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Pleading No Contest

We’ve all participated in online contests – either as the contestant, the voter or both – and it’s almost impossible to avoid them. First of all, contests are easy and there are some very obvious benefits to being a part of them. In terms of effort, all you have to do is get nominated or vote for someone else. They an excellent platform for bringing people together and giving communities a sense of pride and spirit, much like a local sports team or school. They get people talking on Twitter, interacting for a cause and learning more about the contestants, the sponsoring company/organization, and the voters. And of course, the winner (hopefully you!) gets to receive some sort of accolade, title, prize, etc., which establishes credibility and perhaps affords you the opportunity to do something you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.

It’s fantastic, right? Everyone wins (okay, not EVERYONE), and nobody gets hurt.

TO A POINT.

We’ve seen contests get ugly, and not because somebody’s a sore loser. People take their social media experience seriously, and when the contributors they rely on for friendship and interesting content are consumed with promoting their team/cause above all else, followers may become resentful. And if general backlash isn’t bad enough, the negativity toward the entire contest will be, diminishing the value of any interaction, win or attention.

So what’s a contest-lover to do?

  1. Pick your battles wisely. You can’t be the campaign manager for everyone you know – eventually you’ll disappoint and your intentions will conflict. Nobody will believe you to be a true supporter, but instead someone who helps for his or her own self-interest. Before you begin knocking on doors and passing out buttons, really evaluate what this contest means to you and what the drawbacks and benefits of winning could be. If you believe in something, by all means, participate. And remember, the secret ballot exists for a reason.
  2. Get off – line, that is. Sure, social media and the interwebs are an obvious way to spread the message about a contest, but if you want to be creative, step out from behind your computer. Host an event. Make t-shirts. Stage a performance. You know we’ve said it a million times, but try something unexpected.
  3. Be a good sport. If you get nominated, what are you gonna do? Lose? Pssshh. Just be careful that you don’t over-solicit or make your social media content more about yourself than about what really matters. It’s called humility. Recognize other nominees and support the contest as a whole for what it is – a community effort, instead of focusing on the end result. And never, ever let things get ugly. That’s a one-way ticket to a ruined reputation.

There’s a fine line between alienation and involvement, so consider our advice the next time you click “submit vote.” In the world of contests, there’s a lot to win and lose – and we’re not talking about prizes.

@ShearCreativity: