Let’s face it, growing your Instagram can be tough! Whether you’re completely daunted and don’t even know where to begin or you’re an IG wiz and have got your routine down on lock, we’re always here to provide some helpful tips on how to take your account to that next level.

One of our favorite ways to boost engagement and growth is hosting an Instagram giveaway. They’re easy, fun and super engaging! Today we’re breaking down the steps on how to run a successful Instagram contest!

Setting Your Goals

No matter what venture you’re about to embark on, we always think it’s smart to start with setting your goals. Ask yourself these questions, what results do I want from my contest? Do I want more followers? Do I want more engagement so that my post and page will be seen by a wider audience? First determine what results you want to see from the contest, then this will help determine Step #2.

Choosing Your Type of Contest

There are many different kinds of giveaways you can host - a like contest, a comment contest, a photo contest - and all will influence the kind of results you see.

Like Contest: This is the easiest giveaway to host. Simply ask your audience to like your photo in order to be entered in the giveaway. The main benefit of this contest will be to increase your engagement.
Comment Contest: Comment contests are similar to like contests, in that you ask your users to not only like the photo but also comment on it in ordered to be entered. Again, this kind of contest increases engagement. Although commenting requires a little more action from your audience, it boosts your post’s engagement more than just liking the photo. You can also ask your audience to tag another account in the comments as a way to increase engagement and exposure even more!
Follow Contest: A follow contest is exactly what it sounds. In order to be entered, your users must follow your account. This is the easiest type of contest to hold in order to increase your following!
Photo Challenge Contest: A photo challenge contest is probably the most popular type of contest. In order to enter in the giveaway, users must post a photo on their own account using your desired hashtags. For example, the brand Nasty Gal recently hosted a photo challenge contest in which they asked their users to post a selfie of themselves using their branded hashtags #StrangerSelfie and #NastyGalTruthOrDare for a chance to win a Nasty Gal gift card. Other photo challenges require users to post a specific photo from your own account. The benefit to this strategy is that you control the branded message of the giveaway.

Determine The Prize

There must be some sort of incentive for your users behind the contest. After all, what’s a giveaway without giving something away? Determine what prize is most appropriate for your account. For most business, a gift card or free service is often a great idea! Whatever it is you choose, however, make sure that the incentive is enticing enough for users to actively engage with your contest. What would make you enter in the giveaway?

Share The Rules

After you determine what kind of giveaway you are interested in hosting and what prize you want to offer, it’s time to promote the giveaway on your page! When announcing the giveaway on your page, it is vital you are clear and direct in stating the rules of the contest. The best place to state the rules of your contest is in the caption! Recommended captions will outline the requirements, deadline and when winners will be announced.

Example: *GIVEAWAY ALERT!* We are giving away a $50 gift card towards anyone of our services! To enter, like this post and tag a friend below in the comments. The contest will end 11/20 and the winner will be announced 11/21. Good luck to all who enter!

Spread The Word

Congrats! You’re giveaway is now ready to go...but you’ve got to get the word out there! The best way to increase exposure for any post on your account is using the right hashtags. If you’re not sure what type of hashtags to use, the below list is a great place to start!

#instagramcontest

#instagramgiveaway

#contest

#giveaway

#instamood

#(your branded hashtag)

Et voila, your IG giveaway is ready to go! See, it’s a lot more simple than you think! Good luck hosting your next contest and if you have any more questions, we’re simply a comment away.

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