How to choose the best Giveaway Competitions – and what to remember
With so many competitions on offer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s a case of information overload — a multitude of options is a great thing, but not when decision paralysis sets in. There are pros and cons to each and every giveaway out there, and keeping on top of them might feel like a full-time job in itself. It’s hard to know where to place your trust and your time — which are safe and secure, and which are best avoided?
Let’s explore how to choose the best giveaways, what to look for in competitions and how to make the whole experience more fun and less exhausting. We’ll also give you a few top tips to keep in mind when taking part.
Welcome Bonuses
A welcome bonus, otherwise known as an intro offer, gives new competitors extra rewards or free entries to entice them to play. They’re worth looking out for, but be on your guard. While some welcome bonuses happen instantly upon approval, others require you to spend a certain amount within a specific time frame. So be sure you are comfortable with that spend before you press ahead.
Cash Alternatives
It’s important to understand the true value of the prize you have won following a draw. While most competition giveaways provide a cash alternative to a car or a holiday, you should be aware that more often than not, the cash alternative will be substantially lower than the prize itself. Take the time to do your homework and decide which option will benefit you most and some competitions quote thousands of prizes when some of them are pure site credit.
Site Credits
While some competition websites allow you to simply use your credit or debit card to enter giveaways, others have opted to use site credits. This is becoming increasingly popular, and it’s something to be cautious of while comping. Site credits are often bought in bulk and are used to compel website users to keep returning and entering.
Free Entry Options
A lot of people aren’t aware of the fact that competitions are generally required to have a free entry route. This means, when an entrant is required to pay to take part, there should be a ‘no purchase necessary’ route for people to use. The free entry route is usually conducted through the mail, so if you are looking to make further savings, it might be worth looking into this alternative.
Reputation
When choosing whether or not to enter a competition, it’s a good idea to do a bit of research. Thankfully, there are a lot of trust signals out there to indicate whether or not a giveaway site is legitimate. Take a look at the website’s Trustpilot reviews, look at their social media engagement and see what other people are saying about the website. If there are bad stories to tell, it won’t take long before they’re broadcast, and they will be fairly easy to find.
Communications
Communication is a great thing, and these days there are a lot of ways for competition websites to get in touch in the event of a win. Look for their communication policy — some will email and text as well as tagging you in a Facebook post. And while communication is a wonderful thing, too much of it can be exhausting. If you find that a competition website is alerting you to each and every opportunity and you are receiving a multitude of messages each day, this could be an indication that the website isn’t for you. It’s worth noting that you have the right to opt out of any text messages you receive — if you don’t get this option, consider reporting the giveaway website to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Instant Wins
Most competition websites provide ‘instant wins’. This provides you with the opportunity to find out, then and there, if you have been selected as a winner. While this might sound like the easy option, such solutions are actually an easy way for a company to make money and don’t always represent the soundest choice when you consider the odds involved. Take all options into account before pressing ahead with a draw.
Consider Your Odds
When you enter a competition, it should be about more than the price of the ticket. You should also look at the number of tickets sold. Sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more for a ticket with better odds. The mathematics involved can be time-consuming, which is exactly why we have put together our Comp Odds tool — to save you time and money.