Why Giveaways Are Not A Solid Marketing Idea

Everyone is familiar with social media giveaways, but do they really work? Are they a good strategy? Here's why you shouldn't rely too much on social media giveaways.

I remember back in 2012 when I joined Geoffresh and was helping my first client do a giveaway. Though I tried to set a healthy expectation, the client was really hoping a giveaway would be the breakthrough they needed. 

Giveaways are not a quick fix, they are an artificial boost that unless you constantly do them, they otherwise don’t guarantee new business. They are a tactic in the grand scheme of things, but are not a strategy for serious return on investment. You need more than giveaways. 

I don’t want to say that giveaways are a gimmick per se, they are more like a bon bon: they perk people up and make them pay attention to you but only for a minute. It’s just human nature for people to care about what’s in it for themselves when there’s a giveaway. That’s why you need to be thoughtful in how you craft your giveaway materials. 

My recommendation? Make the giveaway about more than just a free thing. Craft a message around what your brand stands for and how your giveaway ties into that. Use that social media giveaway to make a good first impression, but do giveaways sparingly. You will find yourself a slave to giveaways, as addicted to the boost in followers and engagement as the followers are in getting free stuff for nothing.

To see ROI in your digital marketing efforts you need more than social media giveaways and we can help you get on the right foot. Contact us today for a free discovery call and quote.