i tryed offering $20 via paypal and still got not one of my sites members to make me a youtube video so i would say your going to need to do at least $100 for the winner or no one will even try..

I just ran a contest on my site with contest burner which ran really well. Big mistake on my part though in the only content being the contest. Still garnered backlinks subs and noticed by google.

My reason for saying that leads to a question for the OP

If traffic is abig reason, and making it way for subscribers who may wish to offer a video, would eyejot be of help. It has a free service, and works on recording using the users webcam. All you would get I suppose is a video review which you copy/paste to a page and any prizes would have to be offered manually.

Re prizes...are yours digital products, would it be possible to create a small funnel offering a discount.

Video taping then uploading does take time and effort. For smaller incentives maybe eyejot would be easier and a 'better sell'.

Know what it's like when what one relies on is all messed up. Keep at it though.

Not sure if my post helps and may not be relevant to really what you require, but one never knows.

Good luck

James

bump! I need more ideas please!

Hi Sharkey

Where i may have went wrong with my competition is that The Contest was the only thing that was on my site No other content regarding the niche itself. When I run it again, it will be from the platform of it being the web based magazine (multi media) that I envisage for it, which will hopefully enitice those that come on board to register for monthly etc subscriptions.

You could say I put the cart before the horse, but the comp did provide me with some (free) subscribers, grew my list, got tweeted and fb commented about and helped create a small buzz. So thats a plus.

Re eyejot, I used it as an action for folks to take to garner points (which I added manually) for every review they created, stuff which I can use in my marketing at a later date.

Ive also used 'pay with a tweet', had a look at 'estago' and punch tab, all free services to propagagte the site by commenting using these social activities, ending up giving away digital downloads of product (magic tutorial videos).

Heres an idea, dont know if its possible. Are there any digital products available which completment your physical product that cold be set up to win. Giving away a number of these would not break the bank and if they have a percieved value, you could advertise the collective amount as the 'prize pool' I did, and it mounted to $10, 000,(based on giving away a certain amount multiplied by their cost should I have sold that many. In the end only a small fraction went out due to numbers participating).

Id like to add also, I havent made money online as yet, (okay $50 from the sale of a wp theme as an affiliate...) but continue to push, and push and push again.

The 'nut' will crack, the door will open, and the benefits inside will be available...Im sure of it.

Positive thought = positive action...and hopefully positive results.

I look forward to any of the warriors here jumping in and sharing advice...

I was going to say good luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. Its all work, but the pay off can be huge. Not just in financial terms, but in growth as well, and every step, and mistep I have made has brought me closer. There is an answer to what you want, I just hope that my 'ramblings' have shed some light.

Cheers

James

I'd forget about doing the gift certificate and just make the grand prize more appealing. Also maybe add in a 1st and 2nd runner up prize just so it makes the odds of winning something seem greater to those who enter...

Maybe do it about the benefits of your product rather than the product,
then the video gets shared more and can involve their families so has more value for them as a keepsake ..
eg if your product makes people laugh then the theme is record the craziest laugh, depends on your product of course

so then what's a good prize? what would make you want to enter?

I saw one .gov web site offered $2500 as a prize and only got 30 entries - Are there really that few people who want to make videos and is this really that expensive?

I think the public at large are not interested in making videos for a contest and view it as a lot of work.

I have 'slept on it' and early this morning came up with this...

Giving away a lot of physical product in a comp is expensive. Also a contest may not get as many people involved as one would want, in order to further propogate the brand, and the possible reason for the comp (to increase brand recognition, awareness, and interactivity etc) may not be realised.

As Jcorp mentioned above, one could make the grand prize more appealing (possibly 1st 2nd 3rd prizes ) and (Im not an affiliate and there is no link here) use contest burner, or a similar plugin. Announce the comp, have a separate page for it and let CB do its thing. IE garner points for the contestants. Its the gaining of points that drives them to tweet, fb comment etc. CB allows for contestants to invite others through their basically affiliate link (or unique url ). If yo go this route dont make that function available to begin with. Introduce it (arbitrarily) a quater of the way into the comp.

It may have the effect of revitalising those that are flagging and losing interest, enough so for them to get active further and invite their friends.

Then use eyjot for possible reviews of your site (or product, if they have it already) for points.

Leveraging who and what is there to push it to a higher level so to speak.

Hope that helps.

James