Effective social media contests are highlighted as powerful tools for enhancing event success by increasing ticket sales. Here's a summary of the suggested contests:

Tag, Share, and Follow Contest: Foster social media engagement by encouraging followers to share or tag a friend on a designated post. A random winner is then selected to receive exclusive prizes, such as event tickets or VIP passes. This not only expands event awareness but also grows your follower base. Utilising randomisation services like commentpicker.com ensures fairness and transparency.

Submit Fan Art Contest: Tap into your followers' creativity with a fan art contest. Provide a prompt related to your event, allowing followers to submit creative content. As the event approaches, select finalists internally and engage your audience by letting them vote for the winner through likes. The influx of user-generated content serves as a valuable resource for future posts and promotions.

Caption This Post Contest: Encourage wit and wordplay by hosting a caption contest. Share an event-related meme and invite followers to comment with their captions for a chance to win prizes. Boost participation by offering extra entries for those who tag friends. To add excitement, consider having an event guest or performer choose the winning comment in a TikTok or Instagram Reels video, potentially reaching a wider audience and driving buzz.

Offer a Sweepstakes: Simplify engagement with a sweepstakes contest, requiring minimal effort from both organisers and participants. Create multiple sweepstakes leading up to the event, with increasing prize values to build anticipation. Encourage entrants to share their participation on social media, expanding your reach to new audiences and potential ticket buyers.

A crucial reminder is to always check and comply with rules and regulations for contests on each social media platform and in your jurisdiction before launching any campaigns. Platforms like Instagram provide guidelines for running promotions to ensure a smooth and compliant process.