How to Run a Black Friday Giveaway (Step-by-Step Guide)

Want to boost your sales this Black Friday? A Black Friday giveaway is one of the most effective ways to grab attention, grow your audience, and drive real sales during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.

I’ve run several Black Friday giveaways, and the results speak for themselves. Smash Balloon ran a holiday contest and grew their email list by 3,584 subscribers. Tailwind’s 2020 research found that accounts running contests grow 70% faster than those that don’t.

The right BFCM giveaway can do the same for your business. In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to create and run a standout Black Friday giveaway on your WordPress site.

Step-by-Step Guide to Running a Black Friday Giveaway

Let’s walk through each step to create a Black Friday giveaway that delivers results.

1. Define Your Goals

Before you start designing your giveaway, decide what you want to achieve this Black Friday. Pick the most important one:

• Get the Word Out. If you’re launching something new or want to reach a new audience, a holiday promotion can introduce your brand to people who’ve never heard of you.
• Grow Your Email List. A giveaway is one of the fastest ways to collect email addresses from people who are genuinely interested in what you sell.
• Boost Your Sales. A well-timed giveaway creates buzz that drives traffic directly to your product pages or sale section.

You can have more than one goal, but pick the most important one. It shapes every other decision: what prize to offer, which entry methods to use, and how to promote the giveaway.

For example, if growing your email list is the priority, make email signup a mandatory entry step.

It’s also worth thinking through your prize budget before you get too far.

If your email list generates $5 per subscriber, a $200 prize budget that brings in 100 new subscribers is a $2 cost-per-lead. For most businesses, a budget of $50-$500 is realistic, depending on your audience size and goals.

When to Run Your Black Friday Giveaway

Timing is one of the most common gaps I see in Black Friday giveaway planning. Launch too late and you miss the momentum window. Launch too early and you lose urgency.

Here’s what works:

• Start date: Launch your giveaway 2-3 weeks before Black Friday. This gives you time to build entries and email subscribers before the peak shopping days hit.
• Run duration: 7-10 days is the sweet spot. Ending on Cyber Monday extends your BFCM giveaway through the full sales weekend and gives you a natural second announcement moment.
• Announcement timing: Send an email teaser to your list about one week before you launch. Giving people a heads-up creates anticipation and gets your first entries in fast.

Longer than two weeks and momentum usually drops, because people assume they have plenty of time to enter. Keep the window tight.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Imagine throwing a party and inviting everyone on the planet. It would be chaotic. Giveaways work best when you focus on the people most likely to be interested in your brand.

Look at your current customers and social media followers for clues. What do they have in common? The better you understand your target audience, the better you can tailor your Black Friday sweepstakes to grab their attention.

For example, if you sell eco-friendly clothing, targeting environmentally conscious consumers who follow sustainable living influencers is a smart move. The prize and entry methods should reflect that specific audience.

3. Choose an Irresistible Prize

The prize is what makes people stop scrolling and decide to enter. It’s the bait on your giveaway hook. And it’s no secret that people love free stuff.

88% of consumers say that free products or discounts are the number one incentive to follow a brand on social media. (Source: Sprout Social)

The “best” prize isn’t about what you think is cool. It’s about what your target audience will absolutely love. Think about what your ideal customer is passionate about and what problems your products solve.

In this example, OptinMonster knew its audience cared about technology, so they chose a high-value MacBook Pro as the prize.

You might also consider a prize bundle combining your own products with complementary items from other businesses. Experiences, gift cards, or personalized prizes can also be a big hit.

Here are a few popular Black Friday giveaway prize ideas:

• Tech Gadgets: Smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, or tablets.
• Gift Cards: Always a winner because people choose exactly what they want.
• Self-Care Packages: Curated boxes of bath products, candles, or skincare.
• Home Upgrades: Cozy blanket sets, coffee makers, or stylish home decor.

For even more suggestions, see my roundup of proven giveaway prize ideas.

4. Select the Right Platform

While you can run giveaways on various platforms, I’ve found that using a WordPress plugin offers the most flexibility and control, especially for Black Friday.

For this guide, I’ll be using RafflePress to walk you through the process step-by-step.

RafflePress is a WordPress giveaway plugin that grows your email list and social following through viral refer-a-friend contests. It takes about 2 minutes to create a giveaway, and it integrates with all your favorite marketing tools to maximize your reach.

Ready to see it in action? Let’s get this giveaway set up.

5. Create Engaging Giveaway Content

Think of your giveaway content as the invitation to your Black Friday party. You want it to be eye-catching, clear, and easy to enter.

If you haven’t already, install and activate the RafflePress plugin on your WordPress website. If you need help, here’s a handy guide to installing RafflePress.

In your WordPress dashboard, go to RafflePress » Add New to create your giveaway.

From here, choose a giveaway template to get started or create one from scratch.

Next, click the “Details” tab to enter your giveaway prize information. Give your giveaway a catchy name and write a brief, enticing description of the prize.

Include a high-quality image of your prize to grab attention.

Once you’re happy with those details, switch to the “Actions” tab. Here, you can choose from a range of ways for people to enter your holiday contest:

• Visit a Page: Award entries for visiting key pages on your website, like your product pages or Black Friday sale section.
• Follow on Social Media: Boost your social media following by awarding entries for following your profiles on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more.
• Sign Up for Emails: Grow your email list by making email signup a mandatory entry method.
• Refer Friends: Encourage participants to spread the word by giving them bonus entries for referring their friends.

To add them to your giveaway widget, click each one. You can drag and drop to reorder them however you like.

In the newsletter signup option, you can choose an email marketing service and send new contacts directly to your email list.

Pro Tip: Be strategic about your entry methods. Align them with your primary giveaway goal. If you’re aiming to increase brand awareness, prioritize social media follows and shares.

6. Set Clear Rules and Guidelines

Giveaways are more fun when everyone knows how to play fair. Clear rules also protect you legally. RafflePress has a built-in giveaway rules generator that makes this straightforward.

While editing your giveaway, go to the “Settings” tab and select the “Giveaway Rules” option. Click “Generate Rules” and RafflePress automatically creates a full set of rules based on your giveaway details.

Review the generated rules and customize them to fit your giveaway. Be sure to include:

• Eligibility Requirements: Who can enter (age, location, etc.)
• Giveaway Period: Start and end dates and times
• How to Enter: Clearly explain the steps to participate
• How the Winner Will Be Chosen: Random drawing, most entries, etc.
• Prize Details: A complete description of the prize(s)
• Sponsor Information: If applicable, disclose any sponsors
• Privacy Policy: Include a link to your website’s privacy policy

When you publish your giveaway, RafflePress displays these rules at the bottom of your giveaway widget, making them easy for participants to find. For more information, see our guide on how to write giveaway rules like a pro.

7. Display Your Giveaway on Your Website

RafflePress gives you several ways to display your giveaway on your website. Here’s how each one works.

Use the RafflePress Block

While editing a page or post in WordPress, click the “+” icon to add a new WordPress block. Search for “RafflePress” and click it to add the block to your page.

Select your giveaway from the list, and that’s it. Your giveaway appears on your post or page.

Use the RafflePress Shortcode

You can also use a shortcode to embed your giveaway. Find it in the “Publish” section when you’re editing your giveaway.

Copy the shortcode and paste it anywhere on your website — your sidebar, footer, or within a page builder.

Create a Dedicated Giveaway Landing Page

One of my favorite RafflePress features is the ability to create a standalone giveaway landing page with a few clicks. From the “Publish” panel, select the “Giveaway Landing Page” option.

Further down the page, click “Click here.” This takes you to the General giveaway settings panel. Next to “Page Permalink” is a box where you enter a unique URL for your page.

Save your changes and click the “View” button to see your giveaway page in action. This page goes live automatically on your giveaway’s scheduled publish date.

8. Promote Your Black Friday Giveaway

Building buzz around your giveaway is key to its success. I think of it like spreading the word about an epic Black Friday sale — the more people who know about it, the better the results.

Here are a few ways to get those entries rolling in:

• Social Media Blitz: Share eye-catching posts, stories, and videos about your holiday contest on all your social media channels. Use relevant giveaway hashtags to reach a wider audience.
• Email Blast: Send an email to your subscribers announcing the giveaway and highlighting the prize. Make it easy for them to enter directly from the email.
• Team Up with Influencers: Partner with influencers or bloggers in your niche to promote your giveaway to their followers.
• Use Paid Ads: Give your giveaway an extra boost with targeted social media or Google Ads. Even a small budget can significantly expand your reach.

If that isn’t enough, you’ll find my list of contest promotion ideas helpful.

Pro Tip: Social media is a giveaway powerhouse. About 65% of people say that giveaways and contests on social media are effective for gaining followers. Plus, about 34% of new customers are acquired through contests. (Source: Constant Contact)

9. Tie Your Giveaway to Your Black Friday Sale

Most Black Friday giveaways run in isolation from the actual sale. That’s a missed opportunity. The real value comes from using your giveaway to drive traffic directly to your BFCM deals.

Here’s how to connect the two:

• Use the “Visit a Page” entry action to send entrants to your Black Friday sale page. They get bonus entries; you get sale page traffic from a warm, interested audience.
• Announce your winner alongside your Cyber Monday deals. The winner announcement email is one of the highest-opened emails you’ll send all year. Use it to drop your Cyber Monday offer at the same time.
• Send non-winners a second-chance discount code. A 15-20% discount code in the “you didn’t win” email converts a surprising number of people who entered but never intended to buy.

I’ve seen this approach turn a giveaway that looked like a list-building exercise into a legitimate sales driver during the BFCM weekend.

10. Monitor and Optimize

Once your giveaway is up and running, keep a close eye on performance so you can make adjustments along the way.

Most social media platforms have built-in analytics dashboards that show you how many people are seeing and interacting with your giveaway posts. For giveaways on your website, use Google Analytics to track entries, page views, and traffic sources.

One of the best ways to do this is to use a Google Analytics plugin like MonsterInsights. It displays key metrics right inside your WordPress dashboard in a way that’s easy to understand.

Here are a few key things to watch:

• Engagement: Are people liking, commenting on, and sharing your giveaway posts?
• Reach: How many people are seeing your giveaway? If it’s lower than you’d like, expand your promotional efforts.
• Entries: Is the entry rate meeting your expectations? If not, tweak your prize, entry methods, or promotional strategies.

When the giveaway is over, choose your winner randomly and fairly. RafflePress has a built-in random winner generator to make this a breeze. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to pick a winner for a giveaway.

Post Black Friday Giveaway Strategies

Congratulations on a successful Black Friday giveaway. The relationships you’ve built during the giveaway are valuable — here’s how to make the most of them.

First, notify your winner within 24 hours. Waiting longer erodes the excitement you’ve built. Send a personal, enthusiastic winner announcement email and post it publicly on the social channels where you promoted the giveaway.

For everyone who didn’t win, send a personalized “thank you for entering” email with a consolation discount code tied to your Black Friday sale. This is your conversion moment — these are warm leads who just raised their hand to say they’re interested in your brand.

From there, run a short 3-email post-giveaway nurture sequence to convert new subscribers into buyers:

1. Email 1 (Day 1): Thank-you and consolation discount. Make the offer clear and give it a 48-hour deadline.
2. Email 2 (Day 3): Reminder email with social proof. Include a testimonial or case study showing what your product has done for someone like them.
3. Email 3 (Day 6): Last chance email before the discount expires. Keep it short and direct.

After the campaign wraps up, take some time to review your giveaway metrics. What worked well? What would you do differently? These answers shape your next Cyber Monday giveaway.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start a Black Friday giveaway?

Start your Black Friday giveaway 2-3 weeks before Black Friday, which usually falls on the last Friday of November. This gives you enough time to build entries and grow your email list before the peak shopping days. Send a teaser email to your existing list about a week before launch to generate early momentum.

How long should a Black Friday giveaway run?

A 7-10 day run is the sweet spot for a Black Friday giveaway. Shorter than a week and you don’t have time to build momentum. Longer than two weeks and urgency drops. Ending on Cyber Monday works well because it extends your giveaway through the full BFCM sales window and gives you a second announcement opportunity.

What makes the best prize for a Black Friday giveaway?

The best prize is one that your specific target audience wants, not the most expensive or flashy item you can find. A prize that attracts everyone attracts no one useful. If you sell software, prize your own product. If you sell eco-friendly goods, a curated sustainability bundle will get far better engagement than a generic gift card. The more relevant the prize, the higher-quality your entrants will be.

How do I get more entries for my Black Friday giveaway?

The fastest way to increase entries is to add a refer-a-friend entry action in RafflePress. Entrants get bonus entries for sharing the giveaway with others, which turns each entrant into a promoter. Pair this with an email teaser to your existing list, at least one social post per day during the giveaway, and a paid ad push if your budget allows.

Can I run a Black Friday giveaway for free with RafflePress?

RafflePress has a free version that lets you run a basic giveaway on your WordPress site. The paid plans unlock additional entry actions (like refer-a-friend and email signup integrations), landing page creation, and advanced winner management. For a Black Friday giveaway where email list growth is the goal, the Plus plan or higher is worth it.

Make This Black Friday The Most Successful

The steps are all here — now it’s time to put them to work. Launch your giveaway early, keep the entry window tight, and have your follow-up email sequence ready to go before Black Friday arrives.

You might also find the following guides helpful in creating your next giveaway campaign:

• How to Use Contest SEO to Boost Your Website’s Rankings
• How to Stop Spam Form Submissions in WordPress
• How to Do a Review Giveaway in WordPress
• How to Automate User Engagement in WordPress

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