You might’ve seen giveaway posts on Instagram that brands use to grow their followers. What are the key elements in these posts that make it successful?
It starts with two main categories; your copy & your image.
Let’s start with the copy. Always include the word WIN right away. Seeing this will automatically indicate that there is a prize involved. Next, explicitly say what the prize is, and make sure it’s something people really love. A gift card is usually a safe call, as opposed to a specific product (unless the product is extremely popular). Made sure you also add the end date of the giveaway in the post to create urgency and let people know when they have until.
Your criteria to enter should be clear and simple. We prefer to stick to liking the giveaway post and following your account to enter. Tagging a friend in the post comments can work too, but once you add too many barriers, there comes a point it’s too difficult to enter and it turns people off.
When it comes to your giveaway image, we always recommend putting text on your graphic that says, “WIN (+ prize)” so when someone is scrolling through their feed, that’s the first thing they’ll see. To accompany your graphic, choose a photo that clearly represents the prize. It should have a main focal point with limited distractions!
Last thing to note is to make sure your giveaway has Official Rules that are clear and accessible. This should state things like the entry period, eligibility, prize value, and how the winner will be contacted. You can host your Official Rules on your website or online as a PDF (just be careful, as Facebook & Instagram won’t allow you to link directly to a PDF in an ad — so you may have to use it in your link in bio or as a comment). You can use this template as a starting guide if you’ve never created Official Rules before.
Important: It is against Facebook & Instagram’s policy to share a post on your own timeline or a friend’s timeline to enter to win, due to privacy settings. To be safe, stick to the basics: like / follow / comment.
Not too bad, right?? Giveaways are a fantastic tool to gain followers and increase traction on your page. Hopefully, these tips will help you next time you want to try it out!
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