How to Run Online Sweepstakes
Online sweepstakes are a powerful way to grow your audience, boost brand awareness, and encourage meaningful engagement. When run effectively, they can help you attract new followers, drive targeted actions, and even build long-term customer relationships — all with the excitement of a prize.
This guide will walk you through how online sweepstakes work, why they are effective, what legal requirements to keep in mind, and how to set one up step-by-step. Whether you are planning your first giveaway or looking to improve your current approach, you will find practical tips and examples to help you succeed. Looking for a tool to power your sweepstakes? You can explore Gleam’s Competitions App for a streamlined way to launch, manage, and promote your campaign.
Online sweepstakes are a type of prize promotion where winners are selected at random from a pool of eligible entrants. To qualify, participants usually complete one or more tasks — such as submitting their email address, sharing on social media, or referring a friend.
Entrants can often gain multiple entries by completing additional actions, which helps incentivise deeper engagement while still keeping the campaign fair and chance-based.
Here is an example of what a typical online sweepstakes might look like using Gleam:
Find out what online sweepstakes are and what rules and laws apply to them.
Running an online sweepstakes can be a highly effective tactic within a broader digital marketing strategy. Whether your goal is to grow a targeted audience, boost engagement, or generate leads, sweepstakes offer a unique combination of reach and incentive.
Here are some key reasons why they work so well:
- Sweepstakes allow participants to enter quickly, lowering friction and increasing overall participation rates.
- The chance-based format, often paired with the ability to earn bonus entries for additional actions, motivates deeper engagement.
- Prize-driven campaigns are naturally attention-grabbing and shareable — making them ideal for expanding reach across social channels.
- You can align sweepstakes with nearly any marketing objective: growing email lists, boosting social followers, driving traffic, or promoting new products.
- With the right tools, managing a sweepstakes — from setup to drawing winners — can be simple and scalable.
Platforms like Gleam’s Competitions App offer a streamlined way to create, run, and measure the success of your campaigns.
This step-by-step overview outlines how a typical online sweepstakes campaign is planned and executed — from selecting a prize to ensuring your setup complies with sweepstakes laws.
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Define Your Goal and Choose a Prize
Start by identifying your primary objective — such as growing an email list, increasing followers, or promoting a launch.
👉 Setting Up Prizes -
Choose a Platform and Set Up Your Campaign
Use a sweepstakes platform (like Gleam) to build your campaign. You can start from scratch or customise a template.
👉 Using Templates -
Configure User Details
Decide which details you want to collect from participants — email, name, age restrictions, or location.
👉 User Details -
Add Entry Methods
Include options like signing up to a newsletter, visiting a link, or referring a friend — aligned with your campaign goals.
👉 How to Enter -
Customise the Design
Match the design of your widget or landing page to your brand’s visual identity for a more seamless experience.
👉 Design Customisation -
Set Rules, Eligibility, and Dates
Define clear campaign rules, eligibility criteria, and run dates. Ensure your terms meet regional sweepstakes regulations.
👉 Rules Setup -
Configure Post-Entry Behaviour
Decide what participants see after entering — a thank-you message, redirect, or conversion tracking scripts.
👉 Post-Entry Options -
Install Your Campaign
Add your sweepstakes to a landing page, embed it on your site, or use a hosted campaign link.
👉 Install Guide -
Promote Your Sweepstakes
Use email, social media, partnerships, and ads to reach your audience and drive qualified entries.
👉 Promotion Tips -
Announce Winners and Re-Engage Participants
Randomly draw and validate winners, then announce them across your chosen channels. Follow up with non-winners to keep engagement high.
👉 Announce Winners
One of the first decisions to make when planning an online sweepstakes is choosing the right prize — one that captures attention while attracting the right kind of participants.
Ideally, your prize should be valuable enough to encourage entries, but also relevant to your target audience. The goal is not just traffic — it is to drive meaningful engagement that contributes to long-term business growth.
Generic prizes like Amazon gift cards may generate high entry volume, but often attract users who have no real interest in your brand. A well-aligned prize helps ensure that participants are likely to become long-term followers or customers.
Offering your own product or service is often the best way to ensure relevance — and it can double as a powerful promotional opportunity. Prizes like these reinforce your brand identity and can even be demonstrated or showcased during the campaign.
If you want to add an extra layer of value to your prize, try offering a limited or special edition product.
If you do not have your own product, choose a prize that aligns with your audience’s interests. For example, a beauty blogger might offer a skincare bundle, while a gaming creator could give away a console or a top-selling title.
If you plan to offer more than one prize — such as weekly draws or tiered winners — platforms like Gleam allow you to add multiple prizes to the same campaign.
A great way to increase the value of your prize pool (and generate extra exposure) is by partnering with complementary brands. Our customers Flyte Socks and Greenbelly have used this approach with great success.
Once you have selected your prize, the next step is deciding how users will enter your sweepstakes — which is one of the most important elements of campaign strategy.
Your entry actions should directly align with your campaign goals. For instance, if you want to grow your mailing list, requiring users to submit their email address makes sense. If your focus is on awareness, encouraging shares or video views may be more effective.
Many sweepstakes platforms, including Gleam, offer a wide range of entry methods that support different objectives — from traffic generation and referrals to social engagement and newsletter signups.
To help you decide which actions to include, the following sections will walk through the most common and effective types of entry methods for driving high-quality participation.
- Online Platform Interactions
- Subscribe to a Mailing List
- Visit a Webpage
- Submit Photos
- Ask a Question
- App Downloads
- Coupon Codes
- Bonus Actions
- Claim Loyalty Bonus
- Tweets/Retweets
Social media remains one of the most powerful channels for promoting your sweepstakes. These platforms help you attract new users, encourage peer-to-peer sharing, and build long-term brand visibility.
Sweepstakes platforms like Gleam offer a variety of social entry methods across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and more — all designed to support engagement-based goals.
Here are some popular social media actions you might include in your campaign:
- Ask participants to visit or interact with your Facebook page.
- Drive traffic to your Instagram profile to grow your following.
- Gain new followers by having users follow your Twitter account.
- Increase visibility by encouraging participants to retweet one of your posts.
- Let users share a personalised tweet that spreads awareness of your campaign.
- Use the viral share option to incentivise referrals and reward users who bring in new entrants.
If you use platforms like Twitch, YouTube, or Kickstarter, you can integrate your sweepstakes campaign to drive meaningful interactions across your digital presence.
Tools like Gleam offer built-in actions for many popular platforms, helping you encourage engagement wherever your audience already spends time.
Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective channels — but to get results, you first need a strong subscriber base. Sweepstakes can help you grow your list by rewarding users who sign up.
You can add an action to your campaign that incentivises users to subscribe to your newsletter in exchange for entry points. This is especially effective if your follow-up strategy includes exclusive offers or regular updates.
If you want to drive traffic to a landing page, blog post, or product announcement, you can include a “visit this page” action in your sweepstakes.
To ensure that visitors meaningfully engage with the content — rather than bounce immediately — you can ask a follow-up question to validate that they read or viewed the page.
A compelling way to build social media engagement and collect valuable marketing content is by encouraging users to submit their own images as part of your sweepstakes.
Some platforms allow you to create social contests that accept hashtag-restricted images across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also use general media submission fields to collect images directly from participants.
This is a great strategy if you want entrants to showcase how they use your product, complete a creative challenge, or participate in a brand-themed activity.
You can even build an entire campaign around user-submitted content — with winners chosen based on creativity, originality, or community voting.
Find out everything you need to know about setting up your own engaging photo contest and displaying submissions in a stylish gallery.
Sweepstakes can also be a great opportunity to gather feedback or insights from your audience. Including a “question” entry action allows you to ask for suggestions, preferences, or short answers related to your product or campaign.
This not only increases engagement but also gives you useful data to inform future decisions or product development.
If part of your campaign goal is to promote a mobile or desktop app, you can drive downloads by including an action that rewards users for installing your app.
If your app is paid, make sure you comply with no purchase necessary laws. This typically means offering a free entry alternative to ensure everyone has a fair chance to participate.
Offering a discount code as part of your sweepstakes is an excellent way to drive immediate sales while rewarding participation. Some platforms allow you to add a coupon action directly to your campaign.
You can also configure your campaign to unlock the coupon only after a participant completes a set number of actions. This helps increase the overall value of your campaign while encouraging deeper engagement.
Encouraging participants to complete as many actions as possible can significantly increase the value of your sweepstakes. One effective method is to use a “bonus” mechanic that rewards users who complete every available action.
For example, bonus actions can automatically award extra entries when a user finishes all required steps — boosting participation without needing additional incentives.
If you run sweepstakes regularly, it is a smart idea to reward users who consistently participate in your campaigns. Some platforms offer a Loyalty Bonus action that grants extra entries to returning entrants based on how many campaigns they have previously joined.
This type of incentive can help foster community, increase retention, and even encourage word-of-mouth promotion from your most engaged followers.
Check out our documentation on setting up your own sweepstakes or explore entry actions in more detail.
How long your sweepstake should run depends on your campaign size, audience, and promotional strategy.
Keeping a campaign open for several weeks or months gives you time to build momentum and attract more entries. However, longer campaigns can also risk losing urgency or engagement if not promoted consistently.
If you have an established following or are promoting a time-sensitive event (like a product launch or holiday sale), shorter campaigns — 7 to 14 days — can be highly effective.
Aligning your campaign duration with seasonal events like Christmas, Valentine's Day, or a major sale can also help increase visibility and boost participation.
Once your sweepstakes is set up, you will need to decide where to publish it.
If you do not have a website, you can use a hosted landing page — automatically generated by your sweepstakes platform — which can be styled and branded to fit your needs.
If you have a website, embedding your campaign directly into a blog post, landing page, or dedicated giveaway page is typically the best option. This helps keep traffic and engagement within your own ecosystem.
Some platforms also support advanced installation options, including:
- Full-page campaign embedding that mirrors a standalone hosted page
- Triggered popups or floating tabs that keep your sweepstakes visible across your site
You can even install your sweepstakes in multiple locations simultaneously — for example, on your website, a blog post, and within a Facebook Page tab.
Find out everything you need to know about installing your campaign on websites, hosted landing pages and popup tabs.
For your sweepstake to succeed, it is essential to drive visibility across the channels your audience already uses — especially social media and email.
A strong promotion strategy can transform a simple giveaway into a high-impact campaign. Whether your goal is to grow your list, increase brand exposure, or generate qualified leads, how and where you promote your campaign will directly affect its results.
Below are several proven methods to maximise exposure. For more detailed tactics, check out our full contest promotion guide.
Social media is one of the most effective ways to engage your existing followers and expand your reach. It supports both organic and viral growth, making it ideal for spreading campaign awareness through likes, shares, and tags.
Email marketing is a powerful way to notify your loyal audience about your campaign. A simple announcement or reminder email can drive early traction and boost conversions from your mailing list.
If you produce regular content — blog posts, YouTube videos, streams, or podcasts — incorporate your sweepstakes promotion into those formats. Mentioning or embedding your campaign helps reach audiences already engaged with your content.
If you operate a blog, embedding the campaign directly into a post allows you to promote the giveaway and collect entries in the same space.
Collaborating with other brands can help amplify your sweepstake’s reach and introduce your campaign to new, qualified audiences.
When choosing partners, avoid working with direct competitors — doing so can dilute your messaging and reduce the effectiveness of your promotion. Instead, look for complementary brands whose audiences align well with your own.
Influencer partnerships can help you reach highly targeted audiences, especially when the influencer has strong engagement and trust within your niche.
You can offer product samples, affiliate incentives, or simply collaborate around content that features your sweepstake in a natural and engaging way. Look for YouTubers, Instagram creators, and bloggers whose content already speaks to your ideal customers.
Paid ads are an efficient way to get your sweepstake in front of new, relevant audiences. Consider using channels like:
Make sure your creative highlights the prize, deadline, and ease of entry to maximise performance.
Sweepstakes directories and giveaway aggregators can offer low-cost visibility by placing your campaign in front of active contest seekers.
However, these platforms can sometimes attract less qualified entrants who are only interested in prizes — not your brand. To avoid this, consider offering a prize that is closely tied to your product or service.
If you want to explore this channel, we have compiled a helpful list of giveaway directories to get you started:
Check out our in depth guide for all the information you need on promoting your sweepstakes.
Once your sweepstake has run its course, it is time to close out the campaign and reward your participants.
At the end of your campaign, you will need to randomly draw one or more winners based on the entries received. Most sweepstakes platforms offer built-in tools to handle this process automatically.
It is good practice to verify whether the selected winner’s entry is still valid — for example, confirming that they have not unfollowed a required account or deleted a shared post. If needed, you can disqualify invalid entries and redraw a new winner.
Once confirmed, you may choose to publicly display the winner’s name or profile image within the widget or on your campaign page.
Publicly announcing your winners helps close the loop and builds trust with your audience. It also gives you a chance to celebrate your community and reinforce the authenticity of your promotion.
You can share the winner announcement via email, on your website, or across social media platforms. Use it as a chance to thank participants, showcase the prize, and even include a discount or bonus offer for those who did not win.
This is also a great opportunity to promote future giveaways, product launches, or limited-time campaigns.
After your sweepstake ends, you will likely have a larger mailing list and a stronger social media presence. The next step is turning that attention into ongoing relationships, engagement, and conversions.
Here are a few tactics to help retain participants and drive value after the campaign closes.
Consider sending a follow-up email to non-winners that includes a special offer — such as a discount code, exclusive content, or early access to another promotion.
This is a great way to keep momentum going, reward participants for their interest, and drive additional sales or signups.
Your campaign likely brought in new followers and attention — do not let it fade. Continue posting engaging content, thanking participants, and teasing upcoming promotions to keep your brand top-of-mind.
This is a key moment to build relationships, boost engagement, and invite repeat interactions across channels.
If you are running an online store, one effective post-campaign strategy is to host a flash sale, limited-time discount, or a reward-based promotion.
Platforms like Gleam allow you to use the Rewards App to deliver coupon codes or gated offers based on specific user actions.
Find out how Gleam can take your retail promotion to the next level with this helpful guide.
To run an online sweepstake, choose a prize, write official rules, and use a sweepstake platform like Gleam to build your entry form and track participants. Tap to learn the exact steps to create a legally-compliant and high-converting sweepstake.
Online sweepstakes are prize promotions where winners are selected at random, and no purchase is required to enter. Tap to understand how entries, rules, and winners are managed in modern sweepstakes.
Yes — online sweepstakes are legal and legitimate when run by reputable companies that follow giveaway regulations. Click to learn how to tell the difference between safe sweepstakes and potential scams.
