How to run an Instagram giveaway, step by step
An Instagram giveaway is quick to set up and easy to get slightly wrong: a missing disclaimer, an entry rule nobody can check, or a draw your followers have to take on trust. This guide goes through the whole thing in order, from choosing a prize to announcing the winner, and links to the rules guide for the caption and the policy detail.
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Key takeaways
- To run an Instagram giveaway, publish a post or Reel that states the prize, the entry rule and the closing time, then draw the winner at random from the comments after it closes.
- The most reliable entry rule on Instagram is a comment that includes a keyword, because a comment picker can check it and it filters out generic bot comments.
- Instagram's Promotion Guidelines do not forbid asking entrants to tag friends in a comment; what they forbid is encouraging inaccurate tagging, such as tagging people in a photo they are not in.
- Every Instagram giveaway must include a complete release of Instagram by each entrant and an acknowledgement that Instagram does not sponsor, endorse or administer it.
- Free Comment Picker reads up to 500 comments from a public post or Reel with no login, and can publish a public proof page that lists every proof draw on the post.
- Ready to draw? Use the Instagram comment picker to pick the winner from a public post or Reel with no login.
Draw the winner here
What do you need before you start an Instagram giveaway?
Four decisions, made before you post, because changing any of them once entries arrive is what makes a giveaway look unfair.
- A goal. More followers, more comments, launching a product or thanking your audience each favour a different prize and entry rule.
- A prize your audience actually wants, with a value you can state honestly.
- Who can enter: minimum age and the countries entrants must live in, so you can ship the prize and stay within your local rules.
- A closing date and time with a time zone, and when the winner will be drawn.
Which entry rule should you use on Instagram?
Keep the entry to things you can check. A comment is the entry list itself. A keyword in the comment is easy to follow and easy to verify. Instagram's guidelines do not forbid tagging friends as long as the tags are accurate, and a picker can require a minimum number of tags. Follows, likes and Story shares cannot be checked for every entrant by any tool, so if you require them, you can only check them by hand for the winner.
Whatever you choose, count each person once. Without one entry per account, the person who comments forty times has forty times the chance.
| Entry rule | Under Instagram's Promotion Guidelines | Can a comment picker check it? |
|---|---|---|
| Comment on the post | Allowed | Yes, this is the entry list |
| Include a keyword or hashtag | Allowed | Yes, with a keyword rule |
| Tag one or more friends | Allowed if the tags are accurate | Yes, with a minimum tag count |
| One entry per account | Allowed | Yes |
| Follow the account | Not addressed | No, check the winner by hand |
| Like the post or share to Story | Not addressed | No |
- Instagram Help Center: Promotion Guidelines"You must not inaccurately tag content or encourage users to inaccurately tag content (example: don’t encourage people to tag themselves in photos if they aren’t in the photo)."
What should the giveaway caption say?
The prize, how to enter, the closing time with time zone, who can enter, that no purchase is necessary, how and when the winner is drawn, how long the winner has to reply, and the two statements Instagram requires: a release of Instagram by each entrant and an acknowledgement that Instagram does not sponsor the giveaway. The Instagram giveaway rules guide has a caption template with all of it.
- Instagram Help Center: Promotion GuidelinesPromotions on Instagram must include "A complete release of Instagram by each entrant or participant" and an "Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram."
Should you run the giveaway on a Reel or a feed post?
Either works for the draw: Reels and feed posts use the same comment system, and a picker reads both from their link. The difference is reach. A Reel can travel to people who do not follow you, which brings more entries and more strangers who will ask how the winner was picked. A feed post stays closer to your existing followers. If you post a Reel, say the rules on screen as well as in the caption, because many viewers never open the caption.
How do you run an Instagram giveaway, step by step?
In order, from posting to announcing.
- Write the caption with the prize, entry rule, closing time, eligibility, draw method and the Instagram release and acknowledgement.
- Publish the post or Reel from a public account. A picker cannot read comments on a private account.
- Reply to questions in the comments without changing the rules.
- Close at the time you stated. Draw soon after, so late comments do not blur who was eligible.
- Paste the post link into the Instagram comment picker, turn on your keyword or tag rule and one entry per account, and set the number of winners to include your backups.
- Tick "Publish a public proof page" if you want a link anyone can check, or start a screen recording, then draw.
- Message the winner from your main account, wait for the reply window in your rules, then announce.
How do you show the giveaway was fair?
Two options. A screen recording from pasting the link to the winner appearing shows the draw happened on screen. A public proof page goes further: with Free Comment Picker, the entry list is locked by its SHA-256 hash before our server picks the random seed, the winners follow from that seed, and the page lists every proof draw ever run on the post, so a re-draw cannot be hidden. Anyone you share the entry list with can re-run the draw and get the same winners.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I do a giveaway on Instagram?
Post a picture or Reel with the prize, a simple entry rule such as commenting with a keyword, the closing time and the required Instagram release and acknowledgement. After it closes, draw the winner at random from the comments with a comment picker that counts each person once, then message the winner and announce.
Can I ask people to tag friends in an Instagram giveaway?
Yes. Instagram's Promotion Guidelines forbid inaccurate tagging, such as asking people to tag themselves in a photo they are not in, and they do not forbid tagging friends in a comment. A comment picker can require a minimum number of tags.
How long should an Instagram giveaway run?
There is no rule. Most run from a few days to two weeks. What matters is that the closing date, time and time zone are in the caption and that you draw promptly after it.
Do I need a business account to run an Instagram giveaway?
No. Instagram's Promotion Guidelines apply to any account that runs a promotion, and a picker that reads the public post link works with any account type, including personal accounts, as long as the post is public.
How many comments can a free picker read?
Free Comment Picker reads up to 500 top-level comments on the free draw, one draw per day, with no account, and up to 5,000 per draw on Pro. Replies to comments are not counted as entries.