If you’re worried about the lower levels of engagement many brands are seeing online, don’t worry. We have a few tips on how to bring out the lurkers with your text sweepstakes.
You might be surprised to hear that most of your audience online consists of lurkers.
While lurkers aren’t bad and could actually include some of your brand’s biggest fans, it can be disheartening to plan a campaign with the thought that it wouldn’t get much response. You’d be wrong though. Sweepstakes lure them out into the open with prizes, plus there are a few extra tactics to get their attention.
Here’s how to spark some interest from lurkers and get them to interact with your text sweepstakes.
What is a lurker?
A lurker is a person who follows your brand, but never participates or engages with your content. They simply “lurk” or observe instead.
Typically, a lurker may follow a text sweepstakes promotional page or enter the campaign, but chooses not to interact with any of your follow-up or social media messages.
The ratio of engaged participants versus lurkers varies by company and campaign, but it’s safe to assume as much as 90 to 95% of your audience is in lurk mode. After all, we’re in an “always connected” world, where competition for attention is high.
Why do they lurk and what can you do about it?
There are too many reasons to list why a person would choose to lurk, but there are a few you should know about. These are the top reasons discouraging lurkers from becoming active participants.
> They don’t know what they should do.
To make sure your text to win gets a high level of engagement, focus on having a strong call-to-action. Every post, ad, email or mention should give them clear instructions on the next step. (Ex: “Text WINE to 65047 for a chance to win a trip to wine country!”)
> They don’t feel a need to contribute or fear being put in the spotlight.
In order to get lurkers to participate, focus on sweepstakes rather than contests. The beauty of your text sweepstakes is that it takes anonymous entries, so entrants will not be called out in any way – unless they win. 😉
> They don’t have time to participate, but still want to win a prize.
You’ve likely seen (or even hosted) contests asking for photo or video entries, etc. Believe it or not, that’s too much work for many fans. Unlike contests, sweepstakes don’t require any work, especially a text sweepstakes. Let them know how easy it is to participate.
> They prefer other communication channels or different types of media.
While some people might enjoy texting, others prefer to share, like, and comment on social media. Additionally, some users might prefer video.
To attract those who prefer certain channels or types of media, promote your sweepstakes in different formats. Post a live stream or video on social media, send out visual graphics with your call-to-action and write posts as well. Cover your bases essentially. You could even send questions via text during the campaign.
Also Read: How to Promote Your Text to Win Sweepstakes on Social Media
Make sure to share your content is spread across multiple platforms so that you can reach your audience in many different ways.
> They don’t feel a person connection.
Today there are more tools than ever to connect with your fans outside of sales transactions. But you might need help to make that final connection, especially if these fans are not yet customers. This is where influencers and brand advocates can step in. Highly engaged fans who are not lurkers (1% to 8% of your fans) can help spread the word. Recruit these brand advocates to help fuel participation in your sweeps.
Increase engagement with your text sweepstakes by launching your campaign with Sweeppea. To get started, see features and pricing.