Want to stop visitors and start conversions on your competition website?

The user experience is the thing separating high-performing competition websites from the also-rans. A shiny competition website design is useless if your visitors hit the back button without entering.

Here’s the issue…

The competition website owners know how to fixate on the wrong things. Graphics can take precedence over basics and fundamentals that make a real difference to traffic conversion to entries and sales.

The good news? It’s entirely doable.

Let’s dig in…

Contents

• Importance of User Experience for Competition Websites
• Essential UX Elements for Driving Entries
• Mobile Optimization for Competition Websites
• Speed and Performance Best Practices
• Trust Elements that Turn Browsers into Entrants
• Common UX Mistakes to Avoid
• Competition Website Design: Wrapping Up

Importance of User Experience for Competition Websites

Competition website design has one job…

Make people enter.

The design, the copy, the layout, the page speed… everything on the page needs to work towards that goal. There is no such thing as a design element that doesn’t affect this, especially structure and layout.

Even better…

Studies have shown that 88% of consumers will not return to a website after a bad experience. A single negative user experience on your competition website may put a potential visitor off for life.

Put another way, a competition website lives or dies on repeat visitors. These are the people who enter lots of your competitions, who share them with their friends, who become customers.

A well thought-out competition website design keeps them coming back.

Bonus? A competition website builder boosts sales when the UX has been optimized for conversions. This is because a quality builder takes care of much of the heavy lifting. The aim for site owners is to run the best competitions, and the right builder will allow them to focus on that.

Simple right?

Essential UX Elements for Driving Entries

Let’s take a look at what you need to really nail for competition website design…

Clear entry process

The entry process must be crystal clear from the second a user lands on the page. If they need to hunt for the entry button, they’ll click back and go elsewhere. Full stop.

The entry form itself must be as short as possible. For every additional field, your completion rates will suffer. Only request the information you absolutely need.

Visual hierarchy

Good user experience, according to Baymard, will guide the user’s eye where you want them to go in a natural way. The prize should be what catches the eye first. Then the entry method. Then the deadline.

It’s less about how it looks and more about creating desired user behavior.

Appealing prize display

It’s a well-known fact that high-quality images of your prize create desire. Feature it from different angles. Add lifestyle imagery of the prize being used and enjoyed.

Also, statistics show that 75% of users determine credibility based on a website’s aesthetics alone. Professional-grade images of your prizes helps establish this.

Mobile Optimization for Competition Websites

Something that surprises new competition website owners all the time…

The majority of competition entries are on mobile devices. This makes mobile optimization an absolute must-have for any competition website design.

So, what is good mobile UX?

• Buttons that are easy to tap
• Text that can be read without zooming
• Forms that work well with mobile keyboards
• Images that load in a reasonable amount of time on slower connections

The entry process must be as smooth as possible on a smaller screen. Test every competition on a real mobile device prior to launching.

Test, don’t assume.

Speed and Performance Best Practices

Slow loading speeds = conversions drain.

End of story.

Research has shown that 53% of mobile users will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. In a competition website, this means a lost entry and a potential lost sale.

As every second of delay is literally money flying out of the door, speed should be a non-stop battle for any competition website design. How to do it?

Optimize images

Large image files are the main culprit. Compress everything. Use webp file formats where possible.

Clean code

Code that is lean and clean will perform better. This includes business plugins and scripts.

Quality hosting

Cheap hosting means slow loading times. Invest in quality hosting that will perform when traffic spikes on a viral competition.

Caching

Caching allows static files to be saved and not reloaded when a user visits the page again. This improves the experience for repeat visitors immensely.

Speed optimizations are compound. A faster competition website will have more entries, improved rankings and increased profits over time. Fast elements on page are preferred. 

Trust Elements that Turn Browsers into Entrants

Trust is a key element in competition website design.

Visitors must believe the competition is legitimate and a genuine opportunity before they’ll enter. Nothing else you do matters if you haven’t solved this issue.

So, how do you build it?

• Display previous winners: Previous winners are the proof you need to show the competition is legitimate. Photos of past winners with their prizes are ideal. Testimonials are also a plus.

• Show security badges: SSL certificates and payment security badges let the user know their data is safe. These should be close to entry forms and the checkout page.

• Include clear terms: Transparent terms and conditions of the competition help remove any doubt. Make them easy to find and in simple language.
• Add social proof: Entry counters, social shares, community interactions, they all indicate that the site is trusted by others. New users are more likely to join the party if they feel safe.

Trust is not something that you build overnight. It is earned over time, but can be lost in an instant. It should be the job of every element in your competition website design to reinforce it.

Common UX Mistakes to Avoid

The following mistakes are all too common on competition websites:

• Cluttered pages Too many competing elements on the page can make a visitor feel overwhelmed. Use plenty of white space.
• Hidden entry buttons The main CTA on your competition website should be immediately visible. The entry button should be front and center.
• Complicated registration Mandatory account creation before entry is a major cause of friction. Use guest entry options where possible.
• Missing mobile testing Assuming the desktop design also works well on mobile will cost you visitors. Test both the desktop and mobile experiences separately.
• Slow loading times Speed is UX. Performance issues can kill conversions.

Make sure your competition website avoids these UX mistakes and you’ll be way ahead of the majority.

Competition Website Design: Wrapping Up

Success in competition website design comes down to friction reduction.

All elements must make the user journey of entering as easy and as appealing as possible. A great prize display will create desire. A frictionless entry form will capture leads. Trust signals help overcome objections.

Here’s the key elements in quick overview:

• Keep the entry process simple and easy
• Prioritize the mobile experience above all
• Optimize for speed wherever possible
• Build trust through transparency and social proof
• Test often and correct issues fast

The competition websites that are the best performers are the ones that make entering an effortless process. A great user experience is not about having fancy features or complex designs.

It’s about deeply understanding what the user wants and then giving it to them.

Get the fundamentals right, and watch the entry rates soar. The results are there for all to see.