How to announce a giveaway winner, with templates
The announcement is the part of a giveaway your whole audience sees, including everyone who did not win. A good one says who won, shows how they were picked and protects your followers from the fake winner messages that follow most giveaways. Below are copy-paste templates for each message you will need.
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Key takeaways
- A giveaway winner announcement should name the winner, repeat the prize, say how and when the winner was drawn, and say how long the winner has to reply.
- Message the winner privately before announcing publicly, from your main account only, and ask them before you tag them in a public post.
- Publishing a screen recording of the draw with the announcement is the simplest way to show the winner was picked fairly.
- Every announcement should warn followers that you will only contact winners from your main account, because lookalike accounts often message entrants pretending they won.
- If the winner does not reply in the time your rules set, contact the first backup from the same draw and say publicly that the prize was passed on.
- Have not drawn yet? Draw the winner with the free comment picker and record the draw to post with your announcement.
Draw the winner here
What should a giveaway winner announcement include?
Five things, in roughly this order. Leave one out and it is usually the one people ask about in the comments.
| Element | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The winner | The point of the post. Ask before tagging | "Congratulations @[handle]!" |
| The prize | Reminds everyone what was at stake | "You won [prize]." |
| How they were picked | Answers the fairness question before it is asked | "Drawn at random from [number] eligible comments." |
| Proof | A recording is harder to dispute than a name | "Watch the draw in our Stories." |
| Scam warning | Fake winner accounts target your entrants | "We will only ever message you from @[your handle]." |
In what order should you announce a giveaway winner?
Contact first, announce second. If you announce first and the winner never replies, you end up announcing twice.
- Draw the winner and backups in one recorded draw.
- Check the winner's entry against your rules.
- Message the winner from your main account with the reply deadline.
- Once they reply, ask whether they are happy to be tagged.
- Post the public announcement with the draw recording.
- Reply to the original giveaway post so people who entered see the result.
Template: public winner announcement post
For a feed post or caption on any platform.
GIVEAWAY WINNER Congratulations @[winner handle]! You won [prize]. The winner was drawn at random from [number] eligible comments on [date], using a cryptographic random draw. You can watch the full draw in [our Stories / the video below]. Thank you to everyone who entered. [Next giveaway teaser, optional.] Please note: we will only ever contact winners from @[your handle]. If anyone else messages you saying you won, it is not us. Do not click their links or share your details.
Template: Story or short video announcement
Shorter, and placed over the draw recording.
And the winner is... @[winner handle]! Drawn at random from all eligible comments. Full draw in this video. We only contact winners from @[your handle].
Template: message to the winner
Send this before the public announcement. Ask only for what you need to deliver the prize, and never ask for payment, card details or a password. Real giveaways never need them, and asking makes your message look like the scams you are warning about.
Hi [name], congratulations! Your comment was drawn as the winner of our [prize] giveaway on [platform] on [date]. To claim it, please reply within [48/72] hours with [what you need, e.g. your full name and shipping address]. We will never ask you for payment, card details or passwords. If we do not hear from you by [deadline with time zone], the prize goes to the next drawn entrant, as set out in our giveaway rules. Would you be happy for us to tag you in the winner announcement?
Template: when the winner does not reply
Post this when the reply window closes and you move to the first backup. Being open about it is what stops people assuming the prize went to a friend.
Giveaway update: our original winner did not reply within [48/72] hours, so as set out in our rules the prize passes to the first backup drawn in the same recorded draw. Congratulations @[backup handle]!
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you announce a giveaway winner?
Message the winner privately first, from your main account, with a reply deadline. Once they reply, post a public announcement that names them, repeats the prize, says how they were drawn, links the recording of the draw and warns followers that you only contact winners from your main account.
Should I tag the winner in the announcement?
Ask first. Most winners are happy to be tagged, but some are not, and a tag also tells scammers exactly who to target. If the winner prefers not to be tagged, a partially hidden handle plus the draw recording still shows the giveaway was real.
How long should a giveaway winner have to reply?
Whatever your rules say. There is no legal standard; 48 to 72 hours is a common choice for social giveaways. Put the deadline with a time zone in your rules and in the message to the winner.
How do I stop fake accounts messaging my giveaway entrants?
You cannot stop lookalike accounts being created, but you can make them easy to spot. Say in your rules and in your announcement that you only contact winners from your main account, never ask winners for payment or passwords, and report lookalike accounts to the platform.
How do I prove my giveaway winner was picked fairly?
Record your screen from loading the post to the winner appearing and publish the clip with the announcement. A comment picker that draws with a cryptographically secure random generator, like Free Comment Picker, gives you a draw method you can also name in the post.