What every giveaway caption needs
- The word giveaway and the prize in the first line, because Instagram cuts captions short in the feed.
- Numbered entry steps, each one something you can check.
- The closing date, time and time zone.
- Who can enter: age and countries.
- How the winner is chosen and which account will contact them.
- No purchase necessary, and the statement that Instagram is not involved.
Make sure the entry steps match the rules you will set in the comment picker. If the caption asks for two tags, the draw should require two tags.
Comment to enter
GIVEAWAY: win [PRIZE] To enter: 1. Follow @[YOURHANDLE] 2. Comment below with [YOUR QUESTION, e.g. which colour you'd pick] Open to [COUNTRIES], [AGE]+. Entries close [DATE] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. One winner will be drawn at random from the comments on [DATE] and contacted only by @[YOURHANDLE]. We will never ask for payment. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
Tag a friend
GIVEAWAY: [PRIZE] for you AND a friend To enter: 1. Follow @[YOURHANDLE] 2. Tag [NUMBER] friends in one comment (real people who'd love this) 3. Each comment with [NUMBER] tags is one entry. [Enter once / Enter as many times as you like with different friends.] Closes [DATE] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. Open to [COUNTRIES], [AGE]+. Winner drawn at random on [DATE] and announced in our Stories. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
Hashtag or keyword
GIVEAWAY: [PRIZE] To enter, comment on this post with #[HASHTAG] and tell us [QUESTION]. Comments without #[HASHTAG] can't be counted. One entry per account. Closes [DATE] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. Open to [COUNTRIES], [AGE]+. Winner drawn at random from eligible comments on [DATE] and contacted only by @[YOURHANDLE]. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
Brand collaboration
Publish a partner giveaway as a Collab post so it appears on both profiles and every entry lands in one comment section, which is the one you draw from.
GIVEAWAY with @[PARTNER]: win [PRIZE] To enter: 1. Follow @[YOURHANDLE] and @[PARTNER] 2. Like this post 3. Comment and tag [NUMBER] friends Closes [DATE] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. Open to [COUNTRIES], [AGE]+. One winner, drawn at random from the comments on [DATE] and contacted only by @[YOURHANDLE] or @[PARTNER]. Follows and likes will be checked for the winner. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
Milestone or thank-you
We just hit [MILESTONE], so here's a thank-you GIVEAWAY: [PRIZE] Comment below with [QUESTION] to enter. That's it. One entry per account. Closes [DATE] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. Open to [COUNTRIES], [AGE]+. Winner drawn at random on [DATE]. No purchase necessary. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
Last-chance reminder
Last chance! Our [PRIZE] giveaway closes [TODAY / TOMORROW] at [TIME, TIME ZONE]. Comment on the giveaway post to enter. The winner is drawn [DATE].
Winner announcement
Post the announcement with your screen recording of the draw or a result link, so entrants can see how the winner was chosen. The guide to picking a winner explains how to prove the draw was fair.
Our [PRIZE] giveaway winner is… @[WINNER]! The winner was drawn at random from [all eligible] comments on the giveaway post. You can watch the draw [in our Stories / at the link]. @[WINNER], check your messages from @[YOURHANDLE] and reply by [DATE]. If we don't hear back, the prize goes to our first backup, @[BACKUP]. Watch out for fake accounts: we only contact winners from @[YOURHANDLE] and never ask for payment. Thank you to everyone who entered!
Message to the winner
Hi @[WINNER], congratulations! You won our [PRIZE] giveaway, drawn on [DATE]. To claim your prize, reply to this message by [DATE] with [WHAT YOU NEED, e.g. your name and shipping address]. We'll never ask for payment or card details. If we don't hear back by then, the prize will pass to the next name in the draw.
Frequently asked questions
What should an Instagram giveaway caption include?
The prize, numbered entry steps, the closing date with time zone, who can enter, how and when the winner is chosen, which account will contact the winner, no purchase necessary, and a statement that Instagram is not involved.
Do I have to include the Instagram disclaimer in the caption?
Instagram's Promotion Guidelines ask for an acknowledgement that the promotion is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. Putting it in the caption is the simplest way to make sure entrants see it.
How do I stop fake accounts messaging my entrants?
You cannot stop them entirely, but you can warn entrants. Say in the caption and the announcement which account will contact the winner and that you will never ask for payment, and report impersonating accounts to Instagram.