6 ideas for announcing the winner of an Instagram sweepstakes

Posted in: Applications for InstagramLast update: 02/05/19

So you’re ready to pick a winner for your Instagram sweepstakes. But how to announce those results – and even more importantly, how to contact the winners? Here are 6 ideas to announce your Instagram giveaway winners.

When the sweepstakes has ended and you have a list of winners, the first step is to share the result of the prize draw. Why? For three key reasons:

  • to contact the winners
  • to show all your followers that the contest was run fairly, and has now ended
  • to maximize the reach of your contest, and extend the benefits of running a giveaway

The question is: what’s the best way to announce your prize draw results? In this post, we’ve come up with 6 ways to announce your giveaway winners. Read through and choose the method (or methods!) that fit your goals best.

Idea 1: share a link in your Instagram bio

Even though Instagram doesn’t allow links in posts or comments, it is possible to place a link in your bio.

Use your posts and Stories to direct people towards your profile, like in this example:

Screen capture of an Instagram giveaway post. The image shows a hand with red painted nails, holding a sheet of clear stickers for scrapbooking. The post caption announces a giveaway winner, thanks all the participants, and encourages them to check the giveaway details via a link in bio.

Instagram only allows you to share one link in your bio. But remember that you can use a link service, such as Linktree or Linkin.bio, to send users on to multiple destinations:

Screenshot of the profile which posted the giveaway example shown above. The link in bio leads to a list of links, including the giveaway certificate of validity and winners' page.

Use the Winners Page to announce the winners, prizes and runners-up. It’s automatic, customizable, and comes with a unique short link to share. Click here to learn more.

Idea 2: add a new post to your profile

We know that giveaway posts receive very high levels of engagement. Here’s the proof, from a giveaway that we created ourselves at Easypromos.

Screenshot of an Instagram giveaway by Easypromos. A notification reads, "This post is doing better than 85% of your recent posts. Promote it to reach a wider audience".

So if you want to maximize the benefits of your sweepstakes…

It makes sense to share more posts, right?

One easy way to announce the winners is publishing a new post when the giveaway ends. Try some of these ideas:

  • share the same photo as the original post
  • share a different view of the prize
  • show the moment you selected the winner

Screenshot of an Instagram post announcing the winners of a giveaway. The image shows a bright orange explosion with clouds of smoke. The overlay text reads, "Congratulations winners", followed by the winners' names.

Want to make an impact? Announce your sweepstakes winners with an animated video and thrilling sound effects. Use Broadcast Mode to create an instant, viral video – no editing skills required.

Idea 3: mention the winners in a comment

If you don’t want to go to the trouble of creating a new post, then there is a simpler way.

Just update your original giveaway post with a comment that announces the result. You can tag the winners to get their attention.

Screenshot of an Instagram giveaway post. The image shows a young woman in a yellow dress eating two chocolate cupcakes. 11 winners are tagged in the post caption, followed by a description of the prize.

If you’re lucky, they will even respond to your comments or share the post on their Stories.

Fewer than 5 winners? You’re in luck! Write a comment and tag the winners from within the Easypromos app, as soon as you complete the prize draw. Click here to learn how.

Idea 4: publish a Story to announce giveaway winners

According to the latest statistics, Instagram Stories get more engagement than other types of posts. So you can’t afford not to post a Story or two about your sweepstakes.

During the contest, you can share countdowns, reminders, and progress reports on the giveaway. Then, once it’s over, Stories are the perfect medium to announce a winner.

Screenshot of an Instagram story. The image shows a man and a woman standing together in a light-filled room, holding hands and laughing. The text reads, "We have a winner! A big thank you to everyone who entered, everyone who follows, and everyone who shops!" The winner is tagged in the story.

Here are some points to remember:

  • tag the winner in your Story
  • make your Stories shareable so that the winner can pass on the news
  • add a swipe-up link to your giveaway certificate, winners’ page, or video
  • add the Story to your highlights so that new followers can see what kind of giveaways you run
  • if you have space, link to the original giveaway post so that followers can click through to see the details

Idea 5: contact giveaway winners through direct messages

If you want to make sure that your winners have seen the announcement, send them a DM.

This strategy has several advantages:

  • you can see when someone has read your message
  • it’s a private channel to share contact details (for example, a mailing address so that you can deliver the prize)
  • it builds a closer relationship with your followers

DMs work well if you only have a few winners to contact. However, if you want to collect contact details securely, or have a lot of winners, it’s easier to use the Claim Your Prize tool.

Idea 6: share the news on your other socials, website, and newsletter

Don’t forget to use your other social networks to announce the result of the sweepstakes. Follow up on the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, and even your website and mailing lists. Next time you run a giveaway, all your contacts will be tuned in and ready to take part!

Ready to create your own Instagram sweepstakes? Click here to learn more about the Easypromos app – and run your first giveaway for free.

Corinna Keefe

Content marketer at Easypromos
Twitter Linkedin

Publication date: 2017-05-30