Instagram Giveaway activities have been a popular method for increasing followers, as this type of post tends to generate more engagements (likes, comments, shares) compared to regular content. This leads to increased reach and exposure, and typically, participants are required to follow the account as a condition to win.
Meta had indicated that it would ban paid promotion of this type of content a few years ago. However, in recent years, it seems that the restrictions have been relaxed. As a result, we have compiled 4 known methods of conducting giveaway activities on Instagram for those interested in gaining more followers.
The entire giveaway activity takes place within a post, typically requiring participants to follow the account, like, comment, and share. Sometimes, it may also involve tagging a specified number of users. This format is very common on both Facebook and Instagram.
Previously Popular ─ Instagram Filter Game
When IG filters were initially introduced, both small and big brands launched filter games, where participants had the chance to win prizes by sharing their results.
However, in recent years, based on our observations, there has been a decrease in brands using this approach. It is believed that developing filters incurs certain costs, and at the same time, the threshold for participation is higher (such as requiring participants to take selfies to play). This indirectly makes it more challenging to attract participants and weakens its ability to spread.
Using Third Party Tools ─ Limited Comment Giveaways
Commonly seen in big brands, as long as you are among the first 10,000 commenters and complete the necessary steps, you can receive free food vouchers.
This type of giveaway requires setting up a chatbot to automatically detect and respond to comments, rather than relying on manual intervention. It requires certain resources and familiarity with the tool to implement effectively.
Latest Trend ─ Add Yours in Stories
This IG giveaway usually involves the account setting a topic or question, and participants are required to screenshot the story, circle their own answer (sometimes by taking a photo), and share it in their own stories using the “Add Yours” sticker along with tagging friends.
Sometimes, participants are also asked to send the screenshot directly to the account because stories disappear after 24 hours. There are also cases where participants are requested to showcase their selected stories in their profiles and set their accounts to public before a specified date.
Designing IG Giveaway Activities
Gift Selection
Usually, offering company discount vouchers may not attract users unless you are a major retailer like McDonald’s or IKEA (even McDonald’s typically gives away physical gifts or food vouchers rather than discount coupons).
Criteria for Selecting Winners
Avoid using the “most likes” as the sole criterion, as it can lead to disputes when users purchase fake likes. The selection criteria should generally include subjective factors such as creativity or interesting responses.
If you need to conduct a lucky draw for selecting winners, remember to apply for a Trade Promotion Competition Licence if it is being held in Hong Kong.
Our Conclusion
We believe that occasional giveaway activities can be effective, but we do not recommend hosting them too frequently. Regularly conducting such activities may not only impact your brand image but also attract users who are solely interested in freebies rather than becoming your potential customers. However, based on our testing, occasional giveaways have proven to be quite effective in growing followers.
Even if your account doesn’t necessarily need to increase followers, using giveaway activities to enhance overall engagement is still a good strategy. This is crucial for brand building no matter your business is B2B or B2C.
This article is originally published by MORE Digital:
MORE Digital is a digital marketing agency based in Hong Kong. Our clients include real estate developers, media companies, utilities, record labels, and more. In addition to the examples mentioned above, we have also helped various clients establish and grow their Instagram accounts to achieve various goals. If you encounter any challenges in your marketing efforts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us on our website or via Instagram (@moredigitalhk) for direct conversations.
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