Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Get the most from your contest

Mark J. Welch, Esq. (markwelch_at_ca-probate.com)
Wed, 19 Nov 1997 16:44:38 -0800

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message: Darren Cook: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> WHY search engines are dying"
• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Previous message: Jim Lynch: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Marketing in the year 2010?"
• Maybe in reply to: Contestworld: "ONLINE-ADS>> Get the most from your contest"
• Next in thread: A. Grossman: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Get the most from your contest"

Following up on the contest discussion:

I recently have noticed a shift in web contests, from offering
general interest prizes (cars, stereos, TVs, and cash) to
offering very specific prizes that are only of interest to a
target audience. Thus, a web site might offer as a prize
10,000 free advertising impressions, or a free copy of a C++
compiler, or a photo editing program. This quite quickly pre-
qualifies the contest entrants: only those interested in the
prize will likely spend the time to fill out the entry form.

I have recently been debating whether I should run a
"contest" to develop some demographic information about
visitors to my "Web Site Banner Advertising" web site.
(A logical prize would be some amount of advertising
impressions on an advertising network like LinkExchange
or FlyCast.)

Note that some "contest" sites go too far in asking for
detailed personal information, or just too much information.
And many contest sites simply don't ask useful questions,
making it unclear to me why the company is even running
a contest.

Finally, a warning: be cautious in defining contest entry
rules. One recent contest offered a car as a prize and
limited entries to "one per email address." Since I was
tempted by the prize and since I control three entire
domains, I was able to enter myself about 200 times by
feeding various email addresses. (Two days later, the
contest rules were changed to "once per person.") I'm
sure you can get information about legal restrictions on
contests by checking web sites like Lew Rose's site
on Advertising Law.

-- Mark J. Welch, Esq. (510) 462-8483 http://www.ca-probate.com/
-- Note: area code will change in April 1998 to (925)
-- Web Site Banner Ads and Web Counters: http://www.markwelch.com/
-- Small Office / Home Office Consumer: http://www.sohoconsumer.com/

<MODERATOR's NOTE>

Lew Rose's Advertising Law Internet Site is at:

http://www.webcom.com/~lewrose/

There is a spin-off site devoted to online contest law at:

http://www.arentfox.com/features/sweepstakes/

ArentFox is the law firm Lew Rose works for.

</MODERATOR's NOTE>

----------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's Online Advertising Discussion List sponsors:

When it comes to ad performance, not all search engines are equal.
Infoseek gives you solid reporting and highly targeted placement.
(And we return calls, too.) http://info.infoseek.com/doc/sponsors.html

-----

The first legitimate search engine position improvement system
Pay per click-thru pricing model as low as 15-cents
http://www.ClientDirect.com/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Online Advertising Discussion List To Unsubscribe send UNSUBSCRIBE
http://www.o-a.com/ to online-ads-request_at_o-a.com

• Next message: Darren Cook: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> WHY search engines are dying"
• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Previous message: Jim Lynch: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Marketing in the year 2010?"
• Maybe in reply to: Contestworld: "ONLINE-ADS>> Get the most from your contest"
• Next in thread: A. Grossman: "Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Get the most from your contest"

With an archive of more than 14,000 postings, since 1996 the Online Advertising Discussion List has been the Internet's leading forum focused on professional discussion of online advertising and online media buying and selling strategies, results, studies, tools, and media coverage. If you wish to join the discussion list, please use this link to sign up on the home page of the Online Advertising Discussion List.