Social media contests are just about everywhere these days—bloggers hold prize giveaways, major brands host nationwide sweepstakes and even neighborhood coffee shops are giving away freebies via social media networks like Foursquare.

While this marketing tactic can be a strategic, cost-effective and engaging way for brands to connect with key audiences, with so much noise and so many opportunities to win, it can be challenging to make a major impact. So how do brands break through the clutter and get noticed?

Based on our experience planning and implementing a variety of social media contests for clients, here are a few helpful tips to get you on the right path to success:

1. Decide between sweepstakes and competitions. There are pros and cons to both wide-reaching sweepstakes and narrower, skills-based competitions. When you’re deciding between the two, take a look at your goals and determine which format will best reach your objectives. Random-drawing sweepstakes, like giving away gift cards or trips, will likely result in more entry submissions, but you’ll have a more challenging time ensuring you’re reaching your target audience. Competitions that require a skills-based entry, like a video or essay, will usually result in fewer submissions but they are likely to come from your target audience because they have invested their time to participate.

2. Generate word-of-mouth. Utilizing social media tools to help your audience easily engage with you and their friends is a must. But more importantly, develop a contest theme that your audience wants to share. Think about it from the perspective of a user: Do I want to associate myself with what the contest is promoting? Including a vote, or people’s choice element, is a good way to encourage sharing and active participation from the audience.

3. Provide milestones. Create momentum and enthusiasm by implementing public stages for the contest, such as nomination periods, finalist selection and winner announcements. Not only does this cycle get people talking and taking action, it also gives you multiple touch points with your key audiences.

4. Form partnerships. When appropriate, it helps to have the support of recognizable associations because it lends a sense of credibility to your promotion. Depending on the contest structure, consider partnering with trade organizations, nonprofit associations, community groups or activists. Partnerships are also key in helping you connect with new audiences.

5. Link to a cause. In social media, we know it’s not all about you. To be authentic and genuine, make a connection between your promotion and a supportive cause. Cause-related efforts can be key in generating word-of-mouth. People like to be good scouts and they’re more than happy to share and spread the word about an effort to help their local school, nonprofit or other worthy causes.

For more tips, check out the SlideShare presentation below that we presented to our local PRSA chapter last year.