Competitions Prove an Increasingly Advantageous Method of Encouraging Fan Engagement Through Social Networks

LONDON, December 15, 2010 - Punch Communications, a leading PR, Social Media and SEO agency
(www.punchcomms.com/seo-agency.html) is advising brands that are
looking to increase their engagement with online fans that social media
competitions prove a great means of improving engagement and acquisition.

With social media becoming ever-more prominent in brand-led marketing
campaigns, brands having trouble increasing their rate of user engagement are
advised that looking towards user competitions is a great method of
increasing followers. Although brands are beginning to wake up to the
opportunities of utilising social media, but the methods many brands use in
reaching out to these prospective fans needs to be looked at.

To try to garner as much success as possible from a competition, a brand
needs to ensure the competition is social in its nature. A social competition
is likely to reap success, as users will be happy to share the competition
with their online friends.

Further to this, encouraging entrants to be creative and inventive can
assist in producing a successful competition. When users are encouraged to
generate their own content, be it images, videos or similar styles of rich
media, it is much more appealing than a standard question-and-answer format.
This again helps encourage the entrant into sharing their content or
creations, thereby spreading the word about the competition across social
channels. User content shared through a brand's social profile is likely to
be prove pleasing to the followers, and more will be willing to submit
content in the hope of having it promoted by the brand.

Pete Goold, Managing Director at Punch Communications, said:
"Competitions provide a great opportunity for brands to increase fan figures
on social networks. A successful competition helps promote the brand whilst
maintaining user engagement to a high level. A brand that implements a series
of engaging, social competitions could soon find followers dramatically
increasing, thereby offering the brand an increased online fan base to target
for future campaigns."

Social media agency (www.punchcomms.com/social-media-agency.html)
Punch Communications helps brands wishing to gain a suitable presence on
leading social networks. Coupled with its skills in SEO PR (
www.punchcomms.com/seo-pr.html), Punch has the skill set to help a
brand produce a strong online presence with which to target potential
customers and fans. For more information, visit punchcomms.com or call
+44(0)1858-411600.

For more information, visit punchcomms.com or call William Davis, +44(0)1858-411600.