Members Bailing after Contests

If you hold contests and giveaways on your forum, how do you prevent a huge crowd from leaving the site after the contest is over? It's no surprise that many of your members are only participating and active because they are completing for the prize(s). So naturally, when the contest is over, they leave. This can kill a community, so how would you prevent it from happening?

 

For myself I'll admit my activity would slow down, but I don't bail entirely if I like the place. Perhaps make announcements about what's coming up in the future that they'll want to stick around for?

 

Exactly what I was going to say xD

 

When I held my contest, most of the members stayed around afterwards. I dont think it was a real issue.

 

There's no way to keep them from leaving, other than to keep the forum content interesting

 

You'll have to make a good impression oon them during their time at the forum to get them to stick around.

 

It's crucial to do the following (in my book):

• Provide the community with a fresh flow of unique content.
• Maintain a consistent level of activity (i.e. creating new threads, responding to already existing threads, etc).
• Create and initiate additional contests.

... if members are really intent on leaving, they'll leave - however, providing them with and/or doing all of the above can (and will) prevent many from becoming inactive.

 

Everytime we run a competition, we have trouble getting people to actually enter, we cant give away money !!

 

Hahaha! That's a weird problem to have.

As someone who is planning a contest to regain interest in the members, I'm keeping my eyes on this thread. I think the key is to let them know what else you have going on using announcements/newsletters, like Soliloquy said. There will be people that leave no matter what, though, and there's really not much you can do to prevent that.

 

I had that problem once. I gave away a $200 prize for an article writing contest and only 2 people entered.

Next contest, its just going to be for posting.

 

I hear of this sort of thing happening often; a lucrative prize is offered, but only a few people seriously compete. How did you promote the contest?

 

Whats really going on here, is Nick is worried about people leaving after the contest is over.

Well, dont worry.

 

:thumbup:

 

I'm here to stay. I must admit, the contest did persuade me to join, but it's now not the only reason that I'm here!

 

Kind of same here. I am here to stay! o.o/

Content is key if you want your users to stay after a competition, it something that interests them, a lot of the users think before bailing out right after a competition.

 

Stick Around Is Always A Good Idea.

 

I haven't tried this myself but you can do something like have a contest where there is a placing system (say 1st through 5th). A month after the contest (or 2 weeks or whatever) the active member that's highest in place will get the prize. So if 1st place has forgotten about the place, it goes on to 2nd or so. You can enforce guidelines as far as what activity over that time span means.

I don't know how effective that would be (maybe more so in a new community) but it's an idea. Maybe not even announce the winners until after that time period and create little teasers about the announcement coming soon up until the date.

 

People might not want to participate if they know they won't be getting their prize or know who the winner is in a timely fashion, though... people don't like delayed gratification.
Maybe you could announce a major contest well in advance and say only members who join before this day and have x number of posts each month are eligible to enter?

 

Exactly what I was thinking, Michelle.

 

I agree and definitely hinted at that.. but if they're going to leave afterwards anyways not a lot of motive to keep them around later

maybe you'll lose a few that would've stayed around but who knows