How To Run A Tumblr Giveaway With Gleam
This guide explains how to run a Tumblr giveaway using Gleam. It covers how to set up entry actions, track participation, manage winners, and run Tumblr giveaways that feel native to the platform while staying organised and fair.
• Set up your Tumblr giveaway entirely inside Gleam so entries are tracked and managed properly
• Choose entry actions that reflect how Tumblr users already interact with content
• Keep your Tumblr post simple while Gleam handles verification and winner selection
• Use bonus entries to grow followers, email subscribers, or referrals without adding friction
• Close the giveaway cleanly with a fair draw and clear prize delivery
Tumblr is different from most social platforms. It does not rely heavily on algorithms or paid promotion. Content spreads through reblogs, tags, and community sharing, which makes Tumblr well suited to giveaways that reward participation and creativity.
One of the challenges with Tumblr giveaways is managing entries fairly once engagement starts to grow. Manually tracking reblogs, replies, or creative submissions quickly becomes messy and unreliable.
Gleam solves this by acting as the central system for your giveaway. Tumblr remains the place where people discover and interact with the campaign, while Gleam handles entry tracking, verification, and winner selection in one place.
The steps below show exactly how to run a Tumblr giveaway using Gleam without changing how Tumblr users naturally behave.
Check out our blog post: Tumblr Giveaway Ideas To Increase Reblogs, Followers, And Email Signups
Every Tumblr giveaway should be set up inside Gleam first. The first decision is choosing which Tumblr actions will count as valid entries.
Start by selecting actions Tumblr users already understand, such as:
- Reblogging a post
- Following your Tumblr blog
- Submitting a caption or creative entry
These actions become your entry methods in Gleam. Users complete the action on Tumblr, then confirm it through Gleam so their entry can be tracked correctly.
This keeps your Tumblr post simple and familiar, while Gleam manages all entries behind the scenes.
• Create a Competition campaign so Gleam becomes the system of record for entries
• Decide which Tumblr behaviours you want to count, such as reblogs, follows, or creative responses
• Add these as actions in the campaign’s How To Enter tab
• Clearly describe each action so users know what to do on Tumblr before confirming entry
• Let Gleam handle validation and fraud prevention instead of manually checking reblogs or replies
Once you know which actions you want to track, create your giveaway in Gleam.
Add:
- A clear prize description
- An entry deadline
- The entry actions you decided on in the previous step
Gleam automatically handles duplicate entries, validation, and fraud prevention. You do not need to manually check Tumblr activity or screenshots.
At this stage, your giveaway is fully functional even before you publish the Tumblr post.
• Create a new Competition campaign in Gleam
• Add your prize details in the Prizes section so expectations are clear
• Set start and end dates so the giveaway opens and closes automatically
• Add your Tumblr-related entry actions in the How To Enter tab
• Review your campaign setup before publishing your Tumblr post
Your Tumblr post should focus on discovery and sharing, not administration.
Keep the post short and clear:
- Show the prize
- Explain the Tumblr action required to enter
- Link to your Gleam giveaway
Avoid long instructions or complex rules in the Tumblr caption. Tumblr users should understand how to participate within seconds.
The Gleam landing page handles:
- Entry rules
- Verification
- Deadlines
- Winner selection
This separation keeps the giveaway easy to understand and easy to scale.
• Enable the Gleam hosted landing page so you have one central entry URL
• Copy the hosted page link from the Install tab
• Use this link as the main call to action in your Tumblr giveaway post
• Keep the Tumblr caption short and focused on the prize and entry action
• Let Gleam handle rules, deadlines, entry tracking, and winner selection
Tumblr thrives on creativity and interaction. Gleam supports this without requiring manual moderation.
Examples include:
- Caption contests where users submit a response
- Fan art or GIF submissions via links or uploads
- Opinion or discussion-based entries
All submissions are collected inside Gleam, making it easy to review entries and choose a winner, even if participation grows quickly.
This approach encourages deeper engagement while keeping everything organised.
• Decide the creative format you want to collect, such as a caption, opinion, or fan submission
• Add a relevant action in the How To Enter tab, such as Answer a Question or Submit Media
• Use the action instructions field to explain exactly what users should submit
• Keep the creative prompt visible in your Tumblr post so expectations are clear before users click through
• Review all submissions directly inside the Gleam Competition once the giveaway closes
Tumblr users value low-friction participation, so entry requirements should stay minimal. Gleam allows you to add optional bonus entries to support growth goals.
Common bonus entries include:
- Joining an email list
- Referring a friend
- Visiting a specific page
Because these actions are optional, users can still enter the giveaway without feeling pressured, while engaged participants can earn extra chances to win.
- Keep one primary Tumblr action required to enter
- Add optional bonus actions in the How To Enter tab
- Use bonus entries to support growth goals like email signups or referrals
- Manage bonus entry limits and behaviour inside the same Competition
When the giveaway ends, Gleam selects winners automatically from verified entries.
Before announcing the winner:
- Review the winning entry
- Confirm required actions were completed
- Check for flagged or invalid entries
This ensures the result is fair and transparent without manual auditing.
Once verified, contact the winner using the details they provided during entry.
- Close the giveaway when the entry deadline is reached
- Draw a winner from inside the Gleam Competition
- Review the winning entry and check for flagged or invalid actions
- Refer to Gleam’s guidance on verified actions if verification is required
Prize delivery should be clear and timely. After confirming the winner, communicate next steps and deliver the prize as promised.
Some brands choose to publicly confirm that a prize was delivered. This helps build trust and increases confidence in future giveaways.
A clean finish reassures participants that your giveaways are legitimate and worth entering again.
- Confirm the winner inside the Gleam Competition
- Contact the winner using the details collected during entry
- Deliver the prize as described in the giveaway
- Leave the hosted page live briefly to show the giveaway was completed properly
Tumblr giveaways can spread quickly once reblogs begin. Without structure, managing entries and choosing winners fairly becomes difficult.
Gleam allows you to run Tumblr giveaways that feel natural to the platform while keeping everything organised behind the scenes.
With clear entry actions, verified tracking, and fair winner selection, Tumblr can still be a powerful channel for engagement, followers, and audience growth.
Common Tumblr actions include visiting your blog, following your blog, and sharing or submitting Tumblr posts as proof of participation.
