Learn how to create a successful user generated video contest with this comprehensive guide. Includes tips, examples, and best practices. Start engaging your audience today!

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a User Generated Video Contest

Engage Your Audience with User Generated Video Contests

Why User Generated Video Contests Matter

Increased Engagement and Brand Awareness

Cost-Effective Marketing

Examples of Successful User Generated Video Contests

Planning Your User Generated Video Contest

Defining Your Goals and Objectives

Identifying Your Target Audience and Contest Theme

Creating Contest Guidelines and Rules

Promoting Your User Generated Video Contest

Creating a Landing Page and Call-to-Action

Leveraging Social Media and Influencers

Paid Advertising and Other Promotion Strategies

Managing and Judging Your User Generated Video Contest

Managing Submissions and Ensuring Compliance

Judging Criteria and Process

Announcing Winners and Awarding Prizes

Post-Contest Evaluation and Follow-Up

Analyzing Contest Results and Metrics

Engaging with Participants and Showcasing Winning Entries

Planning for Future Contests

Creating a User Generated Video Contest: A Step-by-Step Guide

User generated video contests encourage customers to create content that tells the brand's story in creative ways. This leads to increased engagement and brand awareness as customers share their videos on social media and other platforms. By giving customers a chance to showcase their creativity and win prizes, brands build a community of loyal customers who are invested in the brand's success.

Engages Customers in the Brand Story

User generated video contests create authentic content that resonates with customers. This is because the videos are created by the customers themselves, who have a unique perspective on the brand and its products. This authenticity helps to build trust with customers, who are more likely to buy from brands they trust.

Creates Authentic Content

User generated video contests provide valuable insights into what customers think about the brand and its products. By analyzing the videos submitted in the contest, brands can gain a better understanding of their target audience and what motivates them. This information can be used to improve products and marketing strategies.

Provides Valuable User Insights

User generated video contests are a cost-effective marketing strategy because the production costs are low. Brands do not need to hire professional videographers or actors, as the videos are created by customers. This makes user generated video contests ideal for small businesses or startups with limited marketing budgets.

Low Cost of Production

User generated video contests have a high return on investment because they generate a lot of buzz for the brand at a low cost. By encouraging customers to create content and share it on social media, brands can reach a wider audience than traditional advertising methods. This leads to increased brand awareness and sales.

High Return on Investment

User generated video contests provide long-term benefits for brands. The videos submitted in the contest can be used in future marketing campaigns, saving the brand time and money on content creation. Additionally, the community of loyal customers created by the contest can continue to engage with the brand and promote it to others.

Long-Term Benefits

The Doritos 'Crash the Super Bowl' contest asked customers to create a 30-second commercial for Doritos that would air during the Super Bowl. The winning ad was selected by a panel of judges and aired during the game. The contest generated a lot of buzz for Doritos and increased brand awareness. It also provided valuable insights into what customers thought about the brand and its products.

Doritos 'Crash the Super Bowl' Contest

The GoPro 'Million Dollar Challenge' asked customers to submit their best GoPro footage for a chance to win a share of one million dollars. The winning footage was used in a marketing campaign for GoPro. The contest generated a lot of buzz for the brand and increased sales. It also provided valuable user insights into how customers were using their GoPro cameras.

GoPro 'Million Dollar Challenge'

The Lay's 'Do Us a Flavor' contest asked customers to create a new potato chip flavor and submit it for a chance to win a cash prize. The winning flavor was produced and sold in stores. The contest generated a lot of buzz for Lay's and increased sales. It also provided valuable user insights into what flavors customers were interested in.

Lay's 'Do Us a Flavor' Contest

Brands should start by defining the purpose of their user generated video contest. Is it to increase brand awareness? Generate leads? Promote a new product or service? By having a clear understanding of their goals and objectives, brands can create a contest that aligns with their overall marketing strategy.

What is the purpose of the contest?

Next, brands should identify their target audience. Who are they trying to reach with their contest? What are their demographics, interests, and behaviors? Understanding the target audience will help brands create a contest theme that will resonate with them and increase participation.

Who is the target audience?

Finally, brands should define the desired outcomes of their contest. What do they hope to achieve as a result of the contest? Is it increased engagement on social media? More website traffic? By defining the desired outcomes, brands can measure the success of their contest and make improvements for future contests.

What are the desired outcomes?

To identify the target audience, brands should conduct research to understand their demographics, interests, and behaviors. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, or analyzing data on social media platforms.

Research your target audience

Once the target audience is identified, brands should choose a contest theme that will resonate with them. The theme should be relevant to the brand and align with their overall marketing strategy. It should also be creative and engaging to encourage participation.

Choose a theme that resonates with the target audience

When choosing a contest theme, brands should also consider the type of video content they want participants to create. Will it be a promotional video? A product review? A tutorial? The type of video content should align with the theme and desired outcomes of the contest.

Consider the type of video content

To ensure a successful contest, brands should establish eligibility requirements for participants. This can include age restrictions, residency requirements, and other criteria that align with the purpose of the contest.

Establish eligibility requirements

Brands should also define the video submission guidelines, including the length, format, and quality of the videos. This will ensure that all submissions meet the same standards and can be judged fairly.

Define the video submission guidelines

To ensure a fair judging process, brands should outline the judging criteria and provide examples of what makes a winning video. This will help participants understand what is expected of them and create higher quality submissions.

Outline the judging criteria

Finally, brands should include legal disclaimers in their contest guidelines and rules. This can include a liability waiver, copyright and intellectual property guidelines, and other legal considerations.

Include legal disclaimers

The landing page should clearly explain the contest rules, deadlines, prizes, and any other relevant information. Brands should also provide a list of guidelines for submissions. This will help potential participants understand what is expected of them and increase the chances of high-quality submissions.

Clear Contest Information and Guidelines

The landing page should have an attractive design that captures the brand's identity and the theme of the contest. The use of visual elements such as images and videos can also help to engage visitors and encourage participation.

Eye-Catching Design and Branding

The submission process should be quick and simple. Brands should provide clear instructions on how to submit a video, including file formats and size limits. The landing page should also include a form for basic information such as name, email, and contact details.

Easy Submission Process

Brands should identify the social media platforms that are most relevant for their target audience and focus on those platforms. For example, if the contest is targeting younger audiences, platforms like TikTok and Instagram may be more effective.

Identify Relevant Social Media Platforms

Brands should create a social media strategy that includes regular posts and updates about the contest, using relevant hashtags and tagging influencers and participants. They can also consider partnering with influencers to promote the contest to their followers.

Create a Social Media Strategy

To increase engagement and participation, brands should encourage participants to share their videos on social media using specific hashtags and tags. This will help to spread the word about the contest and generate more buzz around the brand and its products.

Encourage User-Generated Content

Paid advertising can be an effective way to increase awareness of the contest and drive traffic to the landing page. Brands can use Google and social media ads targeting specific demographics and interests.

Google and Social Media Ads

Brands can use email marketing and newsletters to promote the contest to their existing subscribers and customers. They can also consider partnering with relevant websites and blogs to feature the contest and reach new audiences.

Email Marketing and Newsletters

Collaborating with other brands or organizations can help to increase the reach and impact of the contest. Brands can consider partnering with influencers, media outlets, or other brands in their industry to promote the contest and attract more participants.

Contest Partnerships and Collaborations

To make the submission process as easy and straightforward as possible, it's important to establish a clear and concise submission process. This includes outlining the steps for submitting videos, what file formats are acceptable, and any other relevant details. Consider using a platform that allows for easy video uploading and management.

Establish a Clear Submission Process

Once submissions start rolling in, it's important to stay organized. Create a system for tracking submissions, such as a spreadsheet or database, and make sure to label submissions clearly with the contestant's name or ID number. This will make it easier to judge the videos later on.

Organize Submissions Effectively

To ensure a fair and successful contest, it's crucial to enforce compliance with the contest guidelines and rules. This includes verifying that participants meet the eligibility criteria, that videos are original and not copyrighted, and that all other rules are followed. Consider having a team to review and approve each submission before it's accepted into the contest.

Ensure Compliance with Contest Guidelines and Rules

The judging criteria should be clear and aligned with the contest goals and objectives. For example, if the goal is to increase brand awareness, the judging criteria could include creativity, originality, and how well the video promotes the brand. It's important to establish objective criteria that judges can use to evaluate each submission fairly.

Establish Clear and Fair Judging Criteria

When selecting judges, consider individuals who are knowledgeable and experienced in the industry or topic area. It's also important to have a diverse group of judges to ensure a variety of perspectives. Consider having an odd number of judges to avoid ties.

Selecting Judges

To ensure a fair judging process, establish a clear and transparent process for judges to follow. This includes outlining the judging criteria, providing a rubric or scoring system, and setting up a timeline for judging. Consider having judges evaluate submissions independently and then come together to discuss and finalize their decisions.

Establish a Fair Judging Process

To build suspense and excitement, create a plan for announcing the winners. Consider announcing the finalists first and then revealing the grand prize winner in a separate announcement. Make sure to communicate the announcement plan to all participants and judges in advance.

Create a Plan for Announcing Winners

Once the winners have been announced, it's important to award the prizes in a timely manner. Make sure to communicate with the winners to obtain their contact and payment information. Consider showcasing the winning entries on the brand's website or social media channels to continue building buzz and engagement.

Awarding Prizes

To maintain transparency and build trust with participants, make sure to communicate the contest results to all participants. This includes announcing the winners publicly and sharing any relevant contest metrics, such as the number of submissions or engagement metrics. Consider sending a personalized message to all participants to thank them for their participation.

Communicate Results to All Participants

One of the most important metrics to analyze after a user generated video contest is the view count and engagement of the videos. Tracking the number of views and likes on social media platforms can give brands a sense of how successful their contest was in terms of generating buzz and interest.

View Count and Engagement

Brands should also evaluate the quality of the submissions received during the contest. Were the videos on-brand and aligned with the contest theme? Did they showcase the creativity and talent of the participants? Analyzing the quality of the submissions can help brands understand how well their contest resonated with their target audience.

Quality of Submissions

In addition to analyzing metrics, brands should also gather feedback from contest participants. This can include surveying participants to understand what they liked and disliked about the contest, as well as asking for suggestions for future contests. Gathering participant feedback can provide valuable insights to help brands improve their future contests.

Participant Feedback

Brands should showcase winning entries on their website and social media channels to continue building brand awareness and engagement. This can include featuring the videos on a dedicated page on their website, as well as sharing them on social media platforms. Brands should also consider creating a highlight reel of the winning entries to share on their website and social media channels.

Showcasing Winning Entries

Engaging with participants after the contest can help brands build a sense of community and loyalty among their audience. This can include thanking participants for their submissions via email or social media, as well as featuring their videos on the brand's website and social media channels. Brands can also consider hosting a virtual event or live stream to showcase the winning entries and provide an opportunity for participants to connect with each other and the brand.

Engaging with Participants

Analyzing the results and feedback from the contest can help brands identify areas for improvement for future contests. This can include refining the contest theme, adjusting the rules and guidelines, and improving the prize offerings. Brands should also consider the feedback from participants when planning future contests.

Identifying Areas for Improvement

Brands should also build on the successes of their previous contest when planning future contests. This can include replicating successful elements of the previous contest, such as the contest theme or prize offerings. Brands can also consider leveraging the content from the previous contest, such as by creating a highlight reel of the winning entries or featuring the videos on their website and social media channels.

Building on Successes

Engaging with participants after the contest can help build a sense of loyalty and community among the brand's audience. Brands should continue to engage with participants through email and social media, and consider hosting follow-up events or live streams to keep the community connected. By continuing to engage with participants, brands can build a loyal following and generate buzz for future contests.

Continuing to Engage with Participants

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Creating A User Generated Video Contest: A Step-By-Step Guide

Engage Your Audience with User Generated Video Contests