# A Complete Checklist for Running Shopify Video Contests By ReelWin Team · Last updated September 4, 2026 A practical, ordered checklist for Shopify merchants planning a video submission contest, from defining the giveaway through reviewing entries and notifying winners with ReelWin. ## Key takeaways - Start with a specific content goal, a clear prize, and a realistic submission window before building the contest. - Use a branded submission page, explicit entry rules, and confirmation emails to make the customer journey easy to understand. - Promote the same contest through shareable links, Shopify theme blocks, and customizable email campaigns. - Keep entry review, media downloads, and winner selection organized in one dashboard so the campaign can move from launch to follow-up without scattered files. Running a video submission contest on Shopify is a practical way to invite customers to create authentic content around your products and brand. The strongest contests are simple for customers to enter and straightforward for your team to manage: participants know what to submit, when to submit it, what they could win, and what happens after entry. This checklist walks through the core decisions in order, then shows how ReelWin can support the submission, promotion, review, and winner-notification workflow for a Shopify UGC campaign. ## 1. Define the campaign goal, prize, and submission brief 1. Choose one primary objective for the contest. For example, you may want customer videos for social channels, ads, or your store. A focused goal helps you decide what kind of video to ask for and how you will evaluate entries. 2. Set a prize that gives customers a clear reason to participate. Add the prize details to the contest setup so the offer is consistent across the submission page, promotional messages, and contest rules. 3. Write a short, specific video brief. Tell entrants what they should show or discuss, such as their experience with a product, a creative use, or a response to a prompt. Avoid asking for too many elements; an easy brief lowers the barrier to entry. 4. Decide whether photos will also be accepted. ReelWin supports collecting both UGC videos and photos, so you can match accepted formats to your campaign goal. ## 2. Set dates and create clear contest rules 1. Choose a start date, submission deadline, and a review period before announcing the winner. Build enough time into the schedule for your team to review the entries rather than selecting a winner immediately after the deadline. 2. Document who can enter, what counts as a valid submission, how winners will be chosen, and how they will be contacted. Include any requirements related to the submitted content and its intended use by your brand. 3. Make the deadline and prize easy to find. Customers should not need to search through multiple messages to understand the contest basics. 4. Use ReelWin’s guided setup wizard to configure prizes, dates, pages, emails, and rules for the contest. You can create draft contests before the campaign is ready to launch. ## 3. Build a branded submission experience 1. Create a customizable contest submission page that feels consistent with your Shopify store and campaign. The page should lead with the contest purpose, prize, deadline, and video prompt. 2. Keep the submission flow direct. Customers should be able to understand the request, provide their entry, and see the important contest details in one branded portal. 3. Customize the entry-confirmation email template before launch. An immediate confirmation reassures participants that their video or photo was received and gives your brand a consistent post-entry touchpoint. 4. Check the contest as a customer would. Review the wording, dates, prize description, rules, and confirmation message for consistency before promoting the contest. ## 4. Promote the contest across your Shopify marketing channels 1. Use the shareable contest link wherever you are already speaking with customers, including campaign communications and social content. Keep the call to action focused on the submission rather than asking customers to take several steps first. 2. Add the contest to relevant Shopify storefront areas with theme blocks so store visitors can discover the giveaway while they browse. 3. Create customizable email campaigns that announce the contest, explain the video prompt, remind customers of the deadline, and restate the prize. Each message should direct customers to the same submission destination. 4. Use the same core wording across promotion channels. Consistency reduces confusion about deadlines, entry requirements, and the prize. ## 5. Review submissions, select a winner, and prepare the UGC 1. Review entries from the ReelWin dashboard, where submissions are organized by contest. Work from the criteria you established in the rules and video brief rather than choosing based only on the first entries received. 2. Download the UGC media you plan to retain for your social channels, ads, or store. Keeping review and media access connected to the contest helps your team avoid losing track of files. 3. Pick the winner from the same dashboard after the review period closes. If more than one person is involved, agree on the selection criteria before reviewing final candidates. 4. Customize and send the winner email through ReelWin. The platform can automatically send winner emails using templates you customize, helping your team close the campaign with a timely notification. 5. After the contest, note what generated the strongest submissions: the prompt, prize, promotion channel, or submission timing. Use those observations to improve the next contest while creating new draft campaigns as needed. ## Key takeaways - A successful Shopify video contest begins with a narrow content request and clear customer-facing details. - Build the contest around a branded submission portal, understandable rules, and a customized confirmation email. - Promote one consistent entry path through shareable links, theme blocks, and email campaigns. - Use a centralized contest dashboard to review entries, download media, select winners, and send winner notifications. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I collect video submissions from Shopify customers? Create a contest with a branded submission page and direct customers to it through your store, shareable contest links, and email campaigns. ReelWin is built for Shopify merchants collecting customer UGC videos and photos through contest submission portals. ### What should a video contest entry brief include? State what participants should create, the prize, the submission deadline, and the main rules for a valid entry. Keep the prompt focused so customers can quickly understand what type of video your brand wants. ### Can I manage more than one UGC contest? Yes. ReelWin supports unlimited draft contests, allowing you to prepare future campaigns while managing an active giveaway. ### What happens after a customer submits a video? ReelWin stores the submission and can automatically send an entry confirmation email using a template you customize. Your team can later review entries, download media, and select winners from the dashboard. ### How can I notify the contest winner? After selecting a winner in the ReelWin dashboard, use a customized winner-email template. ReelWin can automatically send winner emails, helping you complete the campaign workflow from submission through notification.