{"id":622,"date":"2020-05-14T08:04:15","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T08:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialplanner.io\/blog\/?p=622"},"modified":"2023-02-19T13:22:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-19T13:22:55","slug":"instagram-giveaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialplanner.io\/blog\/instagram-giveaways\/","title":{"rendered":"Instagram Giveaways – How to run an Instagram Giveaway in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a social media platform that boasts with <\/span>more than 500 million active users<\/a><\/strong>, there\u2019s no doubt that Instagram has to be part of your social media marketing campaign. More than 71% of American businesses make use of Instagram for marketing purposes because it works. Running Instagram giveaways (also called Instagram contests) are part of any good marketing plan<\/a><\/strong> that uses the platform and we\u2019ll discuss how you can use them to your advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, have a complete and verified account. If you need help on getting verified on Instagram, <\/span>check out our useful guide<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. This is the first step towards <\/span>having success and growing new followers<\/a><\/strong> on the platform.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’ve ever wondered how to run giveaways on Instagram, stick around. Our Instagram how-to will show you the way.<\/p>\n

So, Just What Are Instagram Giveaways?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Instagram allows brands and companies to run giveaways on their platform in an effort to increase sales and awareness. These are called Instagram giveaways.<\/span><\/p>\n

Such a giveaway is a contest that has a specific time limit and it helps to share information about the brand and enhance relationships with customers. Companies are able to reach a much wider audience with a giveaway than they normally would.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, running Instagram giveaways are pretty simple – you select a prize (or prizes) that you will be giving away. Then you inform your target audience of the competition with a giveaway post and set things in motion. Once the time limit has been reached, you announce the winner and viola!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Run Instagram Giveaways?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

This is quite straight-forward – people love anything that gives them the chance to win free stuff. Honestly, who doesn\u2019t? The word \u2018free\u2019 has impressive power over all humans, young and old.<\/span><\/p>\n

These contests are especially great for brands who need to build their following – it is possible to increase your growth with up to 70% when you run a good Instagram contest.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this guide, we\u2019ll show you how to run a giveaway on Instagram and which are the best practices. We\u2019ll also tell you what to avoid when creating your own contest post. Once you\u2019re done, you\u2019ll know just how to successfully run an Instagram giveaway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Way To Run Instagram Giveaways<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the best things about running a giveaway on Instagram is that it delivers great results with little effort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Doing a giveaway on Instagram is also a really great way to increase engagement with your audience. You will notice that any Instagram posts that are related to contests get over 60 times more comments. Running Instagram giveaways will also earn about 3 times more likes than your \u2018normal\u2019 content would.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The best way to run an Instagram giveaway is to be creative and dedicate. And remember all the knowledge we share on how to run a giveaway on Instagram, of course.<\/p>\n

Important Rules For Instagram Giveaways<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

As with anything on social media, there are certain rules that you will have to stick to with when doing a giveaway on Instagram. Unlike Facebook, Instagram\u2019s contests aren\u2019t as strict. With that said, there are important details to remember.<\/span><\/p>\n

Statement Of Release<\/span><\/h3>\n

Few people are actually aware of this, but you must have a proper statement of release when you\u2019re announcing that you will run an Instagram contest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Users have to know that Instagram is not responsible for whatever happens to them if they take part in the giveaway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

\"Instagram
You need to make it clear that Instagram isn’t involved. (Source:socialmediaexaminer.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also, anyone who takes part in a giveaway that are content-based must acknowledge that they will abide by the terms of the platform. You can\u2019t break existing rules of usage for a contest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instagram\u2019s Endorsement<\/span><\/h3>\n

When running an Instagram contest, you have to make sure that you make it very clear that Instagram is in no way involved. You simply have to ensure that no one thinks Instagram is part of your contest or endorsing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagged Content<\/span><\/h3>\n

You are not allowed to tag content if you\u2019re not featured in the highlighted photos. Many brands and companies have been guilty of this before. You can\u2019t ask followers to tag images or posts if they\u2019re not featured in them as this goes against Instagram\u2019s rules. Instead, ask your target audience to use appropriate hashtags. Speaking of hashtags…<\/span><\/p>\n

Correct Hashtag Use<\/span><\/h3>\n

You have to make use of the right hashtags so there is no confusion as to what it is referring to. You can\u2019t just use #contest or #sweepstakes, you must have a clear hashtag related to your giveaway. Something like #bensbunsgiveaway would be more appropriate and it\u2019s easier to create something catchy this way.<\/span><\/p>\n

IRS<\/span><\/h3>\n

The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) will want you to behave responsibly if your giveaway is hosted in America. If your prizes are worth more than $600 each, winners will have to fill in IRS Form W-9. Winners will also have to give their Social Security Number and you have to inform them that they have to report to the IRS. Any deadlines with documentation should be made clear as well. When doing giveaways on Instagram, you have to stick to the rules or risk serious trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brand Sponsorship<\/span><\/h3>\n

When partnering up with brands while doing Instagram giveaways, there are many benefits but some additional rules as well. Influencers and brands must always be clearly identified and tagged in any contest-related content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Location-Specific Rules<\/span><\/h3>\n

Every country may have its own additional rules that come into play, and the different states in the US could also have varying rules. You should do your research to make sure you\u2019re sticking to what is expected of you. People should know where they stand and what affects their chance to win when you run a giveaway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instagram Giveaways Tip<\/span><\/h3>\n

Display a list of your contest rules on all your websites and related blogs or social media accounts This isn\u2019t a strict rule but is highly recommended. If your Instagram giveaways have many rules, it could clutter up your content. Link to pages that explain the rules to your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you know the rules for running Instagram contests, let\u2019s get into how to make contests that are interesting and fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Establish Your Goals<\/span><\/h2>\n

You have to be clear about exactly what the goals of your giveaway are right from the start. You could be aiming at growing engagement or want to grow your audience. Also, you might also want to add more people to your emailing list or producing creative user-generated content. Whatever the case is, it should be decided upon at the beginning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Your Instagram Giveaway<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re sure you know the goals of your giveaway, you can go ahead and plan the contest(s).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Prize<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Your prize(s) should be related to your brand or service. It\u2019s not a good idea to give away items such as an iPad just to generate traffic. You\u2019ll get participants that won\u2019t prove beneficial to your company at all. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, people will enter your competition, but you won\u2019t get anything more from them. Instead, give something that matters to your target audience. For example, if you\u2019re in the painting business, give away free paint or let the winner choose which room should be painted in their home, free of charge. People have to see what they gain when you are running an Instagram giveaway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask For Reasonable Participation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re asking your audience to go to some trouble, the prize you offer will have to feel \u2018worth it\u2019. Say, for instance, you\u2019re asking people to share photos with your product or do an activity with it, they\u2019ll expect a bigger prize.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re simply asking them to use a hashtag and say something witty, they won\u2019t expect so big a prize. <\/span>Give them a fair chance to win as well. No one likes a ‘rigged’ contest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t make promises you can\u2019t deliver on with your giveaway.\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Make It Clear How People Can Participate<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You have to be sure there is no confusion when it comes to how your Instagram contest work. You can ask your audience to mention people in posts (this is different from tagging them). Or, you could (as mentioned above) get them to do an activity. Incorporating hashtags is essential and you could even build your whole giveaway around hashtags.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Establish The Rules And Conditions<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You know now that making the rules very clear is important. There aren\u2019t all that many and sticking to them isn\u2019t too hard. Just ensure that there\u2019s no vagueness about it. If there are conditions, stipulate these clearly as well in your first Instagram giveaway post.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conditions could be that only American residents can take part or someone of a certain age, for example. You should also establish how long the contest will be running. Anything between 1 or 2 weeks is the most recommended. Longer than that and your audience might lose interest. Remember that if you ask for time-consuming action to be taken, you need to give people enough time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make it clear what the product or service that is up grabs are going to be – leave no room for complaints.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Select Your Instagram Giveaways Hashtags<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The hashtags that you use are very important for the success and exposure of your contest.\u00a0 It will also help you to keep better track of your analytics and how well everything is going. As we\u2019ve mentioned above, make sure that your hashtags are related to your contests for the best results. The theme, product, service and your business must all tie together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before selecting a hashtag, double-check that no one else is using it. <\/span>Make use of branded hashtags for even better results. It will make keeping track of your contest a whole lot easier and get more interest from your audience. An added bonus of using a unique hashtag is that it will help grow your audience more organically. It is a great way to boost brand awareness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine How You\u2019ll Choose And Inform The Winner<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

While you are planning your giveaway, you need to be sure you know how you will be choosing your winner(s). You could use a random generator tool – there are many online tools that are free – or you can have a team that judge entries. Then, you\u2019ll have to decide how you will let users who have won know. Will you send them a private message, mention them in an exciting post or use another method?<\/span><\/p>\n

Launching Your Instagram Giveaways<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

By now, you know what you want to achieve when running a giveaway on Instagram. It is time to launch your contest and then promote it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make your announcement with an interesting Instagram giveaway post in which you will give all the details. The graphics and text you use have to stand out so your audience will know something special is going on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure that your image isn\u2019t just about grabbing attention it should also be related to your content and the theme of your giveaway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Important Note<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t stress if your contest doesn\u2019t go viral overnight or generate huge results. Your very first giveaway may not be as successful. But you must be able to learn from them. If you\u2019re not running giveaways regularly, your Instagram followers may be hesitant at first. Give them time to get used to the idea and trust you more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consistency is key (as we always say!) and will help with creating trust and reliability. You can also cross-post your giveaway and get more exposure and reach more people. <\/span><\/p>\n

Promote Your Instagram Giveaways<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

You are not the only one who knows the value of running a contest on Instagram – millions of others are doing it too. So, it is important to promote your giveaways so they stand out. It is getting tougher to stand out from the crowd so this is an important part of your campaign. Choose a product or service to give away that will lure in more people.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few ideas on promoting your contests<\/strong><\/h4>\n