As I both enter and run contests, I get to see the mistakes people make from both sides of the table. As I have been running a series of Instagram contests for a client, and I was disqualifying approximately 20% of the entries every day, I decided it was time to teach a refresher on Instagram contests.
Here are the three things people do wrong when entering:
ONE: Not Following the Rules
I cannot believe the number of people that simply do not follow the rules.
First, it’s people posting an incorrect picture. Using the incorrect product, something completely unrelated, etc. Each image is vetted before the final drawing, so if you think you are ‘getting away with it’, you are not.
Worse, reposting the contest post thinking it’s an entry. It is not. It is a repost.
Second, not tagging the sponsor. I even saw posts where the sponsor commented telling the entrant they had to tag them or their entry wasn’t valid, and they still didn’t do it.
Remember, there are two ways to tag; in the description and in the image. It’s better to do it in the text as Instagram changed the way contest management apps* can mine data and the tags may get lost in the image. Plus, the text tag is easier to verify by the sponsor at a glance.
Third, not using the hashtag. If you do not have the hashtag in your description, your entry is not included in the prize drawing as it’s what the contest management apps mine to create the entry database.
TWO: Having a Private, vs Public, Account
If you have your account set to private, the contest management apps cannot see your entry. Even if you follow the rules, it will never be seen. I know this to be true as I have tested it with friends who have private accounts. I checked to see if I could find their test entry. I could not.
THREE: Not Sharing Properly
When you take a picture on your smartphone and select share you get a myriad of options. For Instagram, you get Feed, Stories, and Direct. You must share to Feed as the contest management app is not searching Stories or Direct Messages for entries. Depending on the agency running the contest, they may have no access to the client’s account to see anything other than what entries the app is collecting.
If you have additional questions, send them to questions@contestqueen.com and I will include the answers in a follow-up Instagram video lesson.
*A contest management app is a service provided by companies such as Woobox, ShortStack, EasyPromos, etc.
You can also watch How to Win on Instagram if you need additional tips and step-by-step instructions.
Do you enter Instagram contests?
Great nfo. I AM WINNING ON IG hugs
Great information, I don’t win much on IG. I know I sometime make mistakes, going too fast and try to slow down. They don’t always ask for # and to tag them though! Should we always tag them with each comments and tag? “Remember, there are two ways to tag; in the description and in the image.” I didn’t know you could tag in the image, unless you share in your story the tag goes on the image or is there another way. I just though you click the comment circle and tag there?
Thank you for administering contests where the rules are enforced! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve carefully read and followed the rules, only for the “winning” entry to be posted which obviously did NOT. It’s infuriating! I know it takes a lot of time to weed through the entries and disqualify the ones that aren’t eligible, but if the rules are written a certain way, they should be followed both by the entrants and the sponsors. Otherwise, just have a random draw and say so! 🙂
Hi, Carolyn, can I win a contest with out an app? ( My cell is too old for apps.)
Thank you
Yes, but the biggest problem is you do not have messages on the computer, only notifications. If a company asks you to DM them you are ou of luck. Do you own an iPad or tablet? You can use Instagram via WiFi on any mobile device.
Hi, Carolyn!
How can I find giveaways to enter? When I search for them I often find giveaways that were 1-2 years old.
The key is to use a sweepstakes aggregate. I have them listed on this website for ease of searching: https://www.contestqueen.com/resources/
A few of my IG contest pet peeves!
Contest hosts who DON’T clearly define the participation restrictions for their giveaway(s), nor indicate a referral link to read rules. Example: omitting to stipulate “U.S. only”—misleading thousands of people (especially Canadians) who happily participate (conveniently building the brand or influencers’ followings/engagement), and to be let down later. When a contest host is directly asked (by post or DM) if their giveaway is limited to the U.S. only—most of the time, the question remains unanswered. I’ve seen instances when a Canadian has entered/won, but then declined an easily shippable prize (the SAME products often ordered from, paid for, and shipped directly from the U.S. to Canada)—”sorry, U.S. only”.
This happened to a friend of mine recently, and AFTER having to rescind the prize she’d been selected to win, the post was revised to add “U.S. only” in the details. The company didn’t act in good faith, despite their negligence and the fact that their website site accepts orders from and ships TO Canada from their U.S. head office. The company: gained a lot of followers and engagement via IG (building their brand) despite their negligence; my friend received a “sorry” then … crickets.
Worse: ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????’???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????!
We’ve all seen them (countless times): their names and excess amounts of entries all over Instagram. So often, the names are insultingly irritating to others who play by the rules.
“Tag a friend” = tag *a* friend. One friend.
Not several, individually, stacking the odds with extra entries.
“Tag three friends” = 3 people.
Not 11 or more, individually. (Who ???????????????? that 1+1+1= 3⁴ ?!)
They know what they’re doing: stacking the odds in their favour to win. They know that it’s unlikely a contest host is vetting the amount of entries submitted, taking the time to disqualify extra entries, or that a “random winner” generator won’t distinguish an IG user’s profile submitting more than the three tags indicated in details.
The irony: one look at the repeat offenders’ publicly visible profiles, and … there are many slick, polished, filtered, staged, “influencer” level images with branded products and lifestyle content. (white, gold, creamy, pink hued, perfectly coiffed hair/makeup: on trend) A LOT of posts indicating their excitement about having won (yet another) cool contest or … as the recipient of PR marketing packages from companies.
(Seriously, I recently saw a repeat offender tag ELEVEN friends individually, for a contest asking for THREE people to be tagged. ELEVEN individual entries to try to win a pretty, pink Kitchen Aid stand mixer. One look at her slick, polished IG profile, and … she was an influencer, with a PERFECT kitchen—all kinds of modern, very nice items in her magazine perfect kitchen. The woman DID NOT need the mixer she excessively entered to win!)
One doesn’t dare say anything to question the excessive entries—neither in a comment for the entry thread (not even asking the host, publicly or directly) because … it’s “catty” and generally sets a negative tone. If one were to state, “the Emperor’s not wearing any clothes”, such generate hostility and nastiness (for seeking clarity and accountability).
Too bad there’s not a format for all giveaway details, containing necessary information:
1. The countries/country the giveaway is open to. If open internationally: indicate the winner must agree to pay any duties/VAT/taxes applied during importing at Customs.
2. The specific amount of entries acceptable. “Tag a friend = one friend. One entry only.”
“Tag 3 friends in one post = one entry only.”
“Tag 3 friends in three individual posts = three entries only.”
“Extra entries will be disqualified from giveaway/promotion”
“Unlimited entries”
3. Clearly state the necessary steps for entry (“must complete all steps”)
4. Closing date and time zone (relevant to the sponsor/company’s time zone). i.e. December 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Even better if those who post IG contests would learn about/use FONT generating sites to clip/paste ???????????????? ????????????????, ????????????????????????????, and u̳n̳d̳e̳r̳l̳i̳n̳e̳ content for emphasis and clarity. (no whimsical, hard to read fonts and icons; the details get lost)
Do I sound like a curmudgeon? Asking for too much? Have missed out on a career in copy editing or law?
You bring up many good points. One of my services as a Sweepstakes Marketer is to advise clients to have proper rules, both online and on their social posts.