How to Make a WooCommerce Contest (Step-by-Step)

You’ve got a WooCommerce store. You’re getting some traffic. But most visitors browse a few products and leave without buying, and you’re not sure how to pull them back in.

A WooCommerce contest is a giveaway you run on your online store to attract new shoppers, grow your email list, and reward customers. RafflePress lets you build one in under 15 minutes without any code. While some plugins let you sell tickets or run lotteries inside WooCommerce, RafflePress focuses on something different: viral entry mechanics that grow your email list and social following at the same time.

In this guide, I’ll show you step-by-step how to create and run a WooCommerce contest directly from your WordPress site.

Why Should You Run a WooCommerce Contest?

Running a WooCommerce contest is one of the easiest ways to get more eyes on your products, engage your audience, and boost revenue. Many online shoppers browse without buying, but a well-timed giveaway gives them a reason to act now.

Here’s why store owners use contests as part of their marketing strategy:

• Attract new customers – Contests create buzz and bring fresh traffic to your store.
• Recover lost sales – Around 30% of carts are abandoned. Giveaways keep visitors connected so you can bring them back.
• Grow your email list – Collect addresses you can market to long after the contest ends.
• Boost social followers – Reward actions like following your brand on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
• Increase customer loyalty – Keep shoppers engaged with fun, repeatable promotions.

When done right, WooCommerce contests build lasting relationships and turn one-time visitors into repeat buyers.

How to Create a WooCommerce Contest or Giveaway

We’ll be using a WordPress contest plugin called RafflePress for this tutorial.

RafflePress is a WordPress giveaway plugin built around viral entry mechanics. It includes a drag-and-drop builder and connects to popular email marketing services, so you can collect subscribers while running your contest.

It covers social media giveaway actions alongside email capture, so you can grow more than one channel from a single campaign.

Follow the steps below to run contests in WooCommerce with RafflePress.

• Step 1. Install RafflePress Giveaway Plugin
• Step 2. Choose a Giveaway Template
• Step 3. Add a WooCommerce Contest Prize
• Step 4. Add Actions to Join the Contest
• Step 5. Customize Your WooCommerce Contest Design
• Step 6. Configure the Contest Settings
• Step 7. Publish Your WooCommerce Contest
• Step 8. Promote Your Online Store’s Contest
• Step 9. Choose Your Contest Winners

Step 1. Install RafflePress Giveaway Plugin

First, click this link to get started with RafflePress and download the plugin.

Note: There is a free version of RafflePress available, but we’ll use the premium version to showcase all the features.

Next, install and activate RafflePress on your WordPress website. If you need help, you can follow this guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

After installing RafflePress, you’ll see a welcome screen asking you to enter your license key.

You can find your license key on the RafflePress website in your account under the Downloads tab.

If you don’t see the welcome screen, you can enter your license key by navigating to RafflePress » Settings.

From there, click the Verify Key button to activate your license. Now you’re ready to build your first WooCommerce contest.

Step 2. Choose a Giveaway Template

Navigate to RafflePress » Giveaways and click the Add New button to get started.

You’re now inside the RafflePress giveaway builder, and your first task is to give your giveaway a name.

Next, select a giveaway template to use as a starting point.

RafflePress offers various giveaway templates that center around different goals. They can help you reach specific giveaway goals, such as growing your email subscribers, social media followers, and more.

Choose a template that best suits your giveaway goal. Alternatively, you can pick the Classic template to start with a simple giveaway framework.

Next, hover your mouse over a template, then click the Use This Template button to launch it in the RafflePress builder.

Step 3. Add a WooCommerce Contest Prize

Your next task is to add the prize details for your WooCommerce giveaway. That should include your giveaway prize image, title, and description.

Click the pencil icon below the Giveaway Prize Details heading to edit your prize title and description.

Then click on the Select Image button to upload an image of your prize and click the Done Editing button. After, RafflePress will display your image at the top of the giveaway widget.

Next, navigate to the left-hand panel and choose your campaign’s start and end date. Ensure you leave enough time to promote your contest effectively.

Check out our guide to learn how long a giveaway should last if you need some guidance.

Step 4. Add Actions to Join the Contest

Now it’s time to add giveaway actions to your contest widget. Actions are tasks that visitors should perform to earn contest entries and the chance to win.

Actions are how visitors earn entries. RafflePress includes options for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, email newsletter signup, and more. Choose actions that match the channels you actually want to grow.

Click the Actions tab in the left-hand panel to see all the available actions.

When you click an action, RafflePress will add it to your giveaway widget under the prize details section. You can click a specific action to open its settings panel on the left.

Each action has two settings worth knowing before you publish:

• Make Mandatory: require visitors to complete this action to qualify for the contest.
• Allow Daily Entries: let users enter every day for extra entries.

For example, the Join an Email Newsletter action lets you automatically add users to your list when they sign up for your giveaway. It also lets you integrate with popular email marketing services and show an opt-in confirmation checkbox.

The Watch a Video action lets you enter a video URL in the settings panel. Doing that will embed your video in the giveaway widget automatically when your contest goes live.

Rearranging Giveaway Actions

You can add unlimited giveaway actions to your widget. Adding more actions offers users more ways to join your contest and helps you reach more marketing and social media channels.

It’s a good idea to prioritize your giveaway actions by goal. For example, if your most important goal is to grow your email list, you should move it to the top and make it mandatory.

Drag and drop any action to rearrange it in your giveaway widget.

Best Actions for WooCommerce Stores

From what I’ve seen, the most effective WooCommerce contest setups pair one mandatory action with two or three optional ones. Here are the combinations that work best depending on your goal:

• Grow your email list: Make “Join Newsletter” mandatory with 1 entry. Add Instagram Follow and Facebook Follow as optional actions.
• Expand social reach: Add Instagram Follow, Twitter Follow, and TikTok Follow. Set each to allow daily entries for extra participation.
• Drive product engagement: Add “Visit a Page” pointing to a specific product URL. Combine with a newsletter signup to capture leads at the same time.

Click the Save button at this stage to save your changes.

Step 5. Customize Your WooCommerce Contest Design

The next step is to change the styling of your giveaway widget so it’s eye-catching and appealing to visitors. Click the Design tab to view RafflePress’s design and customization options.

You can change your widget layout and fonts and choose a custom button color.

You can also choose a custom background color or upload a background image if you plan to publish your contest on a landing page (we’ll cover that in Step 7).

When you’re happy with your contest design, click the Save button to store your changes.

Step 6. Configure the Contest Settings

The next step is to adjust your giveaway settings. Click the Settings tab and work through the options below.

Click the General heading to see basic settings, including giveaway name, page permalink, and display options.

Next, click the Giveaway Rules heading. There’s a built-in giveaway rules generator that creates rules based on your contest details.

Click the + Generate Rules button, enter your contest details, and click the Generate button.

For WooCommerce stores, these four settings matter most:

• Email verification: only accept entries from people who verify their email addresses.
• Success redirect: redirect users to a specific page after entering, such as a product page or thank-you page.
• GDPR: include a checkbox that users must agree with to register.
• Recaptcha: reduce spam and fraudulent entries with Google Recaptcha.

Remember to save your changes after configuring your settings.

Step 7. Publish Your WooCommerce Contest

Once your contest is ready, you can add it to your online store. It’s easy to add your giveaway anywhere in WooCommerce.

You have 3 publishing options:

• Use the RafflePress block to embed your giveaway in a post or page.
• Use a shortcode to add your giveaway in posts, pages, sidebar widgets, and product pages.
• Create a standalone giveaway landing page.

1. Adding the Giveaway Block to Posts or Pages

To embed your giveaway in a post or page with a WordPress block, create a new post or edit an existing one. Next, click the plus (+) icon to choose a new block and find the RafflePress block.

Click the block to add it to your post or page. Next, select the dropdown box and choose your giveaway from the menu.

WordPress will embed the giveaway directly into your post or page. Now you can click the Live Preview button to see how it looks.

2. Adding the Contest with a Shortcode

Shortcodes are helpful if you want to add your giveaway to a product page, sidebar widget, or somewhere inside your WordPress theme.

Edit your giveaway, then click the Publish tab to find your RafflePress shortcode. Next, click the WordPress Shortcode option, and you can copy the shortcode from the bottom of the screen.

Now you can paste the RafflePress shortcode wherever you like in your WooCommerce store.

3. Create a Giveaway Landing Page

A standalone landing page removes navigation and other distractions, which tends to increase entries. RafflePress generates one for you from the Publish tab.

From the Publish tab, click the Giveaway Landing Page option.

Next, click the link to enter your landing page URL.

Finally, you can click the View button to preview your WooCommerce giveaway landing page.

Step 8. Promote Your Online Store’s Contest

After creating your WooCommerce giveaway, you’ll need to start promoting it across your marketing channels.

Smart business owners start promoting their giveaway before it goes live to build excitement and anticipation. See our full guide to contest promotion ideas for a complete playbook.

• Sending an email newsletter to your existing subscribers
• Sharing your giveaway link on social media and adding it to sweepstakes and contest directories

Don’t forget that you can promote your contest across your websites with tools like OptinMonster.

Step 9. Choose Your Contest Winners

RafflePress will automatically start and end your WooCommerce contest on the dates and times you set. You can also use RafflePress to choose a contest winner when the giveaway is over.

To do that, go to RafflePress » Giveaways from your WordPress dashboard, then click the Needs Winners link next to the relevant contest.

Next, enter the number of winners on the next screen and click the “Choose Winners Now” button to pick winners randomly.

RafflePress will highlight the winner with a trophy icon. You can then click to email the winner with the good news.

What to Do After Your WooCommerce Contest Ends

Once you’ve picked a winner, your contest is over. But your relationship with those new subscribers is just beginning.

I recommend sending a welcome email to everyone who entered, thanking them for participating and offering a small discount code on your store. Most people won’t win, but a 10% or 15% discount gives them a reason to come back and buy anyway.

From there, add your new subscribers to a regular email sequence. The email list you built from this WooCommerce contest is one of the most valuable things you’ll take away, and it’s worth treating those contacts well from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best plugin for running a WooCommerce contest?

It depends on what you want the contest to do. If your goal is to grow your email list and social following at the same time, RafflePress works well because it’s built around entry actions rather than ticket sales.

If you need paid ticket or lottery mechanics inside WooCommerce, you’d want a different plugin focused on that use case.

Can I run a WooCommerce contest without selling tickets?

Yes, and free-entry giveaways are actually the more common approach for ecommerce stores. Participants earn entries by completing actions like following you on social media, joining your email list, or visiting a product page.

This is also simpler from a legal standpoint. Paid contests are subject to gambling regulations in many regions, so free-entry giveaways carry less compliance risk.

How do I choose a winner for my WooCommerce giveaway?

When your contest ends, go to RafflePress » Giveaways and click the Needs Winners link next to your contest. Enter the number of winners and click “Choose Winners Now” to pick randomly from verified entries.

The winner is highlighted with a trophy icon, and you can email them directly from the dashboard. See our full guide on how to pick a giveaway winner for more options.

Do I need a separate plugin to run a contest on my WooCommerce store?

Yes. WooCommerce doesn’t include built-in giveaway or contest functionality. You’ll need a dedicated plugin to create entry forms, manage participants, and pick winners.

RafflePress installs like any WordPress plugin and runs alongside WooCommerce without conflicts.

Is RafflePress free for WooCommerce stores?

There’s a free version at WordPress.org that covers the basics. The premium version adds email marketing integrations, advanced entry actions, fraud protection, and the standalone landing page builder. Most WooCommerce stores will hit the limits of the free version fairly quickly.

Check the RafflePress pricing page for current plan details.

Start Your First WooCommerce Contest Today

Running a WooCommerce contest is a proven way to attract more visitors, grow your audience, and turn browsers into buyers. With the right prize and entry actions, you can boost sales while building long-term relationships with your customers.

Using RafflePress, you can launch your first contest in minutes, promote it across your marketing channels, and track results right from your WordPress dashboard.

Ready to start growing your store? Create your WooCommerce contest with RafflePress today.

You might also like this guide on how to distribute coupon codes to boost sales.

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