How to engage younger audiences with social media giveaways

Turn passive scrollers into engaged participants with smart & relatable giveaways

Social media giveaways are powerful in that they generate buzz around a product while encouraging participation.

However, in most cases, they still rely on marketing tactics that aren’t best suited to Gen Z.

This generation is quite resistant to generic ads or corporate messaging, so you need to tailor your social media giveaways in a way that captures their attention and encourages them to participate.

In this guide, we’ll give you a few pointers that can be quite useful in engaging younger audiences.

Shift from broadcasting to co-creation

Gone are the days when brands could just push out polished ads and expect younger audiences to relate or engage. Even in social media giveaways, younger audiences don’t want to just take part, they want to feel like they are part of the story.

In the campaign, don’t simply broadcast your brand’s story. Instead, invite your audience to shape it. This means that people shouldn’t just enter the promotion passively by simply providing their email addresses. Instead, they should interact with the product or brand.

One way to do this is by asking users to share their own take on your product through photos, short videos, or memes. This allows them to contribute ideas, and it can be useful when you are drafting a marketing strategy or even naming a new product. If you just want to promote a product or your brand, you can ask them to create a social media post.

This strategy will help your campaign feel more than just a marketing tactic and more effective at engaging younger audiences.

Offer prizes that actually matter

A giveaway is only as exciting as the prize, and for Gen Z, not just any reward will do. If you offer random gift cards or mass-produced merch, your campaign won’t appeal to younger audiences as they value exclusivity and personalization.

This means that instead of giving out cash prizes, you should offer something unique, such as limited-edition products or VIP experiences. It shouldn’t feel like something they can just buy off the shelf.

Better yet, tie the reward to your brand’s identity to make them feel like part of you and make them your ambassador. This means that you’ll not only attract people who relate to your products or brand, but your appeal will be much more powerful to them.

Leverage micro-influencers and content creators

For Gen Z, trust doesn’t come from big-name celebrities or corporate ads but from people they see as authentic and relatable. In today’s world, this means influencers and content creators. These creators have built communities around them, and when they promote a product, the younger audience tends to take it as a personal recommendation rather than an ad.

Instead of just promoting your campaign through social media ads, partner with micro-influencers who align with your values and target audience. Give them the freedom to introduce the product in their own voice, and this way, they’ll create content that feels natural to their followers.

Stay on top of trends and social listening

Being relatable will help your campaign not feel bland. However, Gen Z moves fast, and what’s trending today may already be forgotten by next week. If your giveaway feels outdated in any way, it won’t be effective in engaging younger audiences.

This means that you need to stay updated by actively listening to what your audience is talking about, the trending memes, and viral challenges – then be ready to adapt. This is what social listening entails, and it will help tell what excites your audience and know how to engage them. However, ensure that your giveaway feels like a natural part of the social media experience rather than a forced marketing push.

After the launch, you can then engage them by responding to comments and joining conversations to show that your brand isn’t just broadcasting a message but actively participating. When you are in tune with your audience during your social media giveaways, they’ll be more likely to engage with you, not just because they have to, but because they want to.

It’s time to rethink giveaways. Promosfera can help you move beyond basic contests and create experiences that Gen Z actually engages with.

Ready to level up your next giveaway? Start planning now!