…But Wait There’s More!!!! {Rafflecopter Updates}

Hey everyone, just wanted to give you a quick update on some Rafflecopter enhancements and let you know what else is coming down the line. Thanks to everyone who’s emailed us, left us feedback, and otherwise gotten in touch. We appreciate it tremendously. We’ve been listening, and we’ve been updating. There have been a lot of small updates/fixes, but here are some bigger updates that address a few of the things we’ve been hearing most:

  • Easily add links (and other stuff). It’s always been possible to add links to your giveaways, but it’s also always been a bit of a pain. One letter wrong, one extra space, the wrong planetary alignment meant it didn’t work right. If you’ve had issues, I promise you aren’t the only one ;) — To help, we’ve added a nifty little toolbar to all the text fields where links are allowed. Now you can add links (and bolds/italics) with one click.(pro tip: You can also use the full power of Markdown if you want)
  • All links on the widget now open in a new page. – This was a constant request we heard, a big problem for Facebook/IFrame users, and an annoyance to visitors. Now every link from the widget opens in a new page, keeping your visitors comfortably on your own page and making life easier for everyone.
  • Use previous giveaways as a template for new ones. – Use the same 5 entry options every single time? How about the same terms/conditions? There’s no need to keep entering in those by hand each time. Just duplicate a recent giveaway, change the nickname, add some prizes, and you’re off to the races (mint julep in hand).
  • Email the Winner in 1 Click – After you choose a winner, you can email them with just one click. Because copying in pasting is way too much work ;P

That’s cool, but it’s just the beginning. Rafflecopter is very young and we’re making improvements all the time. Please tell us your ideas/suggestions/critiques/etc… We really do listen, and your ideas have a direct impact on what we make.

Also, there’s a lot more awesome-r stuff in the works, like new entry methods, better social integration, multiple winners, and more. Stay tuned, and have fun giving stuff away!

— J.R. (@runningskull)

 

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About the author

Juan

Software toolmaker, explorer, & designer. Boulder resident & steep hill afficionado. Co-founder and CEO of Rafflecopter.com

  • If there’s anything you’d like to see, feel free to let us know here!

    • Can I get an example of how it verifies the winner? If you have them LIKE a facebook page, can it verify that for me
      Thanks Michele

      • Hey Michele!

        Rafflecopter gives you the ability to download a spreadsheet of the folks who entered your giveaway. When you choose a winner after the giveaway is complete, you can verify if their entry is legitimate by looking them up on the spreadsheet to see if they did the mandatory requirements. You can also see if they entered multiple times using the same email address, as well as if they entered with the same IP address. We’re constantly updating the functionality of this tool and have some exciting things in store :)

        Verifying Facebook likes isa little tricky. If the user won via ‘liking’ on Facebook, it’s easier to verify if they liked your page. However, if the user won via ‘liking’ a sponsors page, it might be harder. Rafflecopter will soon be asking the entrant’s Facebook Name to help verify these entries (releasing that update this afternoon). Sometimes it’s as easy as going to the person’s Facebook profile and seeing if they like the page or not. Depending on how protected the entry winner’s FB privacy settings are, this isn’t always possible.

        Does that help? How do you currently verify Facebook likes?

        Thanks for the comment!

  • If there’s anything you’d like to see, feel free to let us know here!

    • Can I get an example of how it verifies the winner? If you have them LIKE a facebook page, can it verify that for me
      Thanks Michele

      • Hey Michele!

        Rafflecopter gives you the ability to download a spreadsheet of the folks who entered your giveaway. When you choose a winner after the giveaway is complete, you can verify if their entry is legitimate by looking them up on the spreadsheet to see if they did the mandatory requirements. You can also see if they entered multiple times using the same email address, as well as if they entered with the same IP address. We’re constantly updating the functionality of this tool and have some exciting things in store :)

        Verifying Facebook likes isa little tricky. If the user won via ‘liking’ on Facebook, it’s easier to verify if they liked your page. However, if the user won via ‘liking’ a sponsors page, it might be harder. Rafflecopter will soon be asking the entrant’s Facebook Name to help verify these entries (releasing that update this afternoon). Sometimes it’s as easy as going to the person’s Facebook profile and seeing if they like the page or not. Depending on how protected the entry winner’s FB privacy settings are, this isn’t always possible.

        Does that help? How do you currently verify Facebook likes?

        Thanks for the comment!

  • Pingback: Give Us Your Feedback & Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card | Rafflecopter Blog()

  • I’m not sure about this because I’ve only used Rafflecopter to enter a giveaway (NOT to manage one).  But, the thing I love about the WordPress “And the Winner Is…” plugin is that it randomly selects the winner for me and then gives me a chance to confirm or reject that winner.  Can Rafflecopter do that?  It would make everything about managing a giveaway easy as pie! 

    • Hey Cara! Yup – Rafflecopter gives you the ability to select a winner, help you verify if the winner chosen is legitimate, and email the winner :) We also give you the ability to download the entries in each giveaway to a spreadsheet.

  • I’m not sure about this because I’ve only used Rafflecopter to enter a giveaway (NOT to manage one).  But, the thing I love about the WordPress “And the Winner Is…” plugin is that it randomly selects the winner for me and then gives me a chance to confirm or reject that winner.  Can Rafflecopter do that?  It would make everything about managing a giveaway easy as pie! 

    • Hey Cara! Yup – Rafflecopter gives you the ability to select a winner, help you verify if the winner chosen is legitimate, and email the winner :) We also give you the ability to download the entries in each giveaway to a spreadsheet.