Online contests can be a great way to build a fan base, gather data and engage an audience. Whether you have run a contest previously or not, there are four things to keep in mind as you prepare for, and execute, your campaign.

1. Get The Lay of the Land

Start with a clear understanding of your target audience and marketing objectives. Too often I’ve seen a clever promotional concept that is not well aligned with desired outcomes or simply doesn’t resonate with the consumer. Acknowledge the assets and limitations you have to work with. It is important to understand your audience and what you expect from them. It is also important to think about the appropriate channel for engagement, whether it be on your brand site or blog, a Facebook page, Twitter, etc.

One of the biggest fears people have when it comes to setting up a contest is rules and regulations. Legal and policy concerns may seem like a daunting deterrent, but they needn’t be. So long as you adhere to some key criteria in the administration of your contest, there should be little to worry about. If you don’t have legal resources in-house, choose a promotional services company that can help advise you.

If you are planning to use Facebook for your promotion, be sure you are familiar with their Promotions Guidelines. Using a third-party application is important when conducting a contest on Facebook, but be sure that your application developer is familiar with all of Facebook’s platform policies. The guidelines for running a contest on Twitter are a bit less restrictive, but there are also limitations to what can be done with a promotion in 140 characters.

2. Plow the Soil and Sow the Seeds

You may have repaired your tractor, put a fresh coat of paint on the barn, or invested in a state-of-the-art new irrigation system, but if the soil wasn’t prepared or seeds were never planted, you can’t expect much to grow. Likewise, when it comes to online promotions there is often so much focus on the legal, the creative or the technology that the basic logistics and marketing don’t get the attention they deserve. Clients are left scratching their head or scrambling to put a plan in place when the contest launches and nobody enters.

Ensure that the entry process is easy to navigate and the entry requirements are clearly explained. A contest that requires someone to submit a photo or video through one platform, share through another and vote on a third, is bound to generate confusion and frustration. Having a good entry flow without unnecessary barriers will provide the groundwork to facilitate a positive user interaction with your brand.

If you are asking people to create an original piece of content for your contest, remember that this can take some time. You can avoid the appearance of a failed launch by promoting the contest in advance and sharing the entry requirements with those most likely to submit an entry. Having “seeder” entries in place can serve as an inspiration to other participants and help build early momentum around your campaign.

3. Tend to Your Crops

“If you build it, they will come” may have worked for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but it is not a good mantra for running an online contest. Running a successful online contest requires a well thought-out marketing plan that spans the life cycle of the promotion.

It is important to continuously communicate through the various channels available to you. Communication should target both prospective and active participants, encompassing both entrants and voters (if you have voting in place). Like any other social media program, a contest is an opportunity to engage in an active dialogue with your fans and followers. Sharing contest updates, responding to questions and providing encouragement for users to share their entries or rally the vote are all tactics that will benefit your contest. Be prepared to deal with feedback, both positive and negative, that may be generated.

4. Harvest and Replant

Once your contest has concluded, you have the opportunity to learn and improve for your next campaign. The companies that see the most success are those that have a commitment to contests as part of their marketing, but also have an open mind to how they utilize them. Many farmers follow the practice of crop rotation, planting a series of dissimilar crops in sequential seasons. This practice helps to diversify risk but has also been shown to improve crop yield. Similarly, conducting a variety of promotional programs and repeating on a regular basis can yield social media success.

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