{"id":31787,"date":"2025-10-21T05:30:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T05:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/?p=31787"},"modified":"2025-11-26T15:41:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:41:20","slug":"holiday-contest-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &#038; Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The holiday season, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a time for giving and being thankful to your customers.<\/p>\r\n<p>So, delight them with exclusive rewards, mystery gifts, and prizes.<\/p>\r\n<p>Are you wondering where to start?<\/p>\r\n<p>No worries, we\u2019ve got you covered.<\/p>\r\n<p>There are multiple strategies to incentivize holiday shoppers and boost sales, one of them being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-promotions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">holiday promotions and contests<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>We\u2019ve curated some of the best holiday contest ideas that skyrocketed customer engagement for stores worldwide.<\/p>\r\n<p>In this article, you\u2019ll get to know about some good&nbsp;holiday contests and best practices for running last-minute holiday contests.<\/p>\r\n<p>Let&#8217;s go.<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#%F0%9F%8E%81_Holiday_Contest_Ideas_%E2%80%94_At_a_Glance\" >\ud83c\udf81 Holiday Contest Ideas \u2014 At a Glance<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#%F0%9F%92%A1_Quick_Takeaways\" >\ud83d\udca1 Quick Takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Common_Questions_About_Holiday_Contests\" >Common Questions About Holiday Contests<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#What_is_a_holiday_contest\" >What is a holiday contest?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Why_should_you_run_holiday_contests\" >Why should you run holiday contests?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Who_can_run_holiday_contests\" >Who can run holiday contests?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#How_does_a_holiday_contest_benefit_you\" >How does a holiday contest benefit you?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#How_To_Run_a_Holiday_Contest_Best_Practices\" >How To Run a Holiday Contest: Best Practices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#7_Holiday_Contest_Ideas\" >7 Holiday Contest Ideas<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#1_Photo\" >#1. Photo<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Photo_contest_best_practices\" >Photo contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#2_Video\" >#2. Video<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Video_contest_best_practices\" >Video contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#3_Hashtag\" >#3. Hashtag<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Hashtag_contest_best_practices\" >Hashtag contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#4_Refer_a_friend\" >#4. Refer a friend<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Referral_contest_best_practices\" >Referral contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#5_Pinterest\" >#5. Pinterest<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Pinterest_contest_best_practices\" >Pinterest contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#6_Sweepstakes\" >#6. Sweepstakes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Sweepstakes_best_practices\" >Sweepstakes best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#7_Gamification_contest\" >#7. Gamification contest<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Gamification_contest_best_practices\" >Gamification contest best practices<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n            <script>\r\n                var EhAPI = EhAPI || {}; \r\n                EhAPI.after_load = function() {\r\n                    EhAPI.set_account('ktb76s1540fl2hnhbqnrtd2npb', 'our');\r\n                    EhAPI.execute('rules');\r\n                };\r\n                (function(d, s, f) {\r\n                    var sc = document.createElement(s);\r\n                    sc.type = 'text\/javascript';\r\n                    sc.async = true;\r\n                    sc.src = f;\r\n                    var m = document.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\r\n                    m.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, m);   \r\n                })(document, 'script', '\/\/d2p078bqz5urf7.cloudfront.net\/jsapi\/ehform.js');\r\n            <\/script>\r\n            <script>\r\n                function waitForEhForms() {\r\n                    const interval = 100; \/\/ Check every 100ms\r\n                    const checkAndLoad = () => {\r\n                        const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);\r\n                        const elementorPreviewParam = params.get('elementor-preview');\r\n                        if (elementorPreviewParam && typeof EhForms !== 'undefined' && typeof EhForms.loadForms === 'function') {\r\n                            EhForms.loadForms();\r\n                            console.log('EhForms.loadForms() called successfully.');\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            setTimeout(checkAndLoad, interval);\r\n                        }\r\n                    };\r\n                    checkAndLoad();\r\n                }\r\n                \/\/ Call the function\r\n                waitForEhForms();\r\n            <\/script>\r\n        <div class='engage-hub-form-embed' id='eh_form_5161654467690496' data-id='5161654467690496'><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%8E%81_Holiday_Contest_Ideas_%E2%80%94_At_a_Glance\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">\ud83c\udf81 Holiday Contest Ideas \u2014 At a Glance<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Contest Type<\/th>\r\n<th>Best For<\/th>\r\n<th>Time to Launch<\/th>\r\n<th>Primary KPI<\/th>\r\n<th>Typical Prize Ideas<\/th>\r\n<th>Best Practices<\/th>\r\n<th>Common Pitfalls<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Photo Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>User-generated content (UGC) &amp; visual storytelling on Instagram or Facebook<\/td>\r\n<td>3\u20137 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Social shares, submissions, and engagement<\/td>\r\n<td>Gift cards, free products, or feature on brand\u2019s social feed<\/td>\r\n<td>Make the theme specific (\u201cShow us your festive setup\u201d), encourage creativity, and use a branded hashtag<\/td>\r\n<td>Too broad a theme leads to low-quality entries; unclear submission rules cause confusion<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Video Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Story-driven engagement and showcasing customer experiences<\/td>\r\n<td>5\u201310 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Video views, submissions, and shares<\/td>\r\n<td>Exclusive merchandise, early access, or large-value gift packs<\/td>\r\n<td>Keep videos short (&lt;60 seconds), provide clear submission guidelines, and promote through YouTube\/Instagram Reels<\/td>\r\n<td>Overly complex rules discourage participation; not optimizing for mobile submissions<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Hashtag Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Viral reach and brand visibility on social media<\/td>\r\n<td>2\u20135 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Hashtag uses, reach, and follower growth<\/td>\r\n<td>Store credits, seasonal hampers, or co-branded gifts<\/td>\r\n<td>Create a unique, short, and easy-to-type hashtag; engage with entries by commenting and resharing<\/td>\r\n<td>Choosing a generic hashtag that\u2019s already used; ignoring participant engagement<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Refer-a-Friend Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Customer acquisition via word-of-mouth<\/td>\r\n<td>4\u20138 days<\/td>\r\n<td>New customer signups, referrals, and conversions<\/td>\r\n<td>Double-sided rewards (both referrer and referred), discount codes<\/td>\r\n<td>Automate tracking via email or CRM tools, keep rewards simple and valuable<\/td>\r\n<td>Poor tracking can lead to disputes; too many steps in the referral process<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Pinterest \u201cPin It\u201d Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Visual curation and inspiration-driven engagement<\/td>\r\n<td>3\u20136 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Pins, repins, and traffic from Pinterest<\/td>\r\n<td>Home d\u00e9cor kits, fashion accessories, or DIY bundles<\/td>\r\n<td>Ask users to pin from your product catalog, provide a branded board template<\/td>\r\n<td>Vague instructions on what to pin; prizes not aligned with visual themes<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Sweepstakes<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Fast audience growth and list building<\/td>\r\n<td>2\u20134 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Email signups and total entries<\/td>\r\n<td>Cash prizes, vouchers, or large giveaways<\/td>\r\n<td>Keep entry forms short; clearly state eligibility and dates; promote across channels<\/td>\r\n<td>Offering irrelevant prizes (attracts low-quality leads); lack of transparency about winners<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Gamification Contest<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td>Driving engagement, loyalty, and return visits<\/td>\r\n<td>5\u201310 days<\/td>\r\n<td>Time on site, repeated plays, and conversions<\/td>\r\n<td>Spin-the-wheel discounts, tiered rewards, or points for redemption<\/td>\r\n<td>Use game elements like countdowns and surprise bonuses; reward participation instantly<\/td>\r\n<td>Poor game UX or mobile experience; prizes too small to sustain interest<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h3 data-start=\"3002\" data-end=\"3024\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%92%A1_Quick_Takeaways\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\">\ud83d\udca1 Quick Takeaways<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<ul data-start=\"3025\" data-end=\"3362\">\r\n<li data-start=\"3025\" data-end=\"3134\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3027\" data-end=\"3134\"><strong data-start=\"3027\" data-end=\"3064\">Low-effort, high-impact contests:<\/strong> Hashtag and sweepstakes contests \u2014 perfect for fast traffic boosts.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"3135\" data-end=\"3260\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3137\" data-end=\"3260\"><strong data-start=\"3137\" data-end=\"3182\">High-engagement, brand-building contests:<\/strong> Photo, video, and gamified challenges \u2014 ideal for deep audience connection.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"3261\" data-end=\"3362\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3263\" data-end=\"3362\"><strong data-start=\"3263\" data-end=\"3299\">Referral and Pinterest contests:<\/strong> Best for sustained, long-term growth and community creation.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-76993 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-comparison-table.png\" alt=\"Comparison table of 7 holiday contest ideas showing best use case, launch time, and primary KPI. \" width=\"1024\" height=\"1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-comparison-table.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-comparison-table-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-comparison-table-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-comparison-table-768x1152.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Questions_About_Holiday_Contests\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Common Questions About Holiday Contests<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Want to drive fresh traffic this festive season while building your email list and customer loyalty?<\/p>\r\n<p>These 7 holiday contest ideas \u2014 including photo challenges, hashtag campaigns, referral promotions, and gamified sweepstakes \u2014 from EngageBay are tailored to spark engagement, boost brand awareness, and convert visitors into buyers.<\/p>\r\n<p>Scroll down to pick the right format for your audience and get inspired to launch your contest in minutes \u2014 then download the ready-to-use templates and launch fast!<\/p>\r\n<p>In this section, we answer some FAQs about holiday contests.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_holiday_contest\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">What is a holiday contest?<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>A holiday contest is a promotional activity run by eCommerce stores to increase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/customer-engagement-metrics\/\">customer engagement<\/a>, generate word of mouth and drive sales.<\/p>\r\n<p>Whether or not you get tons of traffic to your website the rest of the year, you can run contests and drive traffic during the holiday season.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_should_you_run_holiday_contests\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Why should you run holiday contests?<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>The holiday season is a customer magnet; people shop a lot, and that leads to intense competition between sellers.<\/p>\r\n<p>One way to stand out is to run a holiday contest; reward your customers with exciting gifts and they&#8217;re more likely to shop from your business and even mention it to their friends, families, and colleagues. And just like the excitement people feel when checking the <a href=\"https:\/\/sambad.com\/today\/1pm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Dear Lottery Result Today 1pm<\/a>, a well-planned holiday contest can create anticipation and keep customers engaged.<\/p>\r\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/christmas-marketing-ideas\/\">Read also: 10 Christmas Marketing Ideas For Some Sales Magic\u2728<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_can_run_holiday_contests\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Who can run holiday contests?<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Every eCommerce store looking to increase customer engagement, boost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/brand-awareness-strategy\/\">brand awareness<\/a> and retain customers can run holiday contests.<\/p>\r\n<p>Holiday contests help increase website traffic, so if you have any other type of business with a presence online, you will definitely benefit from that bonus holiday traffic.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_a_holiday_contest_benefit_you\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">How does a holiday contest benefit you?<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>This article is written for business owners looking to get some extra sales during the holiday season. If that&#8217;s you, it makes sense for you to run a holiday contest, because:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Holiday contests grab attention easily and often increase online engagement by a lot<\/li>\r\n<li>They generate word-of-mouth and help you acquire new customers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.easypromosapp.com\/blog\/en\/2015\/03\/infographic-about-how-users-share-the-online-contest-they-participate-in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Many customers tend to share contests<\/a> with their friends after they participate in them<\/li>\r\n<li>They can boost customer loyalty<\/li>\r\n<li>You can get organic traffic with holiday contests and hence a better ROI than buying ads<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Run_a_Holiday_Contest_Best_Practices\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #339966;\">How To Run a Holiday Contest: Best Practices<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>You can run a holiday contest on your website, your eCommerce store, and your social media accounts.<\/p>\r\n<p>Try to ensure that the contests are interesting and relevant to your customer base.<\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-76996 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5-step-holiday-contest-launch-infographic.png\" alt=\"5-step infographic: Plan &gt; Build landing page &gt; Promote (email &amp; social) &gt; Collect entries &gt; Pick &amp; announce winners.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5-step-holiday-contest-launch-infographic.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5-step-holiday-contest-launch-infographic-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5-step-holiday-contest-launch-infographic-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5-step-holiday-contest-launch-infographic-768x1152.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-o-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/resources\/landing-page-templates\">Try the EngageBay Landing Page Templates<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Some holiday contest best practices are as follows<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Ensure that your gifts are relevant to what you\u2019re selling<\/li>\r\n<li>Promote the contest via new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/marketing\/landing-pages\">landing pages<\/a>; don\u2019t direct customers to the same old web pages&nbsp;<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><iframe title=\"How To Create Landing Pages in EngageBay\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JyYlNpZHEm0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Use the most attractive CTAs &#8212; both in design and content<\/li>\r\n<li>Keep the contest rules simple and easy to understand. Only then will your customers be eager to participate<\/li>\r\n<li>Reward multiple winners, not just one<\/li>\r\n<li>Don&#8217;t skimp on the prizes. Contests with prizes higher than $1,000 get an engagement rate of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tailwindapp.com\/blog\/instagram-contest-ideas-that-will-grow-your-followers-70-faster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5.8% per 100 followers<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Promote your holiday contest across multiple platforms. Also, send emails to keep your customers informed<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><iframe title=\"How to create email marketing sequences using EngageBay\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZbWQptjOFNU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/new-year-email-marketing-templates\/\">Read also: New Year Email Marketing Templates to Copy &amp; Send Now<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Holiday_Contest_Ideas\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #339966;\">7 Holiday Contest Ideas<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Now, let&#8217;s look at what kind of holiday contests you can run to get some bonus love from your customers.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Photo\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">#1. Photo<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>The photo contest is the most common holiday contest in all eCommerce stores.<\/p>\r\n<p>Photos go toe-to-toe with the holiday season, especially Christmas.<\/p>\r\n<p>Christmas is a time of joy, sharing, and togetherness.<\/p>\r\n<p>And let&#8217;s not forget the decorations \u2013 the sparkling lights reflecting off the baubles, colorful stars, Christmas trees, etc., makes Christmas the most photographed holiday.<\/p>\r\n<p>And that is what you do in your eCommerce store. Run a photo contest with a specific theme, like:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Best Christmas tree decoration<\/li>\r\n<li>Best Christmas lights<\/li>\r\n<li>Ugly sweater\/jumper<\/li>\r\n<li>Best snowman<\/li>\r\n<li>Awkward Christmas selfie<\/li>\r\n<li>Animals in Christmas outfits.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_31950\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31950\" style=\"width: 754px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2.-Photo-contest.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31950 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2.-Photo-contest.png\" alt=\"Rough Runner's Ugly Jumper holiday contest\" width=\"754\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2.-Photo-contest.png 754w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2.-Photo-contest-300x134.png 300w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/2.-Photo-contest-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31950\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.easypromosapp.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/ugly-jumpers-768x349-1.webp\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Photo_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Photo contest best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"229\" data-end=\"277\">\r\n<p data-start=\"231\" data-end=\"277\">Ensure the photo contest has a unique theme.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"278\" data-end=\"347\">\r\n<p data-start=\"280\" data-end=\"347\">Offer tier-based rewards so that more customers can get rewarded.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"348\" data-end=\"402\">\r\n<p data-start=\"350\" data-end=\"402\">Make it easy for customers to upload their photos.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"403\" data-end=\"493\">\r\n<p data-start=\"405\" data-end=\"493\">Include a social sharing button, so people can share your contest with friends easily.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"494\" data-end=\"730\">\r\n<p data-start=\"496\" data-end=\"730\">Make the voting process simple and transparent.<br data-start=\"543\" data-end=\"546\"><strong data-start=\"546\" data-end=\"554\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of photo submissions + number of social shares\/votes.<br data-start=\"615\" data-end=\"618\"><strong data-start=\"618\" data-end=\"636\">Example prize:<\/strong> A top prize of a $250 gift card + three runner-up coupon codes (boosts entries + conversion).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><strong>The most important practice is to allow customers to vote and choose the winners based on votes. Keep the voting process really simple and transparent.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Video\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">#2. Video<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>About<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.wishpond.com\/post\/115675438009\/contest-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> 89% of businesses use video contests<\/a> to improve brand awareness.<\/p>\r\n<p>It is similar to a photo contest where you run a contest with a theme and ask customers to perform the task and submit the video.<\/p>\r\n<p>Video contests are becoming extremely popular, and they can help you in several ways:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Higher customer engagement<\/li>\r\n<li>User-generated content is trending these days<\/li>\r\n<li>It&#8217;s great for word-of-mouth<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Here are some popular video contest ideas:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Finish the Christmas song<\/li>\r\n<li>Dance with your recent purchase<\/li>\r\n<li>Christmas dares<\/li>\r\n<li>Quickest Gift wrapper<\/li>\r\n<li>Before\/After Thanksgiving dinner<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-31951 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest.png\" alt=\"Christmas song holiday contest\" width=\"1620\" height=\"2400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest.png 1620w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-203x300.png 203w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-691x1024.png 691w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-768x1138.png 768w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-1037x1536.png 1037w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-1382x2048.png 1382w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3.-Video-Contest-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/qualifio.com\/blog\/christmas-campaign-ideas-to-celebrate-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Video_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Video contest best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"781\" data-end=\"816\">\r\n<p data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"816\">Set a time limit for the video.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"817\" data-end=\"881\">\r\n<p data-start=\"819\" data-end=\"881\">Share user-submitted videos from your social media accounts.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"882\" data-end=\"920\">\r\n<p data-start=\"884\" data-end=\"920\">Let customers vote for the winner.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"921\" data-end=\"1155\">\r\n<p data-start=\"923\" data-end=\"1155\">Follow a strict deadline for submissions.<br data-start=\"964\" data-end=\"967\"><strong data-start=\"967\" data-end=\"975\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of video submissions + total video views + shares.<br data-start=\"1033\" data-end=\"1036\"><strong data-start=\"1036\" data-end=\"1054\">Example prize:<\/strong> Free product bundle worth ~$500 + feature on your brand\u2019s homepage (drives exposure + social proof).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Hashtag\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">#3. Hashtag<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>When people want to search for a brand, a type of product, or even geolocation-based services on social media, they use hashtags.<\/p>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>Running a hashtag contest, especially during the holiday season, can boost your organic traffic.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>Your ultimate goal while selecting your hashtag for the contest should be virality. So, choose a short, fun hashtag that you believe can go viral.<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_31952\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31952\" style=\"width: 612px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31952 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife.png\" alt=\"Ted baker hashtag holiday contest\" width=\"612\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife.png 612w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4.-Tedislife-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31952\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tedselfie\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=ba7a70eb-8ba8-4935-8162-7c9133c7e1a6\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>Ted Baker wanted to increase its customer engagement, so it came up with a hashtag contest \u2013 Ted&#8217;s Elves.<\/p>\r\n<p>Ted created 32 Instagram accounts and organized a Christmas-themed game where customers have to hunt for prizes and elves.<\/p>\r\n<p>Ted&#8217;s Elves contest is a classic example of how to keep your customers engaged during the holiday season.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adsoftheworld.com\/campaigns\/tedselfie-instagram-adventure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contest went viral with 37K interactions<\/a> and 14.5K entries. This is how you run a hashtag contest.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can run a solo hashtag contest or couple it up with a photo contest or video contest; ask your customer to submit their pictures and videos using the hashtags and boost your brand awareness.<\/p>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hashtag_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Hashtag contest best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"1208\" data-end=\"1281\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1210\" data-end=\"1281\">Keep your hashtags crisp \u2014 avoid long words that can result in typos.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1282\" data-end=\"1323\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1284\" data-end=\"1323\">Promote the contest across platforms.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1324\" data-end=\"1588\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1326\" data-end=\"1588\">Send reminders about the deadline.<br data-start=\"1360\" data-end=\"1363\"><strong data-start=\"1363\" data-end=\"1371\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of entries using the hashtag + reach\/impressions of the hashtag + new followers.<br data-start=\"1459\" data-end=\"1462\"><strong data-start=\"1462\" data-end=\"1480\">Example prize:<\/strong> A \u201choliday hamper\u201d valued at ~$300 + spotlight social post for the winner (encourages tagging and sharing).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/thank-you-email\/\">Read also: How to Send Out Thank You For Your Order Email (Examples &amp; Templates)<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Refer_a_friend\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">#4. Refer a friend<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Did you know that customers acquired via referrals are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.annexcloud.com\/blog\/42-referral-marketing-statistics-that-will-make-you-want-to-start-a-raf-program-tomorrow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">18% more loyal<\/a> than customers acquired via other means?<\/p>\r\n<p>Yes, that is the power of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/affiliate-program\">referral program<\/a>, and that\u2019s exactly why you must run a referral contest during the holiday season.<\/p>\r\n<p>Customers trust recommendations from their friends, so this type of holiday contest is an easy chance to gain new customers during the holiday season.<\/p>\r\n<p>Here are the benefits of running a referral contest:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Generates organic word of mouth<\/li>\r\n<li>Boosts brand awareness<\/li>\r\n<li>Minimizes customer acquisition costs<\/li>\r\n<li>Increases customer loyalty<\/li>\r\n<li>Helps to retain existing customers<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>A refer-a-friend contest is the easiest way for a customer to get a discount, so the chances of the contest failing are only slim.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you haven\u2019t run one before, this season is the time you do it.<\/p>\r\n<figure style=\"width: 1080px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/user-assets.out.sh\/user-assets\/970825\/f2agxbpbDmjdB2oP\/app-referral.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/user-assets.out.sh\/user-assets\/970825\/f2agxbpbDmjdB2oP\/app-referral.png\" alt=\"refer a friend contest example\" width=\"1080\" height=\"567\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/gleam.io\/templates\/competitions\/app-download-referrals\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Referral_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Referral contest best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"1648\" data-end=\"1714\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1650\" data-end=\"1714\">Offer a reward to both \u2014 the referrer and the referred friend.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1715\" data-end=\"1781\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1717\" data-end=\"1781\">Set a purchase or action limit to trigger the referral reward.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1782\" data-end=\"1856\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1784\" data-end=\"1856\">Add social sharing buttons for customers to share their referral link.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1857\" data-end=\"1918\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1859\" data-end=\"1918\">Provide a unique\/dynamic referral link for each customer.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"1919\" data-end=\"2222\">\r\n<p data-start=\"1921\" data-end=\"2222\">Set a contest deadline to prevent abuse.<br data-start=\"1961\" data-end=\"1964\"><strong data-start=\"1964\" data-end=\"1972\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of successful referrals (new customers) + conversion rate of referrals + cost per acquisition.<br data-start=\"2074\" data-end=\"2077\"><strong data-start=\"2077\" data-end=\"2095\">Example prize:<\/strong> $50 store credit for both parties (referrer + referred) + random grand prize drawing for top referrer (motivates more shares).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Pinterest\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>#5. Pinterest<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Pinterest has become a popular marketing channel on par with Instagram and Facebook.<\/p>\r\n<p>It helps customers find fashion inspiration and ideas, and can also be used as an eCommerce marketplace.<\/p>\r\n<p>A &#8216;pin it&#8217; contest is more like a sweepstakes contest but is relatively new, and eCommerce stores haven\u2019t grasped it much.<\/p>\r\n<p>But it is a fun and interactive way to get your customers engaged.<\/p>\r\n<p>As we said, it is more like a Sweepstakes contest where the customer has to perform simple tasks to win the contest.<\/p>\r\n<figure style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/564x\/c9\/56\/30\/c95630b6d494ed0ea3c1a15a7faf9173.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/564x\/c9\/56\/30\/c95630b6d494ed0ea3c1a15a7faf9173.jpg\" alt=\"Pin It contest Pinterest \" width=\"500\" height=\"500\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/in.pinterest.com\/pin\/423619908670390128\/\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pinterest_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Pinterest contest best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"2286\" data-end=\"2342\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2288\" data-end=\"2342\">Review Pinterest\u2019s rules before running the contest.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2343\" data-end=\"2388\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2345\" data-end=\"2388\">Create a branded hashtag for submissions.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2389\" data-end=\"2453\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2391\" data-end=\"2453\">Clearly explain the process (what to pin, how to tag, etc.).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2454\" data-end=\"2704\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2456\" data-end=\"2704\">Cross-promote the contest on multiple platforms.<br data-start=\"2504\" data-end=\"2507\"><strong data-start=\"2507\" data-end=\"2515\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of pins + repins + traffic from Pinterest to your site.<br data-start=\"2578\" data-end=\"2581\"><strong data-start=\"2581\" data-end=\"2599\">Example prize:<\/strong> A DIY holiday d\u00e9cor kit (value ~$200) + featured \u201cBoard\u201d on your brand\u2019s Pinterest page (adds exposure).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Sweepstakes\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #993300;\">#6. Sweepstakes<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>You\u2019d often come across sweepstakes in your favorite eCommerce stores.<\/p>\r\n<p>Though it is slightly different from a contest, it is still a valuable engagement-boosting activity for holiday season sales.<\/p>\r\n<p>Unlike a contest, Sweepstakes is not a competition; it doesn\u2019t have defined rules to participate or win.<\/p>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>In Sweepstakes, the winner is selected by chance\/probability, just like in a lottery.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>Easy to run and easy to collect email addresses. This is why it is considered one of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/lead-generation-guide\/\">lead-generation tactics<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sweepstakes_best_practices\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #666699;\"><strong>Sweepstakes best practices<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"2753\" data-end=\"2803\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2755\" data-end=\"2803\">Create eye-catching visuals to grab attention.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2804\" data-end=\"2856\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2806\" data-end=\"2856\">Make it super easy for customers to participate.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2857\" data-end=\"2909\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2859\" data-end=\"2909\">Offer a high-value prize to boost participation.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2910\" data-end=\"2972\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2912\" data-end=\"2972\">Define the probability of winning \/ select winner clearly.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"2973\" data-end=\"3231\">\r\n<p data-start=\"2975\" data-end=\"3231\">Build social sharing buttons to encourage sharing.<br data-start=\"3025\" data-end=\"3028\"><strong data-start=\"3028\" data-end=\"3036\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of entries + email\/list opt-ins + share rate.<br data-start=\"3089\" data-end=\"3092\"><strong data-start=\"3092\" data-end=\"3110\">Example prize:<\/strong> A grand prize of a $1,000 gift card (or equivalent) + 10 runner-up winners with $50 vouchers (drives high entry volume).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Gamification_contest\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><strong>#7. Gamification contest<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Who doesn\u2019t want to have fun on a joyous occasion?<\/p>\r\n<p>A gamification contest is as simple as Sweepstakes; the only difference is that you have to play a game to win the contest.<\/p>\r\n<p>The ultimate goal of a holiday contest is to get the customer engaged during the holiday rush, incentivize unique actions, reward customers and gain loyalty.<\/p>\r\n<p>Gamification contest has the recipe for all that. You get engagement and loyalty, and customers get to win exciting prizes.<\/p>\r\n<p>Popular gamification contests used during holiday seasons are:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Spin the wheel<\/li>\r\n<li>Scratch and win<\/li>\r\n<li>Quizzes<\/li>\r\n<li>Raffles<\/li>\r\n<li>Scavenger hunt<\/li>\r\n<li>Trivia<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_31957\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31957\" style=\"width: 1620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31957 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel.png\" alt=\"Spin the wheel Christmas game\" width=\"1620\" height=\"2400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel.png 1620w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-203x300.png 203w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-691x1024.png 691w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-768x1138.png 768w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-1037x1536.png 1037w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-1382x2048.png 1382w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8.-Spin-the-wheel-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31957\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/qualifio.com\/blog\/christmas-campaign-ideas-to-celebrate-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year\/\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Here is a classic spin-the-wheel contest you see in most eCommerce stores.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Or, you can be more creative and make your customer work for it using a clever puzzle-like game.<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_31958\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31958\" style=\"width: 748px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9.-Puzzle.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31958 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9.-Puzzle.png\" alt=\"Puzzle themed game\" width=\"748\" height=\"795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9.-Puzzle.png 748w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9.-Puzzle-282x300.png 282w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/9.-Puzzle-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 748px) 100vw, 748px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-31958\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/in.pinterest.com\/pin-builder\/?guid=akXM0zHsbV3p&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.easypromosapp.com%2Fblog%2Fen%2F2020%2F02%2Fgamification-for-marketers%2F&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.easypromosapp.com%2Fblog%2Fen%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fpuzzle-gameplay-1.png&amp;description=Gamification+For+Marketers%3A+What+It+Means+and+How+to+Use+it&amp;method=button\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gamification_contest_best_practices\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #666699;\">Gamification contest best practices<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li data-start=\"3289\" data-end=\"3349\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3291\" data-end=\"3349\">Ensure the game theme is relevant to the holiday season.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"3350\" data-end=\"3393\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3352\" data-end=\"3393\">Keep the game easy and fun to navigate.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"3394\" data-end=\"3447\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3396\" data-end=\"3447\">Promote it prominently (e.g., homepage takeover).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li data-start=\"3448\" data-end=\"3798\">\r\n<p data-start=\"3450\" data-end=\"3798\">Use surprise rewards or incremental wins to boost engagement.<br data-start=\"3511\" data-end=\"3514\"><strong data-start=\"3514\" data-end=\"3522\">KPI:<\/strong> Number of game plays + repeat visits + conversion rate of participants.<br data-start=\"3594\" data-end=\"3597\"><strong data-start=\"3597\" data-end=\"3615\">Example prize:<\/strong> Spin-the-wheel game where every participant gets at least a small discount (e.g., 10% off) and a grand prize winner gets a $500 prize bundle (incentivises participation and sharing).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><iframe title=\"Workflows in EngageBay\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FCaa_IFpauA\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>A holiday contest is the easiest way to get some extra seasonal traffic and sales.<\/p>\r\n<p>Keep up the holiday spirit and reward your customers with exciting gifts. This gesture will help your business in the long run.<\/p>\r\n<p>Running a holiday contest is a smart way to boost customer loyalty, generate positive word of mouth, and acquire new customers.<\/p>\r\n<p>Cheers!<\/p>\r\n\r\n            <script>\r\n                var EhAPI = EhAPI || {}; \r\n                EhAPI.after_load = function() {\r\n                    EhAPI.set_account('ktb76s1540fl2hnhbqnrtd2npb', 'our');\r\n                    EhAPI.execute('rules');\r\n                };\r\n                (function(d, s, f) {\r\n                    var sc = document.createElement(s);\r\n                    sc.type = 'text\/javascript';\r\n                    sc.async = true;\r\n                    sc.src = f;\r\n                    var m = document.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\r\n                    m.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, m);   \r\n                })(document, 'script', '\/\/d2p078bqz5urf7.cloudfront.net\/jsapi\/ehform.js');\r\n            <\/script>\r\n            <script>\r\n                function waitForEhForms() {\r\n                    const interval = 100; \/\/ Check every 100ms\r\n                    const checkAndLoad = () => {\r\n                        const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);\r\n                        const elementorPreviewParam = params.get('elementor-preview');\r\n                        if (elementorPreviewParam && typeof EhForms !== 'undefined' && typeof EhForms.loadForms === 'function') {\r\n                            EhForms.loadForms();\r\n                            console.log('EhForms.loadForms() called successfully.');\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            setTimeout(checkAndLoad, interval);\r\n                        }\r\n                    };\r\n                    checkAndLoad();\r\n                }\r\n                \/\/ Call the function\r\n                waitForEhForms();\r\n            <\/script>\r\n        <div class='engage-hub-form-embed' id='eh_form_6268678992035840' data-id='6268678992035840'><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\">\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034071134\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>FAQs: Holiday Contest Ideas<\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034085020\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>1. When is the right time to run a holiday contest?<\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The right time would be during the start of the holiday season sale, especially after Thanksgiving. That\u2019s when your online store will attract the most traffic.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034105652\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>2. How long should I run a holiday contest?<\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The duration varies from store to store; it depends on your customer base and the volume of traffic you attract. The recommended time is 30 to 60 days.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034125800\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>3. What kind of prizes should I offer during a holiday contest?<\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">This is a season of giving; be generous with your prizes. Set your offers to 40% and above. Attractive prizes will influence word of mouth and loyalty.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034143798\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>4. How to promote my holiday contest?<\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You can promote it on all your social media platforms. Send emails to loyal, repeat customers and invite them to participate in your contest. It will amplify word of mouth and brand awareness.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1761034163052\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">5. Do I need official rules\/legal language for my holiday contest?<\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes \u2014 include eligibility, start\/end dates, prize description, selection method (vote vs draw), a brief privacy statement for entrant data, and platform-specific compliance notes (IG\/Twitter rules). Use this short legal template: [one-line rule snippet].<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The holiday season, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a time for giving and being thankful to your customers. So, delight [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":32299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[168,30,294],"class_list":["post-31787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing","tag-customer-retention","tag-marketing","tag-small-business"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.3 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 Contest Formats To Drive Traffic &amp; Sales<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic &amp; sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &amp; Sales\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic &amp; sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"EngageBay - All-in-one marketing, sales, and service\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/engagebay\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jaison Patrics\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@engagebay\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@engagebay\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jaison Patrics\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jaison Patrics\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/82419d73de61d21b92470deecd66f8a6\"},\"headline\":\"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &#038; Sales\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\"},\"wordCount\":2715,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Customer Retention\",\"marketing\",\"small business\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Marketing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\",\"name\":\"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 Contest Formats To Drive Traffic & Sales\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic & sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"holiday-contest-ideas\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Marketing\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/category\/marketing\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &#038; Sales\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"EngageBay - All-in-one marketing, sales, and service\",\"description\":\"EngageBay is a simple, powerful all-in-one marketing, sales and service software for growing businesses\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"EngageBay\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/engagebay-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/engagebay-logo.png\",\"width\":256,\"height\":256,\"caption\":\"EngageBay\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/engagebay\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/engagebay\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/engagebay\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/engagebay\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCJhHSPeKnXs0O6T4Vl7tDug\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/82419d73de61d21b92470deecd66f8a6\",\"name\":\"Jaison Patrics\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f68556422301dca996463e8ef5a501effd43ea6c544b0cb2117bcea77789a24a?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f68556422301dca996463e8ef5a501effd43ea6c544b0cb2117bcea77789a24a?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jaison Patrics\"},\"description\":\"Jaison Patrics is a B2B content writer and marketer. When he's not at work, he enjoys reading realistic\/non-fiction books and strumming his guitar.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/author\/jaison_patrics\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020\",\"name\":\"1. When is the right time to run a holiday contest?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The right time would be during the start of the holiday season sale, especially after Thanksgiving. That\u2019s when your online store will attract the most traffic.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652\",\"name\":\"2. How long should I run a holiday contest?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The duration varies from store to store; it depends on your customer base and the volume of traffic you attract. The recommended time is 30 to 60 days.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800\",\"name\":\"3. What kind of prizes should I offer during a holiday contest?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"This is a season of giving; be generous with your prizes. Set your offers to 40% and above. Attractive prizes will influence word of mouth and loyalty.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798\",\"name\":\"4. How to promote my holiday contest?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"You can promote it on all your social media platforms. Send emails to loyal, repeat customers and invite them to participate in your contest. It will amplify word of mouth and brand awareness.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052\",\"name\":\"5. Do I need official rules\/legal language for my holiday contest?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes \u2014 include eligibility, start\/end dates, prize description, selection method (vote vs draw), a brief privacy statement for entrant data, and platform-specific compliance notes (IG\/Twitter rules). Use this short legal template: [one-line rule snippet].\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 Contest Formats To Drive Traffic & Sales","description":"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic & sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic & Sales","og_description":"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic & sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/","og_site_name":"EngageBay - All-in-one marketing, sales, and service","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/engagebay","article_published_time":"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Jaison Patrics","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@engagebay","twitter_site":"@engagebay","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jaison Patrics","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/"},"author":{"name":"Jaison Patrics","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/82419d73de61d21b92470deecd66f8a6"},"headline":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &#038; Sales","datePublished":"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/"},"wordCount":2715,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png","keywords":["Customer Retention","marketing","small business"],"articleSection":["Marketing"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/","name":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 Contest Formats To Drive Traffic & Sales","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png","datePublished":"2025-10-21T05:30:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-26T15:41:20+00:00","description":"Holiday contest ideas to boost traffic & sales \u2014 7 proven contest formats, best practices, and templates you can run this season. Pick one and launch today.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/holiday-contest-ideas.png","width":1000,"height":600,"caption":"holiday-contest-ideas"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Marketing","item":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/category\/marketing\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Holiday Contest Ideas: 7 High-ROI Contest Formats That Drive Traffic &#038; Sales"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/","name":"EngageBay - All-in-one marketing, sales, and service","description":"EngageBay is a simple, powerful all-in-one marketing, sales and service software for growing businesses","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"EngageBay","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/engagebay-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/engagebay-logo.png","width":256,"height":256,"caption":"EngageBay"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/engagebay","https:\/\/x.com\/engagebay","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/engagebay","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/engagebay","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCJhHSPeKnXs0O6T4Vl7tDug"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/82419d73de61d21b92470deecd66f8a6","name":"Jaison Patrics","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f68556422301dca996463e8ef5a501effd43ea6c544b0cb2117bcea77789a24a?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f68556422301dca996463e8ef5a501effd43ea6c544b0cb2117bcea77789a24a?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Jaison Patrics"},"description":"Jaison Patrics is a B2B content writer and marketer. When he's not at work, he enjoys reading realistic\/non-fiction books and strumming his guitar.","url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/author\/jaison_patrics\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034085020","name":"1. When is the right time to run a holiday contest?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The right time would be during the start of the holiday season sale, especially after Thanksgiving. That\u2019s when your online store will attract the most traffic.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034105652","name":"2. How long should I run a holiday contest?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The duration varies from store to store; it depends on your customer base and the volume of traffic you attract. The recommended time is 30 to 60 days.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034125800","name":"3. What kind of prizes should I offer during a holiday contest?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"This is a season of giving; be generous with your prizes. Set your offers to 40% and above. Attractive prizes will influence word of mouth and loyalty.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034143798","name":"4. How to promote my holiday contest?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"You can promote it on all your social media platforms. Send emails to loyal, repeat customers and invite them to participate in your contest. It will amplify word of mouth and brand awareness.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/holiday-contest-ideas\/#faq-question-1761034163052","name":"5. Do I need official rules\/legal language for my holiday contest?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes \u2014 include eligibility, start\/end dates, prize description, selection method (vote vs draw), a brief privacy statement for entrant data, and platform-specific compliance notes (IG\/Twitter rules). Use this short legal template: [one-line rule snippet].","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31787"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77784,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31787\/revisions\/77784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}