How to Host an Instagram Giveaway: A Step-by-step Guide

By Manuela Willbold

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Whether you’re a small business owner or a marketer for a large company, you know that it can be daunting to try to get noticed on Instagram. Unless you already have an army of loyal fans, you may struggle to cut through the noise and be heard.

That’s why we’re big fans of giveaways. This kind of promotion can increase your reach, engagement, and even sales. But many brands make mistakes when hosting giveaways that not only cost them money but also followers.

To save you the headache of trial and error, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to host an Instagram giveaway that will help you achieve your desired results.

The Benefits of running an Instagram Giveaway

Instagram giveaway contests can help you hit a few major Instagram marketing KPIs (key performance indicators). Through an Instagram giveaway, which you can create with a giveaway tool, you can:

1. Boost your following

The number one reason people run giveaways is to boost their following. Accounts that host giveaways see, typically, 70% faster growth in followers than those that don’t.

It’s simple math. The more people who enter your giveaway, the more eyes will be on your page. And the more eyes on your page, the higher chance someone will hit that follow button.

2. Engage your audience

Giveaways, by design, generate engagement. After all, people have to like, comment, or tag a friend before they can enter a giveaway. Giveaways authentically increase the engagement rate on your posts, which is helpful for two reasons:

First, engagement is a key metric that Instagram looks at when determining which posts to show in people’s feeds. If Instagram sees that your posts are getting a lot of engagement, they’re more likely to promote them to more people, which means even more engagement.
Second, engagement helps you build relationships with your followers. If you can get people to interact with your posts regularly, they’re more likely to think of your brand favorably and even become loyal customers.

TailWind’s research shows that contest posts get 3.5 times as many likes and 64 times more comments on average than regular posts. It means that if you’re not running giveaways, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to increase both your engagement rate and the number of interactions you have with your followers.

3. Obtain user-generated content

Contests are also a great way to collect user-generated content (UGC). UGC is any kind of content that’s created by people who are not affiliated with your brand. Contest directives that work well for UGC include “caption this,” “show us how you use our product,” or “share your story.”

These types of contests allow your fans to get creative and showcase your brand in a positive light for others to see. And, since UGC is seen as more authentic than traditional marketing content, it can be an effective way to connect with potential customers who might be on the fence about your brand.

Plus, encouraging your followers to create something for you makes them feel appreciated and valued as influencers of your brand, which can only help to build loyalty and brand affinity.

Steps to host an Instagram giveaway

So, now that you’re convinced that you need to run an Instagram giveaway, how do you go about doing it? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Step #1: Choose a purpose for your giveaway

The first step in running a successful Instagram giveaway is to decide on the goal of your campaign. The goal of your giveaway — whether it’s a contest to incentivize people to sign up for a mailing list, boost engagement on your Instagram account or even just drive traffic to your website — will determine everything from the mechanics of your contest to the prize you offer.

For example, Pinup Girl Clothing designed this Instagram giveaway with the goal of driving traffic to its Facebook page.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pinup Girl Clothing (@pinupgirlclothing)

They kept the mechanics of their contest super simple: All people had to do was head to their Customer Lounge on Facebook and join the Pinup Girl Clothing group.

Common goals for Instagram giveaways include:

Increasing traffic to a website or landing page.
Getting more reviews or testimonials.
Building brand awareness.
Generating more engagement with your posts.

Whatever the goal of your Instagram giveaway may be, define it early on so you can tailor your campaign around it. Doing this will also make it much easier to measure your success once the campaign is over.

Step #2: Set the rules

Next, you’ll want to set the rules for your giveaway. Make sure the rules are clear, concise, and easy to follow. The last thing you want is for people to get confused or discouraged when trying to enter your giveaway.

Consider these factors when setting the rules for your contest:

First, you’ll want to decide who can enter your contest. For example, if you’re giving away a prize that can only be shipped to residents of the United States, you’ll want to make sure that’s clear in the rules. You’ll also want to set an age limit if the prize is only available to people of a certain age.
The number of entries. You’ll also want to set a limit on the number of times each person can enter your contest. This ensures that everyone has an equal chance of winning, and it also helps to prevent your giveaway from getting overwhelmed with entries.
Entry requirements. You’ll have to decide what people need to do to enter your contest. For example, do they need to follow you on Instagram? Use a certain hashtag? Like a post? Tag a friend? The requirements you set will depend on your goals for the contest, but make sure they’re reasonable and easy to do.

Step #3: Pick a prize

This is the fun part! Decide what you’re going to give away. You can choose anything from small samples of your products to high-end prizes like tickets to an exclusive event. Though the possibilities are endless, make sure the prize aligns with your goals for the contest and that it interests your target audience.

It’s also a good idea to make sure the prizes are in some way related to your brand. General prizes like cash or Amazon gift cards will lure in people just looking for money. Offering products or discounts related to what you do will ensure that people who enter your contest are interested in what you do.

Furthermore, consider that the prize doesn’t always have to be expensive. Sometimes the best prizes are things that money can’t buy, like a behind-the-scenes tour of your business or a meet-and-greet with a celebrity spokesperson.

Step #4: Promote your contest

Now that you’ve decided what you should give away, it’s time to make sure people know about the contest. Share your giveaway across all Instagram outlets — feed posts, Stories, Reels, IGTV, you name it! Cross-promote on your other social media channels, too, like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. And you can also promote it in videos that you’d post on YouTube or in podcasts (if you host them).

Another way of promoting your giveaway is with an email campaign. Create a mailing list consisting of verified email addresses and send automated emails with info about the giveaway, the rules, and the prize.

You can even promote your contest offline by adding a QR code on your packaging or in your store. (QR codes are the little black and white squares that people can scan with their phone to be taken to a specific website or, in this case, a social media post.) Just make sure you’re using relevant hashtags and strong CTAs (calls to action) so people know what to do and where to go.

Getting started with Instagram giveaways

Successful Instagram giveaways require a little bit of work, but the payoff can be huge. To make sure your Instagram giveaway is as successful as possible, here are a few extra tips:

1. Make your copy descriptive

Don’t skimp on details in your contest copy — the more specific and clear you can be, the better. Instagram giveaway posts are often more expansive than other types of posts, so don’t be afraid to use as many words as you need to explain everything clearly.

Specify when the giveaway ends, how their followers can enter, and what they need to do to claim their prize. That way, there’ll be no confusion about what’s up for grabs.

2. Follow through

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you can’t simply say that you’re going to give away a prize and then fail to deliver when it’s time to follow through. Many brands have been called out for not following through on their giveaways, and it’s not a good look. So, if you say you’re going to give away a prize, make sure you actually do it.

The best way to avoid any issues is to be completely transparent about your giveaway from the start. Be clear about what the prize is and how people can enter to win. And when it comes time to announce the winner, make sure you do it in a public way, like on your Instagram Stories or in a post. That way, everyone can see that you followed through on your promise, and you’ll be less likely to be accused of anything shady.

3. Plan out and Manage resource constraints

When launching an ambitious marketing project like an Instagram giveaway, almost all marketers face resource constraints. Whether you’re limited in terms of budget, time, or personnel, it’s essential to plan ahead and make strategic decisions about how you’ll use your resources.

Take some time to map out the scope of your giveaway project and figure out how long it will take, how much money you need, what kind of personnel you’ll need, and what assets you already have. For example, if you’re working with a limited budget, consider giving away products or services that you already have on hand. Or, if you’re dealing with personnel scheduling conflicts, consider outsourcing certain parts of the giveaway process.

4. Employ a task management system

One of the best ways to ensure that your Instagram giveaway goes off without a hitch is to use task management apps, like Wrike or Monday. These apps can help you keep track of everything related to your giveaway, from the content to the prize to the entrants. They have features like project planning, task assignment, and progress tracking that can make coordinating and executing your giveaway much easier.

But if learning a completely new system seems like too much to handle, you can always turn to Google Sheets. This user-friendly solution is perfect for juggling various tasks and keeping track of your progress. All it’ll take is finding a suitable Google sheet project management template for your needs, and you’ll be good to go.

5. Use workflow automation

Workflow automation is another great way to ensure your Instagram giveaway runs smoothly. With the help of automation, you can set up workflows that will take care of everything related to your giveaway, from scheduling posts to periodically notifying entrants about the status of their entries. These tools will help you ensure no stones are left unturned in the setup and execution of your giveaway.

To get started with workflow automation, you’ll need to first research and choose a tool that works for your needs. The market is brimming with options, so make sure you find one that fits your budget, has the features you can’t live without and is no code, so you can easily set up automated tasks and workflows. Researching your options with these factors in mind will enable you to maximize the value of your investment in workflow automation.

6. Get creative

Your giveaway doesn’t have to be the same old, same old. You want to make your contest stand out from the crowd of other giveaways.

One way to do this is by getting creative with your entry requirements. For example, instead of just asking people to follow you and use a hashtag, you could ask them to share a photo or video related to your brand. You could also create a contest that’s only open to people who already follow you, which would make it more exclusive and attract more attention.

You can also come up with something creative for your prize. Instead of just giving away a product, perhaps offer a discount code or even an experience, like a behind-the-scenes tour of your brand’s headquarters or a meeting with the founder. Anything that sets your giveaway apart and gets people excited will go a long way in attracting attention and entries.

Taking a creative approach will make your contest more enticing and likely to generate buzz.

7. Hire a social media agency

Instagram marketing takes a lot of time and effort — time that you might not have if you’re running a business. If you want to host an Instagram giveaway but don’t have the bandwidth to do it yourself, consider hiring a social media agency to help you out.

A good social media agency will handle all the details of your giveaways, from creating content to promoting it to picking winners. And not only that, but they’ll also assist you with other parts of your social media and digital marketing, like strategizing, posting, and engaging with your audience.

Just make sure that the agency you choose has a good reputation for Instagram marketing. You don’t want to end up working with someone who doesn’t deliver on their promises or, worse, gets you in trouble with Instagram.

One of the best ways to land a reputable agency is to ask for recommendations from fellow business owners. You can also prepare a questionnaire for the agencies you’re considering, like how agencies create theirs for potential clients, to get a better sense of their capabilities and experience. That way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your giveaway is in good hands.

Get more exposure with Instagram giveaways

Instagram giveaways represent easy pickings for anyone looking to snag some quick and effortless engagement. But running one requires a little bit of legwork to make sure everything goes smoothly. By following the steps above, you can create an Instagram giveaway that’s fun, engaging, and effective at helping you reach your goals.

Author Profile

Manuela Willbold: Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.