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Annual marketing events present the unique opportunity for brands to plan around a set date and  compare benchmark data from last year’s efforts. Although summer is often filled with cookouts and vacations, the mid-to-late summer season sees the rise in demand for Back to School purchases of all shapes and sizes. From backpacks to binders and sneakers to snacks, consumers will certainly roam store aisles with intent of crossing every item off their list.

The prizing is set, the contest or sweepstakes is designed, and the microsite is being built. It’s time to consider how leveraging social media can drive interest and participation in your promotion.

Hosting a contest or sweepstakes on social media is a strategic way to build engagement, excitement and community on your brand platforms. But as with any giveaway, there are specific rules you must follow to ensure legal compliance — and those can vary based on your promotion structure, social media platform and prize pool.

In Italy, a local public official must hand-select sweepstakes winners. In Canada, if you want to include residents of Quebec in the sweepstakes, you will be required  to translate all of the campaign’s marketing materials, website, official rules and messaging into French too. In Mexico, a government authority must witness the delivery of any prize worth more than $5,000.

Running a contest or sweepstakes on popular social media platforms can be an excellent strategy to gain new followers, spark engagement and foster brand loyalty. But to meet these goals, you’ll need to pair the right social media platforms with your marketing strategy, prize and ideal method of entry.

By asking users for just one like, comment or share to enter a promotion, brands can capture user attention and expand their reach. The convenience of creating and participating in a social media giveaway has made it a powerful — and popular — marketing tool for companies looking to deepen engagement and build loyalty.