What do you do to get new followers on Instagram? Running a contest is a great way to engage with your existing followers and attract new ones. And I have 15 best Instagram contest ideas for you to try out!
Instagram Giveaway Contest Objectives
Why run an Instagram giveaway or contest, you ask? Well, here are a few objectives that make it worth your time and effort:
- Increase brand awareness
- Boost engagement with followers
- Encourage user-generated content
- Attract new followers
- Promote a specific product or service
- Generate leads for your business
- Strengthen relationships with followers
- Collect feedback and insights from your audience
15 Best Instagram Contest Ideas To Get New Followers
Here, I have some amazing ideas for Instagram contests, which are both fun and effective in achieving your objectives.
#1. Photo Tagging Contest
Why not motivate your followers to share a photo and tag your account? It’s a great way to boost visibility and promote user-generated content. For example, if you’re a coffee shop, ask them to post their favorite coffee moment.
It’s a win-win situation: they get to show off their creativity, and you get some authentic content. Also, you can grab the attention of new followers by creating a branded hashtag.
#2. Hashtag Challenge
Come up with a cool and catchy hashtag for your brand or campaign. Encourage your followers to use it in their posts. This makes your hashtag trend and helps spread the word about your brand.
Moreover, make sure to engage with the posts using your hashtag and repost some of the best ones on your account. Keep an eye on the hashtag to see the buzz it generates!
#3. Trivia Quiz
Why not throw a trivia quiz about your brand or industry? It’s fun to engage and educate your audience while showcasing your expertise. And offering a small prize to the winner will keep the excitement levels up.
You can post the questions on your Instagram story and have your followers answer via direct message. This also helps increase your direct message engagement.
#4. Comment to Win
Simple yet effective: ask followers to comment on a post to enter the contest. Maybe ask a thought-provoking question or for their opinion on something. It boosts engagement and gives you valuable insights into your audience’s preferences.
And don’t forget to reply to the comments. It helps in building a relationship with your followers.
#5. Story Reshare Contest
Encourage followers to reshare one of your stories or create a story mentioning your brand. This amplifies your reach and lets a broader audience see your content, thanks to the shareability of stories.
In addition, you can have a specific theme for the stories or ask followers to include a certain hashtag. This adds an element of creativity and ensures your brand is mentioned in their story.
#6. “Caption This” Contest
Post an intriguing or funny photo and ask your followers to come up with the best caption. It sparks creativity and results in hilarious, engaging content. Plus, you can repost the winning caption on your account, giving credit to the creator.
Moreover, you can have multiple rounds of this contest, keeping your audience engaged for longer.
#7. Follow, Tag, and Share
The classic: ask people to follow your account, tag friends in the comments, and share the post on their story. It’s a straightforward way to increase your follower count and reach a wider audience through word-of-mouth.
You can sweeten the deal by offering a prize for the winner and their tagged friends. This also helps in creating a sense of community among your followers.
#8. Creative Challenge
Ask followers to create something related to your brand– artwork, a song, or a recipe. It’s a brilliant way to unleash their creativity and showcase their talents while your brand gets diverse content.
Also, you can feature the best ones on your account and give them a shoutout. Remember, everyone loves a little recognition!
#9. Influencer Collaboration Giveaway
Team up with an influencer and host a giveaway. This engages your current followers and exposes your brand to the influencer’s followers. Choose an influencer whose audience aligns with your target market for maximum impact.
Also, make sure the prize is something of value to both your followers and the influencer’s followers.
#10. Flash Contests
Want to create some urgency? How about announcing a 24-hour contest? It’ll make your followers feel special and motivated to act fast. And guess what? It’ll also create a ton of buzz as everyone rushes to participate!
To add even more excitement, try including a call-to-action in your post or story, like “Be one of the first 10 people to comment and win!” Trust me, people won’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity!
#11. User Poll Contests
Create polls on your stories and ask your followers to vote. You can make it fun by giving away a prize to a random participant. It’s a cool way to get feedback while keeping your audience engaged. Also, you can use the insights from the poll to improve your products or services.
Remember, polls are interactive and fun, so your followers will love participating in them!
#12. Before-and-After Contest
Hosting a before-and-after contest is awesome for product-based businesses! Just ask your followers to share their before-and-after pictures using your product. It’s a great way to show off your product’s effectiveness and get some real testimonials.
Also, when you announce the winner, you can give them a shoutout and link to their account, helping them gain more followers. How cool is that?
#13. Scavenger Hunt
How about organizing a super fun virtual scavenger hunt for your followers? They can hunt for clues hidden in your posts, making it an interactive activity that boosts engagement. It’s guaranteed to be a great time for everyone involved!
And why not team up with other cool brands or influencers to make it even more exciting? You can offer an awesome prize that will make the hunt even more enticing.
#14. Best Review Contest
Encourage customers to share their feedback on your products or services. You can even consider rewarding the most outstanding review!
Plus, you can showcase these reviews on your website and social media to build trust with potential customers. It’s a great way to increase the number of reviews you receive and foster trust in your brand.
#15. Meme Creation Contest
Who doesn’t love a good meme? Challenge your followers to create memes about your brand or industry. It’s a fun way to engage and often results in viral content. You can even browse through hashtags related to your brand or industry to get meme ideas.
Also, you can repost the best ones on your account and give credit to the creators. This type of contest is perfect for brands with a younger target audience, as memes are hugely popular among Gen Z and millennials.
Read also: Giveaway contest ideas
How Do You Organize an Instagram Contest?
“How do you make a good Instagram contest?” Organizing an Instagram contest may initially seem overwhelming, but it can be broken down into simple steps. Here’s how to organize an Instagram contest that will engage your audience and bring in new followers:
Define Your Goals:
Before organizing a contest, ensure you have clear objectives in mind. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Boost engagement? Gain more followers? Knowing your goals will help you choose the right type of contest and measure its success.
Choose a Theme:
A theme adds an element of creativity to your contest and makes it more appealing to participants. It can be anything from a holiday theme to a specific trend related to your industry. Just make sure it aligns with your brand’s image and resonates with your target audience.
Decide on a Prize:
The prize is the main incentive for people to participate in your contest. Make it something desirable and relevant to your brand. It could be a product or service you offer, a gift card, or even a collaboration with your brand.
Pick a Contest Type:
As discussed earlier, you can choose from various types of Instagram contests. Consider your audience, goals, and theme to decide which one will be the most effective for your brand.
Determine Instagram Contest Rules:
You have to set some basic rules to run your contest. So, what should be your Instagram contest rules? You can ask participants to follow your account, like and comment on a post, tag friends in the comments, use a specific hashtag, or create original content. Just make sure the entry rules are simple and easy to understand.
Promote Your Contest:
Spread the word about your contest through Instagram posts, stories, and even collaborations with influencers. Use eye-catching visuals and clear instructions to make it easy for people to participate.
Choose a Winner:
When the contest is over, choose a winner fairly and announce it on your account. You can also consider offering a special mention or prize to runners-up as a way to thank them for participating.
Read also: How to pick Instagram giveaway winner?
Follow Up:
Don’t forget to follow up with the winner and send out their prize. You can also repost their winning entry or create a post congratulating them, giving your brand some extra exposure.
By following these steps, you can successfully organize an Instagram contest that will engage your audience and help you achieve your marketing goals.
To know more how to run an Instagram contest or giveaway, check out the below video content.
Prize Ideas for the Instagram Contest
Running any contest can become successful only when you have the right prize. So, what are some ideas for Instagram contest prizes? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- A product or service from your brand
- Gift cards to popular stores or restaurants
- Collaborations with your brand (e.g., a feature on your account)
- Exclusive merchandise or limited edition items
- Free access to an event, workshop, or course
- Voucher for a free subscription or membership
- A personalized experience with your brand (e.g., a virtual styling session)
- Cash prizes or cashback
Read also: Contest prize ideas for work
FAQs on Instagram Contest Ideas
What are the best giveaways on Instagram?
The best giveaways on Instagram are the ones that resonate with your audience and align with your brand. Some popular giveaway ideas include product bundles, gift cards, and exclusive merchandise.
How can I grow my business through an Instagram contest?
An Instagram contest can help grow your business by increasing brand awareness, boosting engagement, and gaining more followers. Plus, it’s a great way to showcase your products or services and build trust with potential customers.
How do I ensure my Instagram contest is fair?
To ensure the fairness of your Instagram contest, it’s essential to have clear rules to choose a winner either randomly (using a generator tool if needed) or based on specific criteria. You must refrain from selecting friends or family members.
Announce the winner publicly. You should also monitor the entries to ensure they comply with your rules. You have the right to disqualify suspicious participants if you suspect any fraudulent activities.
How can I win an Instagram contest?
To win an Instagram contest, carefully follow the rules the organizer sets and complete all required steps (e.g., following their account, liking a post, tagging friends). You can also increase your chances of winning by creating unique and creative content for the contest.
Do contests work on Instagram?
Yes, Instagram contests can effectively engage your audience and promote your brand. With the right goals, theme, prize, and promotion strategy, an Instagram contest can bring in new followers and potential customers for your business.
Final word
Ready to Run an Instagram Contest? Now that you have some ideas and tips on organizing an Instagram contest, it’s time to put them into action! Remember to always keep your goals, audience, and brand in mind when planning a contest. With the right strategy, an Instagram contest can be a valuable marketing tool for your business.
