Your Instagram Competition Rules Guide
If you’re trying to gain some more recognition from Instagram users, competitions and giveaways are an excellent way to generate engagement and boost your brand presence.
However, like with any social media platform, it’s important to make sure everything is in order before you hit
Tags
Generally, Instagram competitions are quite relaxed. However, you have probably spotted plenty of competitions which have broken one important rule. One thing you cannot do is encourage users to inaccurately tag pictures. That means you cannot make it an entry requirement to get users to tag their friends in a picture which is not an image of them.
As Facebook owns Instagram, it is no surprise that they have similar competition rules. On Facebook, you are not allowed to make tagging friends a requirement of entry. This helps to maintain privacy and avoid spammy posts.
Sponsors
One of the most important rules, as seen on Instagram’s promotion guidelines, is ensuring that your competition post clearly states any sponsors that may be associated with the giveaway. If it is, make sure you mention them, or tag their profile if they have one.
On top of this, you also need to remove any affiliation with Instagram itself. This can be a simple line at the end of the post which states Instagram is not involved in this competition, promotion or giveaway.
How to Enter
There is nothing more frustrating for a user than trying to enter a competition, only to discover how difficult it is to apply. This is a surefire way to lose interest from potential customers.
Make sure your entry guidelines are clear and simple to understand. This can range from ‘tag a friend’ to ‘caption this picture’ to ‘click the link in our bio’.
Terms
Another requirement from Instagram is for you to make your entry requirements and terms explicitly clear. This includes a minimum age and restrictions on
End Dates and Winners
Before you post your Instagram competition, make sure you clearly state the end date and time. This should be a clear day, date, time and time zone. Don’t forget to add the selection process on the post too. You should state how the winners will be chosen, whether it will be selected at random or the person with the best caption. It all depends on what kind of competition you go for!
Instagram Competition Examples
If you’re planning on creating a competition on Instagram, why not use this template to help?
To enter this competition, make sure you [CLICK THE LINK/CAPTION].
Entries will close on [DATE] at [TIME (GMT)] and the winner will be selected [AT RANDOM/WITH THE BEST CAPTION].
You must be over the age of 18 to enter and you must [COLLECT/PAY FOR DELIVERY].
This [COMPETITION/GIVEAWAY] is in no way affiliated, sponsored or administered by Instagram.
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