Contest

The contest module allows your site to host random games of chance, “Sweepstakes”. Where users can enter to win prizes via a random drawing.

Upon installation a custom content type, (contest) and user profile fields are created.

While a user must complete their profile to enter the contest. To create a low bar for anonymous users to enter. They can fill-in their personal information into the entry form and they will be enter into the contest and a user will be created for them. Logged in users with complete profiles can just click the “Enter Contest” button.

Winners can be selected via a contest’s admin page or the entries exported and printed for a public drawing. Publishing winner’s is a seperate step to allow for confirmation that the rules have been followed.

The same export, (a CSV compatible with Excel) can be provided to sponsors or affiliates for marketing purposes.

I’ve run on several sites and it works pretty well at getting the community and sponsors involved. Sponsors put up prizes which encouraged users to join the site. This expanded our email list which was returned to a contest’s sponsors for marketing purposes.

1. Upload the contest directory to the site’s plugin directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in the WordPress admin panel.
3. Create or edit a contest host user profile, (this information is used in the terms and conditions).
4. Create or edit a contest sponsor user profile, (can be the same as the host).
5. Go to: /wp-admin/admin.php?page=contest-settings to configure the global contest settings.
6. To create a contest go to: /wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=contest