landing page is already doing a lot of work to draw entrants into the contest. It truly shows the value that entrants might get from entering and winning the contest with just one striking visual.
Strive for images that tell the story and put entrants at the center of the prize they’re chasing.
Quick entry forms
Fewer options.
That’s what Jack Choros—a Marketing Specialist with IronMonk Solutions—recommends when it comes to contest landing pages.
“Give them just one single option to opt in with an email address only. The more data you ask the prospect for upfront, the less likely they are to fill it out,” shared Choros. If you desire more information from entrants, Choros recommends adding a pop-up window after they’ve entered their email that offers other engagement options.
Keep it simple and make your call to action very apparent. Make sure to add a confirmation of some sort so that entrants know their information has been recorded.
Easily shareable
Stacy Caprio, Founder of Accelerated Growth Marketing, is a huge fan of a big ol’ “Share” button.
Caprio notes that her firm has “seen increases in contest entries by having a share button on the bottom of the contest page that when shared increases the number of entries for those who share the contest.”
As in the example above, giving users a few one-click options across multiple platforms allows them to easily share the contest while enhancing their chances to win. That’s too attractive of an offer for most entrants to resist.
Give incentives to share for a great way to further give your contest some legs with increased social sharing.
Ready to build a winning contest landing page?
With Submittable, its simple to create a beautiful, branded landing page that converts. Start fast and go strong using contest management software.
High converting landing pages are within reach—with the right platform
Nailing every single element of a high converting contest landing page takes practice.
Don’t expect to get everything right with the first content, or with every contest you run. One way to level up is to use contest management software. Online contest software can help you streamline the launch and management of your competitions.
From branded entry forms that are mobile-responsive to bulk updates that improve communications with contest entrants, contest management software can take care of the little things while your team tackles larger strategic questions.
A modern platform for your contest management can ultimately boost your brand and enhance your reach—while helping you check all of the boxes above for your landing page, from a striking layout to a simple, straightforward form. Create your landing page in minutes, and launch your next contest today.
Paul Perry is a writer and former educator with significant experience in nonprofit management. He has a soft spot for grant-seekers striving to make the world a better, more just place.