Competition Websites

How to Start a Competition Business in the UK: Step-by-Step Guide (2025 Update)

October 18, 2025
neramarketing.co.uk

Launching a competition brand isn’t about luck. It’s about getting three things right from day one: a focused niche and brand, a compliant, conversion-ready website, and a real marketing plan. Miss any one of those and you’ll burn budget, lose momentum, and struggle to build trust.

This guide shows you exactly how to set up a legitimate, scalable competition business in the UK without guesswork.

1) Set Your Goalposts (2 minutes, be honest)

Why are you doing this; income, freedom, community? Your “why” decides everything from prize selection to tone of voice. Write it down. Share it with your team. Use it to filter decisions.

Decide now:

Profit target for your first 90 days
Time you can actually commit per week
The “no compromise” for your brand (e.g., transparency, UK-only winners, charity alignment)

2) Choose a Niche You Can Win

Generic “cash & cars” is crowded and expensive. Specific niches convert cheaper and build loyal audiences.

Good niches: E-MTBs, retro consoles, detailing & tools, premium kitchen gear, niche fashion, studio audio, fishing, football memorabilia.

Quick test:

Is there a passionate community?
Can you source prizes easily and legitimately?
Can you talk about it all year without faking it?

Start narrow (e.g., “Pro detailers’ kits”), then widen as you grow.

3) Compliance Foundations (before you buy a single prize)

You’re running skill-based prize draws, not gambling. Your site needs to demonstrate that clearly.

Non-negotiables on your site:

Skill-based question (visible pre-checkout)
Free entry route (clear, accessible, not buried)
Terms & Conditions, Privacy, Responsible Play pages (well-formatted, consistent tone)
Transparent draw dates, methods, and winner publication

Planning paid ads on Meta/Google?

Secure RMG (Real Money Gaming) approval for ads. Build compliance before you apply.

We can supply templates and connect you with an RMG solicitor if needed.

4) Banking & Merchant Setup (do this in parallel)

Mainstream gateways often block competition models. Go with providers who actually support the sector.

Banking: competition-friendly options (e.g., Zempler, others in the high-risk category).
Merchant: Cashflows is our go-to for UK competition websites—Apple Pay/Google Pay/cards, solid support, seamless WooCommerce integration.

Nera is a Cashflows partner. We can introduce you directly and make onboarding smoother.

What you’ll need ready:

Company details (Ltd recommended), director KYC
Proof of prize purchasing and fulfilment process
URLs to your Free Entry Route, Skill Question, T&Cs, Responsible Play
Refunds/disputes policy

5) The Website Stack (built for trust, speed, and scale)

We build on WordPress + WooCommerce with Giveaway for WooCommerce so you get a flexible, future-proof base—no lock-ins, no closed systems.

Core features you’ll want live from day one:

Ticket logic: random/sequential/user-selected
Instant Wins with automatic notifications
Ticket bundles and predefined quantity buttons
Lucky Dip + progress bars + countdown timers
PDF ticket downloads and Entry Lists for transparency
Manual or automatic draws (with audit trail)
Mobile-first layouts (90%+ of orders are on mobile)
Wallet/site credit support for retention

Performance checklist:

VPS or better hosting, server-side caching, CDN
Hardened security & daily backups
GA4 + conversion events, Meta Pixel + CAPI
Lightweight theme, minimal plugin bloat, fast checkout

6) Trust Signals That Actually Move the Needle

People buy when they feel safe.

Winners hub with photos/videos (consented), prize receipts, draw clips
Downloadable entry lists per draw
Clear, human “About” page with faces and story
Branded email (no @gmail), consistent tone everywhere
Recognised payment badges (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay), SSL lock visible

7) Your First 90-Day Marketing Plan (simple, but real)

Pre-launch (Weeks –6 to –2):

Launch a waitlist with a teaser prize (collect emails & SMS)
Post value content 3–4×/week (niche tips, behind-the-scenes, supplier stories)
Seed micro-influencer & community partnerships (affiliates ready on day one)
Install Klaviyo/Brevo: welcome, abandonment, “new comp” alerts

Launch week:

3–5 day promo: early-bird ticket bundles / low-odds micro prize
Daily Stories/Reels; pin the draw date; show the backend (stock, tickets left)
Pixel warm audiences + remarketing live from day one

Post-launch (Weeks 1–12):

Two cadence types: a flagship prize + weekly micro-wins for velocity
Email 1–2×/week (wins, new drops, timers, live draw reminders)
UGC push: every winner becomes content—tag, thank, repost
Iterate creatives weekly; kill under-performers; scale winners
Add referral (“Give £5, Get £5”) and wallet credit for Instant Wins

8) Prizes & Proof (start small, scale clean)

Buy prizes before listing. Keep receipts; your merchant may ask.

Start with 2–3 smaller prizes to validate funnel & ads
Use bundles (e.g., 3× mid-value items) instead of one huge risk item
Track sell-through %, CPA, repeat rate—double down on what the audience actually buys

9) Budget Snapshot (typical ranges to plan for)

Brand & site build (startup package, compliant, fast): project-based
Hosting & maintenance: monthly, scalable with traffic
Merchant fees: % + fixed per txn
Marketing: reserve 8–12 weeks of test budget (content, micro-influencers, paid social)
Prizes: hold cash for inventory + shipping + duty (as relevant)
Legal/compliance: allow for templates + solicitor review if needed

(Exact numbers depend on your scope—we’ll outline them in your proposal.)

10) Common Failure Patterns (and how to avoid them)

“Everyone” niche → CPCs climb, conversion tanks → Pick a niche.
Template site → slow, clunky checkout → Build for speed + trust.
Stripe/PayPal → account frozen mid-launch → Use competition-approved merchants.
No proof → “is this legit?” → Show winners, entry lists, behind-the-scenes.
All manual → you burn out → Automate tickets, emails, draws, lists.