Contests on Instagram are a powerful tool to increase your reach and engagement rates. They can help you gain new followers and activate existing ones. But how can you best use contests to achieve the highest possible growth for your account? In this guide, you will not only learn which strategies you can use, but also what legal aspects you should pay attention to. Let's dive in together!
Key Learnings
- Contests are an effective method for growth, but effectiveness varies depending on the niche.
- Collaborating with other users or brands increases subscriber exchange.
- It is essential to establish clear participation rules and comply with legal requirements.
Step-by-Step Guide for Contests
Step 1: Conducting a Contest
Before starting a contest, consider which format is best suited for your niche. You can either organize a contest on your own or collaborate with a partner. In my case, I often use the latter option, where advertising partners are willing to sponsor the contest instead of paying directly for advertisement. This way, you avoid the complication of VAT.
Examine closely which requirements are necessary for the contest. This includes participants having to follow you and possibly your partner, as well as share the post or mention it in their story. Make sure to specify clear start and end dates to avoid misunderstandings.
Step 2: Benefits of Partner Contests
A contest in partnership not only brings you new followers but also enables subscriber exchange. When both partners promote the contest on their platforms, you reach a much larger audience. Engagement for such contests is usually higher than traditional posts.
For example, I promoted a contest with another account and simultaneously boosted both our accounts. This led to an immediate increase in reach and number of subscribers, as our followers on the other side also showed interest in our content.
Step 3: Integrating Contests into Regular Posts
Another clever approach is to integrate contests into your regular posts. For example, you can take your most popular post and mention a contest in the image description. This can significantly increase your reach.
In one case, I ran a contest as a small addition to one of my best posts. The post reached an impressive 36,000 accounts and had a high interaction rate, which also boosted the number of participants for the contest.
Step 4: Cost-Benefit Analysis
Before starting a contest, calculate the costs involved. Often, the costs of a contest, such as prizes, can be justified by the potential followers and engagement. For example, if your activity brings you visibility to 6,500 accounts and costs only 12 € per month, then you have a great value for money.
Keep in mind that quality often outweighs quantity. It doesn't make sense to start contests if you don't have enough followers yet, as the lower your number of followers, the less incentive others have to participate in your contest.
Step 5: Transparent Communication
To optimize participation in your contest, you should clearly communicate what participants need to do to enter. This means including all conditions in the post description. Participants must know exactly what they need to do to have a fair chance at winning.
Without clear labeling of the contest, many users may not scroll to the end and therefore do not receive the information they need. Transparent communication is essential.
