How Do I Promote My Instagram Giveaway?
Learn everything you need to know about promoting a contest or giveaway on Instagram with our helpful guide.
Running a contest on Instagram is one of the most effective ways to grow your following, boost engagement, and build a stronger connection with your audience. But to get real results, you need more than just a well-designed campaign — you need a clear strategy for reaching users where they are most active.
In this post, we will explore proven methods for sharing your Instagram contest through feed posts, Stories, bio links, and strategic content choices that capture attention and drive entries.
Because Instagram is such a visual and highly engaged platform, your success depends on how well you present the campaign — and how effectively you tell users what to do next.
The simplest way to launch your Instagram contest is by running it directly in a feed post. Ask users to follow your account, like the post, or tag a friend to enter — all easy actions that can drive high visibility.
This is ideal for smaller campaigns or when your goal is to boost organic engagement with minimal setup.
Instagram does not support clickable links in post captions, but your bio is a perfect place to promote an external contest page.
By linking to a hosted landing page or a giveaway page on your website, you can capture more entries, offer better UX, and include more detailed instructions.
If you use a third-party platform like Gleam, you can also validate actions like follows, shares, and email opt-ins to drive more qualified engagement.
Since you cannot include links in Instagram captions, use your post text to direct users to the bio. Say something like “Tap the link in our bio to enter,” and repeat this CTA in multiple posts throughout the campaign.
Your captions should build excitement, preview the prize, and make the steps to enter clear and inviting.
To avoid confusion and maximise entries, always make it clear what your contest is about, what users can win, and how they can participate.
You can use your caption to outline steps, or overlay key info directly onto your contest image — especially helpful in Stories or carousels.
Because Instagram is a visual-first platform, the way your contest looks is just as important as what you are offering. Use high-quality images, bold colours, and clean layouts to grab attention as users scroll.
Make sure your visuals clearly communicate the product or experience you are offering. A great contest post should immediately show the prize, create curiosity, and encourage users to click your bio link or read the full caption to enter.
Your prize is what gets people to stop scrolling and pay attention — so highlight it visually and clearly.
Use multiple angles, styled setups, or lifestyle photography to show the prize in action. The more appealing it looks, the more likely users will be to engage and enter.
Instagram carousels let you include up to 10 images in a single post — a great format for walking through your contest or highlighting a prize bundle.
You can use one image to showcase the prize, one to explain how to enter, and another for deadlines or disclaimers. Carousels are a powerful way to share more info without crowding your captions.
Instagram users are more likely to engage with content that moves. Use video or short animations to bring attention to your contest, show off the prize, or explain how to enter in a visually engaging way.
Whether it is a quick product demo or a prize reveal, adding motion to your Stories or feed posts can help you stand out in a crowded timeline.
One of the most effective ways to increase your reach is by encouraging users to tag friends. This helps you connect with a highly relevant audience who already trust the person tagging them.
Ask entrants to tag one or two friends in the comments — and make sure they are not tagging unrelated accounts just to qualify. Stick to Instagram’s guidelines to keep your campaign compliant.
If you want to expand your campaign’s reach even further, consider incentivising social sharing. Tools like Gleam’s Viral Share action allow you to award bonus entries to users who refer friends or promote the contest on their channels.
By rewarding users for helping you spread the word, you create a cycle of peer-to-peer sharing that can dramatically increase your total reach and entries.
Hashtags are one of the easiest ways to get your Instagram contest in front of a larger audience — especially users who actively browse tags like #giveaway or #contest.
Try including a mix of broad and specific hashtags, such as:
- #giveaway
- #contest
- #sweepstakes
- #win
While some of these may attract generic prize-hunters, a well-aligned prize will help you attract users who are more likely to become long-term followers or customers. For ideas, check out our prize inspiration guide.
If your brand or product has its own hashtag — or is connected to one that is trending — include it in your post. This improves discoverability and aligns your campaign with ongoing conversations.
Find out all the best hashtags you can use to extend your reach and engage your audience.
If your contest includes user-submitted content, create a custom hashtag for your campaign. This makes it easy for users to participate and for you to collect and track entries.
Participants can use your hashtag when uploading content, and visitors can browse it to see other submissions — creating social proof and additional momentum.
If you are using a platform like Gleam, you can take advantage of the Instagram Import action to automatically capture tagged posts and include them as contest entries.
Find out everything you need to know about setting up your own engaging photo contest and displaying submissions in a stylish gallery.
Highlighting participant entries on your feed or in Stories is a powerful way to encourage engagement, boost social proof, and inspire new users to take part.
Showcase current submissions during your campaign, or feature highlights from a past giveaway to reignite interest. Visual validation that “real people participate and win” can help convert hesitant users.
Creating buzz before your contest starts can lead to a stronger launch and more immediate participation. Use teaser posts to preview the prize, share hints about how to enter, or let followers know when to expect the campaign to go live.
Encourage early engagement by asking users to tag a friend, save the post, or turn on notifications. This helps you build a more engaged audience before the contest even begins.
Not all followers will see your first post — so remind them. Reposting your contest with new visuals, captions, or progress updates keeps it top-of-mind without sounding repetitive.
Each update is a chance to feature new photos, show behind-the-scenes content, highlight entries, or reinforce your call to action.
As your contest nears its closing date, switch to urgency-driven language to prompt last-minute entries.
Phrases like “last chance,” “only 24 hours left,” or “winner announced tomorrow” are simple and effective ways to create FOMO (fear of missing out).
Remind users how easy it is to enter — and what they could miss if they do not act.
Sharing your winners after the contest adds social proof and builds trust with your audience. Whether it is a simple announcement or a photo of the winner with the prize, it shows your giveaway was real — and that people do win.
You can even use your winner post to announce the next contest — turning one campaign into a loop of returning participants and growing excitement.
Seasonal themes are a natural hook for engagement. Align your campaign with major holidays, brand milestones, or awareness days to increase relevance and emotional impact.
Include trending hashtags tied to the occasion — like #ValentinesDay or #MothersDay — to surface your contest in themed search results and user feeds.
You can attract more entries by sharing your Instagram contest on platforms where you already have an audience. Drive traffic from Facebook, X (Twitter, your email list, or your website
Instagram’s built-in cross-posting makes it easy to share your content to Facebook, but tailor your message for each channel. For example, Facebook lets you include clickable links, so you may want to direct users straight to your contest page.
To reach beyond your followers, consider using Instagram ads to promote your contest to new users who match your target audience.
Use Instagram’s ad tools to target users by interests, demographics, and behaviours. This is a great option if you are launching a new product or want to kickstart participation with high visibility early in your campaign.
Partnering with a complementary brand can significantly increase your reach and credibility. Each brand shares the giveaway with their own followers — and both benefit from the shared exposure.
Just make sure the prize makes sense for both audiences and that your campaign mechanics are clear and consistent.
Find out everything you need to know about setting up a collaborative giveaway with another brand.
Partnering with Instagram influencers is another high-impact way to promote your contest. Influencers have built-in audiences that trust their recommendations — making them ideal ambassadors for your campaign.
Reach out with a clear value proposition, such as free product, affiliate commission, or co-branded exposure.
Stories are one of Instagram’s most powerful tools for reaching your audience. With built-in urgency, full-screen format, and direct link options, they offer a highly effective way to drive contest visibility and entries.
Here are a few ways to make Stories work for your campaign:
Instagram lets you link directly from a Story — making it easy for users to visit your contest page without leaving the app.
Design a visual slide that promotes your campaign, then attach a link sticker to direct users to your contest entry page.
Video grabs attention fast. Use a 10–15 second clip to introduce the campaign, show the prize, and highlight how to enter. Keep it snappy and include a CTA link so users can act instantly.
If your giveaway is hosted on your Instagram feed, use the “Add to Story” feature to increase exposure.
Just tap the paper plane icon under your post and select Add post to your story to re-share it with extra reach and visual emphasis.
Build excitement before your campaign launches by sharing sneak peeks in Stories. Tease the prize, drop hints about what’s coming, or count down to your launch date.
This pre-hype warms up your audience so they are ready to engage as soon as the contest goes live.
Want to take your campaign even further? Instagram Stories Ads can place your contest in front of a custom-targeted audience — based on location, interests, or follower lookalikes.
Use link-based CTAs like “Enter Now” or “Learn More” to direct traffic from ads to your campaign page.
Since most Instagram traffic is mobile, your contest page needs to be fast, functional, and easy to use on small screens.
If you are running your campaign with a third-party tool like Gleam's Competitions App, mobile optimisation is handled for you — so participants can enter seamlessly from Stories, bio links, or ads.
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