Instagram is the spot to host a #hashtag-driven contest. Here’s how!
How easy is it? Let us lead you through a few simple steps that will have you engaging with new Instagram users—and future raving fans and customers. But first, you need to know WHY an Instagram Photo Contest is such a cool idea.
Most Instagram contests are based on crowdsourcing—a concept where the user initiates content for the brand or business. Why rely on crowdsourcing? It’s a fun way for Instagram users to find you. They take pride in participation, and they provide instant (and yes, sometimes unsolicited) feedback. All of this engagement gives your brand or business a chance to shine.
The How-To’s:
1. Make sure your account is consistently active. Nothing’s more of a bummer to an avid Instagrammer to find out that their new “Follow” has only one post. This chart and article from TrackMaven gives more details on the best days and times to post,
2. Set a time frame for your campaign or contest. Make the best investment in your time. It’s a good idea to plan a contest around a new product, ad campaign, or event with a finite end.
3. Create hashtags. The Instagram engagement train chugs along on hashtags. They are the element that your followers will use to enter your contest, and it’s the best way to collect and curate entries. Make sure your contest or campaign hashtag is strongly unique to your brand and contest, that your competitors aren’t using it, and that it is short (you don’t want it to devour your feed and distract from your content.) You must ask your contest participants to follow you on Instagram, and to use your hashtag when posting their entries on the site. Many people make their Instagram profiles private—but if they don’t follow you and they enter your contest, you won’t be able to see or count their entry.
4. Set up the rules. You can post them in an extended Instagram post, or link to your website or Facebook page. State how long the contest will run, who’s eligible to enter, what they’re required to post, the number of times an individual may enter, and how the winner will be selected or contacted. It wouldn’t hurt to run the rules past your legal consultant before you post!
Here’s an example of a fun contest concept. In late 2012, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream created the #CaptureEuphoria Instagram contest, which asked users to “Show us how you capture euphoria in your own way. By adding the hashtag #Capture Euphoria to Instagram photos, you are automatically entered for a chance for the B&J team to choose you for their local advertising campaign. Specifically, the ones that make us laugh, or smile, or just feel a little funny inside.” The results (as reported by DMNews,) were 15,000 entries, 70 million media impressions, and a 22% increase in its Instagram following in three months. Those are delicious statistics for any brand!
Instagram followers were encouraged to #CaptureEuphoria for the brand and win a chance to have their photo used in B & J’s advertising campaigns.
Do you have a promotion or contest in mind for your brand, but you’d rather work on other aspects of your business? We’ve got plenty of experience in running campaigns and contests in social media for our clients. Let us take care of the details! Leave a question here, or ask us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
