Whether you’re a serious comper or a casual hobbyist, you might have noticed (much to your delight) that the number of competition websites has boomed in recent years. There’s more choice than ever, and the prizes involved seem to be getting better and better as time goes by. But why has the number of competition websites exploded in the UK? Why are we so drawn to them? What’s in it for the companies who are giving away their goodies for free and — most importantly — how do you know which sites are worth your time and money?
Related: Choosing a competition site: what you need to know
Why The Number of Competition Websites Has Grown So Much in the UK
We’re all drawn in by the convenience and accessibility of competition websites, as well as the chance of winning an incredible prize for little to no investment. It makes sense that the number of websites would increase to meet our demand for a good competition — but it goes so much further than that.
Over the years, technology has advanced in incredible ways, allowing us to enter competitions whenever we want, from the comfort of our homes. Alongside competition websites, another industry has seen rapid growth in recent years — notably the eCommerce market. The UK has millions of eCommerce users, indicating a huge shift towards online shopping and a need for businesses to come up with new, innovative and eye-catching ways of establishing their brands and getting their names known. In this way, competition websites are an incredibly useful tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes, providing them with the opportunity to really expand their reach and potential customer base.
Of course, we can’t discuss the boom in competition websites without touching on the global pandemic, which certainly had an impact on growth with the subsequent increase in online activity, a shift in consumer behaviour and a need for businesses to gain an edge over their competitors to attract more customers.
How Our Love For Competition Websites Has Helped Them Grow
It’s no secret that our love for competition websites has fuelled their success — but what keeps us coming back for more?
- Access to expensive, desirable products: One of the biggest draws of online competitions is the opportunity to win incredible tech, money or luxury cars for less than you’d pay for a cup of coffee. We’re given the chance to gain something we’d never dream of buying ourselves.
- Variety of prizes on offer: It seems like no matter what you’re after, you’ll find a competition website that will give you a chance to win it, whether you’re looking for a holiday, a gadget or a car. The range of prizes is incredible, not to mention tempting.
- Excitement and entertainment: Let’s be honest — there’s quite a dopamine rush involved when we enter competitions. If we look at it as just a bit of harmless fun, it’s like you win every time.
- Ease of entry: It’s easier than ever before to enter competitions today — as simple as filling in an online form in most cases, or sending in a postcard if you go the free route.
- Potential to win big: With the cost of living being so extravagant these days, winning big is an exciting prospect, and one that keeps us coming back for more.
Why Businesses Support Competition Websites
And what’s in it for businesses? Why are they seemingly happy to hand over really valuable items for free? We don’t blame you for being suspicious, but really, competition websites provide businesses with a whole host of benefits:
- Brand awareness and promotion: It’s no secret that competitions are popular these days, and businesses want to tap into that power to boost their brand awareness and reach. Competitions provide businesses an incredible opportunity to showcase their products and services while attracting a large number of potential customers.
- Customer engagement and loyalty: Once brand awareness is established, it’s easier to retain customer attention, engage them and build loyalty. Clever brands know how to create a sense of community while generating buzz and excitement around the brand.
- Data collection: There is no such thing as a free lunch, and when it comes to competitions, you often have to part with your data to be in with a chance of winning. The good news for you is, it costs you nothing. The good news for businesses is that they can use this data for market research and to tailor future marketing efforts.
- Web traffic: Competitions can drive some serious traffic to a business’s website! Not only can this improve search engine rankings, but increasing qualified traffic can lead to higher sales.
- It’s cost-effective marketing: While it might sound expensive to give away a product worth thousands, when you consider the benefits and reach involved, competitions often prove to be incredibly cost-effective marketing for businesses — ultimately reaching a large audience at a relatively low cost.
Know Your Odds of Winning
If you really want to win, you need to go about things in a clever way. It’s not as simple as entering the cheapest competitions with the glitziest possible prizes — you need to know your odds of winning. Sometimes it’s worth shelling out a little bit more to be in with a better chance of taking home that car or securing that cash windfall.
Our competition odds calculator provides you with everything you need to know. Feed us the information and we’ll crunch the numbers, arming you with the information you need before taking the jump and entering your next competition.
Looking to get started with online competitions but you’re not sure where to start? Check out our top ten list of the biggest, most trusted UK competition websites. You never know — your next entry could be your biggest-ever win.