Let’s face it, everyone loves free stuff.
Running an Instagram giveaway is great for companies that want to spice up their marketing efforts and give back to their followers.
Before you run one of your own, it’s important to make sure you understand the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) and Instagram’s guidelines. Check out these rules of Instagram giveaways or contests so that you stay within the legal guidelines and don’t run into any problems.
For U.S. based brands and their influencers, here are some points you must include in your giveaway and contest posts:
The name of the brand
How the winner will be picked
When the winner will be picked
How long the giveaway or contest will be open for the public to enter
The product or service that you are giving away
"No purchase necessary" in your terms and conditions
Participation restrictions, if any
Note: Keep in mind that different regions and locations for Instagram contests and giveaways means different rules. Add your local government’s rules and guidelines in the description of your giveaway post - it never hurts to be crystal clear!
1. It must be stated that Instagram is in no way promoting or partnering up with your brand to sponsor the giveaway or contest. Followers must be informed that Instagram is not responsible for any rules or promotions of the giveaway.
2. Users are not allowed to tag themselves in pictures where they are not photographed in or inappropriately tag other Instagram accounts in pictures for their own publicity. This does not apply to tagging people in the comments section.
3. For a contest where participants are required to submit a photo or create content to be judged, the judging guidelines must be stated.
4. The official rules and regulations of each giveaway must be clearly stated in the giveaway post with terms and eligibility requirements, such as age and residency restrictions.
Note: This is a lot of info to include in one Instagram caption. It can be beneficial to put together a simple landing page for the contest that features all of the necessary disclaimers. This way, your brand is fully covered legally and your Instagram post won’t be novel-length. Drop the link in your brand’s Instagram bio so it’s easy to find!
If you follow these rules when promoting giveaways and contests you’ll be in the clear to post. It is always a good idea to make sure that all parties are aware of the rules so that there isn’t any confusion and everyone is aware of the legal requirements. If you want to learn more about running giveaways and contests for your brand and how to partner with the right influencers, contact Statusphere to get in touch with one of our influencer marketing specialists.