QR codes on sweepstakes.

One area where QR codes have proved to be especially advantageous is with their use as part of a mobile-based sweepstakes campaign. Multiple campaigns using QR codes on sweepstakes have shown their ability to drive engagement and capture a significant portion of the sweepstakes target audience.

One particular debate that has raged about the idea has been surrounding the question of where should you be redirecting anyone who scans the QR code. One  approach has been to redirect to a tailor-made website filled with promotional information about the sweepstake. However, while this approach seems well suited to traditional giveaways, research has indicated that sweepstakes engagement is better served by channeling interested parties towards a Facebook page. The reason for this seems to be related to the use of comments by users to indicate their excitement about the prizes. This creates a kind of groundswell of interest or at least the perception of interest that in turn influences the next interested parties to visit the page.

In essence, Facebook pages seem to be a better redirect for a sweepstakes campaign because people are more interested in how people are reacting to the giveaways than the details of the promotion itself. With dedicated websites, behavioral assessments indicate that visitors review the information briefly and then leave without engaging further. If you do wish to stick to a traditional webpage redirect, then we advise incorporating a discussion board where people can share their thoughts and excitement.

How to use QR codes on giveaways.

There are two main ways in which QR codes on giveaways can be used to enhance your promotional reach. The first is to incorporate QR codes into the material you are intending to give away directly. For instance, you are handing out promotional t-shirts for free at a live event, it’s a great idea to put a QR code on the t-shirt tag. This way, the audience doesn’t feel pressured to scan the QR code straight away but has access to it for as long as they have the shirt.

At some stage, it is highly likely that their curiosity will be piqued during a quiet moment and they will scan the QR code just to see. This is a great opportunity to redirect them to more information about your company or product. It's even better if you include a visible incentive to scan the QR code rather than simply relying on curiosity. Your promotional material should strive to open strong and grab attention immediately with music and video content if possible.

5 ways to integrate QR codes into your promotional giveaways.

1. Code yourself. If giveaway t-shirts are outside your budget, you can still make sure your own and your employees' t-shirts have one. This can also encourage people to engage with you and find out more from a conversation.
2. Create separate QR codes to help track your reach. You can use your promotions to get feedback on where your product is most popular. By creating different QR codes for different areas, you can find out who is interacting most and where.
3. Link your QR code to a Facebook page. People may not be as likely to read through a promotional website that they are not used to navigating to a Facebook page. Aim to go with what they know.
4. Subscribe. If you can't get them to stop and talk, have a QR code handy that lets them subscribe to your mailing list. That way they can browse the giveaway later at their leisure and you get to send them future promotions down the line.
5. Give a guarantee. If you offer a small incentive that is guaranteed simply for scanning your QR code, you are more likely to entice people to enter for the bigger draw as well.

The second way in which QR codes on giveaways can work is as a function of the giveaway itself. This is particularly true for QR codes on sweepstakes, which we will discuss in a moment, however, it can also incentivize people to engage with small-scale promotions and local raffles. Place your QR codes somewhere prominent, wherever you expect your main audience to be such as on a window storefront or promotional poster.