Getting Started
By James
By James
Install UserLoop Contests, create your first contest, and understand the dashboard.
Installing the App
Finding UserLoop Contests 1. Go to the Shopify App Store and search for UserLoop Contests. 2. Click Add app on the app listing page. 3. You'll be redirected to your Shopify admin to approve the installation. You can also install directly from your Shopify admin by going to Settings > Apps and sales channels > Shopify App Store and searching for "UserLoop Contests." Granting Permissions During installation, Shopify will ask you to approve a set of permissions the app needs to function. Here's what each one means: | Permission | Why it's needed | |---|---| | Read products | Lets you pick products from your catalog as contest prizes | | Read/write metaobjects | Stores contest data so your theme can display contest forms and popups | | Read/write metaobject definitions | Creates the data structure Shopify needs to connect contests to your theme | | Read themes | Checks whether contest blocks are enabled in your theme | | Write files | Uploads contest images (header images, logos) to your Shopify file storage | Click Install app to confirm. You'll be taken straight into the app. What Happens After Installation Once installed, UserLoop Contests will: - Appear in your Shopify admin under Apps > UserLoop Contests - Create the necessary data structures in your store (metaobject definitions) - Be ready for you to create your first contest No additional configuration is required — you can start creating contests right away. Accessing the App After installation, you can always find the app by: 1. Going to your Shopify admin 2. Clicking Apps in the left sidebar 3. Selecting UserLoop Contests The app runs embedded inside your Shopify admin, so you never need to leave your store to manage contests.
Creating Your First Contest
This guide walks you through creating a contest from scratch. The whole process takes about five minutes. Step 1: Start a New Contest 1. Open UserLoop Contests from your Shopify admin. 2. Click Create contest in the top-right corner. Step 2: Basic Information - Title — Give your contest a name that customers will see (e.g., "Summer Giveaway 2026"). Maximum 200 characters. - Description — Explain what the contest is about. This appears on your contest entry page. Maximum 5,000 characters. - URL slug — This is the web address for your contest page. It's auto-generated from your title, but you can customize it. Only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens are allowed. Your contest page URL will be: https://yourstore.com/apps/contest/your-slug Step 3: Schedule - Start date — When the contest opens for entries. - End date — When the contest stops accepting entries. Must be after the start date. By default, the end date is set to 30 days from today. Step 4: Add Prizes You can add two types of prizes: Product prizes — Select products directly from your Shopify catalog. 1. Click Add product prize. 2. Use the product picker to browse your catalog. 3. The product image and title are pulled in automatically. 4. Set the quantity (how many of this prize you're giving away). Custom prizes — Define your own prize that isn't in your catalog. 1. Click Add custom prize. 2. Enter a title and optional description. 3. Optionally add an image URL. 4. Set the quantity (1–100). Add as many prizes as you like. You can remove any prize by clicking the remove button next to it. Step 5: Entry Settings - Winner selection method — Choose how winners are picked: - Random draw — Winners are selected randomly from all entries. - Manual selection — You hand-pick the winners yourself. - Entries per customer — How many times a single customer can enter (1–10). Entries are deduplicated by email address. Default is 1. - Collect name — Check this to add an optional name field to the entry form. - Collect phone — Check this to add an optional phone number field to the entry form. Step 6: Terms & Conditions (Optional) Add your contest rules and legal terms. This text appears as a collapsible section on the entry form. Maximum 50,000 characters. Step 7: Save Click Create contest to save. Your contest is created in Draft status, meaning it's not visible to customers yet. Next Steps From here you can: - Customize the design — Set colors, add images, and customize text on the Design tab. - Activate the contest — Click Activate to make it live and start accepting entries. - Share the link — Copy the contest URL to share on social media, email, or anywhere else. - Add to your theme — Enable the contest popup or form block in your Shopify theme editor. See Dashboard Overview for a tour of your contest management tools.
Dashboard Overview
The dashboard is the first screen you see when you open UserLoop Contests. It gives you a snapshot of your contest activity and quick access to everything you need. Setup Guide If you're new to the app, you'll see a setup guide at the top of the dashboard with two steps: 1. Create your first contest — Links to the contest creation page. 2. Get your first entry — Suggests ways to share your contest: copy the link, enable the popup block, or embed a form block. The progress bar shows how far along you are. Once both steps are complete, you can dismiss the guide. Overview Stats Four key metrics are displayed at the top: - Active Contests — Number of contests currently accepting entries. - Total Entries — All-time entry count across all contests. - Entries (30 days) — Entries received in the last 30 days. - Avg. Conversion — The average conversion rate across your contests (entries divided by page views, as a percentage). Theme Integration Status Two status indicators show whether your theme is set up to display contests: - Contest Popup — Shows "Ready" if you have active contests that can be shown as popups. - Form Block — Shows "Ready" if you have active contests available for embedded form blocks. Each links directly to your Shopify theme editor so you can enable the blocks. Recent Contests The bottom section shows your five most recent contests as cards. Each card displays: - Contest title and status badge (Active, Draft, Ended, or Archived) - Entry count - View count (page views from analytics) - Conversion rate - Date range - Last updated time Hover over a contest card to see quick actions: Preview (opens the public contest page) and Edit (goes to the contest detail page). Navigation Use the sidebar to navigate between: - Home — The dashboard (this page) - Contests — Full list of all your contests with filtering and management tools The Create contest button in the page header takes you directly to the contest creation form.
Using Contest Templates
Templates help you start with a proven contest structure instead of a blank setup. They pre-fill the contest idea, suggested prizes, entry settings, design defaults, and any recommended bonus entry actions. Opening the Template Gallery 1. Open UserLoop Contests in Shopify admin. 2. Click Templates from the app navigation, or choose Create contest and select a template option. 3. Browse all templates, search by keyword, or filter by category. Template categories include: - Social Media - Email & Lists - Referral & Viral - Product Launch - Photo & UGC - Quiz & Trivia - Seasonal - Sales & Promos Using a Template 1. Find a template that matches your campaign goal. 2. Click Use template. 3. Review the pre-filled contest details. 4. Replace placeholder copy, dates, prizes, and social links with your own details. 5. Save the contest. Templates are a starting point. You can change any field before publishing. Starting From Scratch Use Start from scratch when you already know exactly what you want to build. This opens a blank contest setup with no pre-filled prizes or actions. Recommended Templates During Onboarding During onboarding, UserLoop asks about your contest goal and campaign type. It uses those answers to recommend relevant templates, such as email list builders, referral challenges, launch giveaways, or UGC campaigns. Tips - Pick the template closest to your campaign objective, not the one with the exact same prize. - Check every pre-filled bonus action before activating the contest. - Update default terms and conditions so they match your own rules and jurisdiction.