Avoid Entrant Confusion: How to Create Clear Entry Terms for Your Sweepstakes Participants

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As a brand, your number one job is to make it easy for sweepstakes participants to enter your sweepstakes or contest. However, overlooking optimization of your entry form, Alternate Method of Entry (AMOE), and sweepstakes advertising, will do just the opposite. Confused entrants don’t enter your sweepstakes.

It seems straightforward. Create an entry form for your sweepstakes or contest.

The question is, does the user experience match sweepstakes participants’ expectations? What can brands do to make it easier for their followers and customers to become sweepstakes or contest participants?

If you need help with simplifying your sweepstakes entry process to ensure that customers aren’t confused, keep reading as we show you how to optimize your contest or sweepstakes UX starting from the entry page.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

• What do you do if a sweepstakes participant is confused?
• Why is entry form optimization important?
• How to simplify the entry process

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How to Get UX Feedback From Sweepstakes Participants

To get real-time feedback on your sweepstakes or contest entry form UX, follow these tips:

1. Be customer-focused. Make sure that your sweepstakes or contest entry form clearly explains the steps required to enter your promotion in a clear and succinct manner. Let customers know that support is available if they need help.
2. Eliminate multiple options. The primary options on your sweepstakes entry form should be to enter or leave the page. Don’t distract potential sweepstakes participants with unnecessary options. Only include other elements as required by law, such as a link to the Sweepstakes Official Rules, Abbreviated Rules, and the links to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
3. Ask sweepstakes entrants what is confusing. Use website analytics software to detect rage clicks, error clicks, dead clicks, and mouse shakes.
4. Ask for feedback in followup messages. Keep tabs on your sweepstakes participants throughout the promotion. If you find that many participants are not completing multiple entries, you may still have issues you need to resolve with your entry form.

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Talk About Your Sweepstakes Entry Process

It never hurts to create a quick YouTube video or blog post to show users where to go and how to enter your sweepstakes. Whether you share the tips on your social media profiles, or a popup when there is a confused customer on sweepstakes entry page, having clear instructions is useful.

Here are some places to talk about the sweepstakes entry process and how it works for participants:

1. YouTube Channel
2. Social Media Page for the Sweepstakes Promotion
3. In a GIF that can be embedded anywhere (for recurring sweepstakes)
4. Sweepstakes FAQ Section on the Entry Page

Break the Multiple Entry Process into Steps

If your sweepstakes or contest involves multiple entries, break the single entry giveaway entry process down into steps. Show sweepstakes or contest participants how to enter for the first time.

Then, show them each of the different ways claim multiple entries after they have completed the sweepstakes entry form for their first chance to win a prize.

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Make sure to remind users that they are required to comply with all sweepstakes Official Rules upon entry including providing proof of eligibility to win prizes.

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Create a Sweepstakes Rules FAQ Section on Your Entry Page

Consider adding an FAQ page section to your entry page that provides answers to common questions about the official rules, demonstrates trust, and helps to reduce objections.

A sweepstakes FAQ is where potential sweepstakes participants can learn about the finer details of your promotion without having to read the full Official Rules.

Your sweepstakes FAQ section should still encourage all participants to read the Official Rules prior to entry.

Aside from simply troubleshooting common sweepstakes entry questions, your FAQ section becomes a powerful tool that:

1. Saves sweepstakes participants time and reduces customer service tickets
2. Improves the visibility of your sweepstakes entry page in the search engines
3. Makes entering a sweepstakes or contest beginner-friendly for people who are new your brand

An effective sweepstakes or content rules FAQ page can have many benefits and help avoid customers becoming confused about how your sweepstakes or social media contest works.

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Reassure Your Sweepstakes Participants With an Entry Success Confirmation

For the final optimization step, make sure to confirm to your sweepstakes participants that they have completed the entry process with a confirmation message. You should send a message or notification for entry success confirmation, and a follow up to welcome them to your sweepstakes or contest.

This helps participants know that they completed the steps properly. Although, their eligibility to win will still need to be confirmed after winner announcement per your official rules.

Some Sweepstakes Entry Requirements Are Not Allowed

Some sweepstakes entry requirements may be prohibited by law. For example, in order for a sweepstakes to be legal in the United States, it may not require an entrant to issue consideration in any form, namely significant effort or by making a purchase.

There are other aspects of the entry process that could potentially results in legal problems. You should have a sweepstakes attorney review any and all of these concerns before you publish your Official Rules:

• Requiring entrants to download paid apps
• Data charges related to SMS sweepstakes entries
• Alternate Method of Entry (AMOE)
• Promotions involving substantial effort, such as a lengthy survey or scavenger hunt

Contest Entry Requirements That Invite Legal Problems

For a skills-based contest, entrants may be asked to pay a fee to enter the contest. However, charging an entry fee is prohibited in certain states for a skill contest.

User-generated content (UGC) can also invite legal problems if your brand fails to obtain the required legal permissions from the creators themselvs.

Data Collection and Privacy Laws Apply to All Sweepstakes and Contests

Sweepstakes entry forms allow for the collection of participant data including contact information and answers to survey questions. Brands must ensure that their sweepstakes or contest Official Rules explain in detail how the sweepstakes Sponsor(s) will use all data collected during the entry process and ensure that all data protection practices are in line with applicable privacy laws.

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