17 Examples of Comment to Win Contests That Will Inspire Your Next Giveaway

Are you looking to launch a viral giveaway?

If they hit the right chord with your audience, social media contests have a way of catching fire.

Before you know it, you’ve attracted thousands of new leads, followers, and brand advocates.

But what is it about social media giveaways that make them so addictive? Why are these campaigns more likely to go viral than other forms of digital marketing?

Well, as it turns out, this phenomenon has been around for a lot longer than social media.

The concept of a chain letter dates back to the 18th century, where “Letters from heaven” would entice participants to copy and share the notes with fear of misfortune if they didn’t.

Of course, chain letters are considered to be manipulative and deceptive. For the most part, they’re scams.

That’s what a modern-day comment to win contest is. All someone has to do is leave a comment on a social media post, usually by tagging a friend, to enter a contest.

I discussed the benefits of comment to win contests in this article, but here’s a short overview:

• They’re easy to set up. Simply share a link, photo, video, or even just a status update on social media.
• They’re easy to enter. Participants just need to comment on your post for the chance to win.
• They’re focused on engagement. By design, they encourage users to interact with your social media post by commenting.
• They’re algorithm-friendly. The algorithms on Facebook and Instagram reward posts that have high engagement levels.
• They’re designed for insights. If you ask people to enter by commenting with opinions or preferences, you gather valuable data you can use for future campaigns.

Not sure where to start with this attractive style of a giveaway? Here are 17 examples of Instagram comment to win contests to point you in the right direction.

#1. Raww Cosmetics

In this comment to win contest from Raww Cosmetics, I love the visual imagery they have used to infuse cosmetics with a healthy eating vegan lifestyle. To run the contest, they partnered with vegan influencer Cherie Tu to raise awareness for their superfood cosmetics range.

#2. Melody – On The Books She Will Read

Book giveaways are a popular style of contest on Instagram, especially for micro-influencers like Melody, who have built a following all about reading. What I like about this giveaway, in particular, is that she has given participants a choice of the prize they win from a selection of books. This strategy could be applied to any number of product ranges, not just books.

#3. Scratch Bakeshop

The simplicity of this giveaway from Scratch Bakeshop is what caught my attention. All people needed to do to enter was tag a friend in the comments. By encouraging people to tag friends, it’s likely to spread like wildfire. They even use the photo for this post to highlight how people can enter the contest with big, bold letters. Now, that’s eye-catching.

#4. Mattiacio Orthodontics

If you check out the Mattiacio Orthodontics Instagram account, they’re regularly posting content with branded merchandise. In this giveaway, they combine their logo with a Yeti Roadie Cooler to create an attractive prize for Father’s Day. Another interesting part of this giveaway to note is the extra entries people can get by following both the Facebook and Instagram pages of the business.

#5. The Hosteller

Backpacker hostel chain, Hosteller, uses photoshop and a city-shot from New York to draw people into their contest. In the above image, there are five hints about where they will open their next location. This takes me back to the Where’s Waldo books! Contestants are asked to leave their answers in the comments, increasing engagement and interest even more.

#6. Amanda Mullen – Everyday I’m Mommin It

The above contest from Amanda Mullen is simple yet effective. The prizes aren’t extravagant by any stretch of the imagination, but there are several prizes available, making people feel as if they have more chances of winning. Amanda has also asked entrants to tag three friends in the comments, meaning the chain letter effect will kick into gear much faster than a regular giveaway!

#7. Diana – Pris Letters

Lettering artist and Instagram influencer, Diana, has combined a range of low-end prizes into a package deal worth over $400. This approach is a great way to increase the perceived value of a giveaway prize, without one big-ticket item. I also like how this prize includes “creative supplies,” rather than a generic iPad or TV unit, Diana is giving her audience the tools to satisfy their artistic desires.

#8. Rebecca Anne

Micro-influencer Rebecca Anne shares beautiful photos that inspire home decor ideas for her followers. To celebrate reaching a follower milestone, she gave away a themed group of goodies you can see in the picture above. The theme of this giveaway was pumpkins, obviously, and it was held in the lead up to Halloween. Using a theme for your giveaway and showing off a bit of social proof, with the follower account milestone, are both tactics worth considering for your next contest.

#9. Niman Ranch

Here’s another comment to win contest based on a theme. Apparently, January is “National Soup Month,” in case you didn’t know! Niman Ranch combines some of its products with a ladle and stockpot to get into the spirit. They also gave away additional contest entries the more friends you tagged in the comments. This is a tactic that brands regularly use to increase the reach of a giveaway.

#10. O My Nosh

In this giveaway, O My Nosh partnered with Revive Super Foods to reward winners with nine of their most popular smoothies. Another excellent example of a collaboration between aligned Instagram accounts to increase the reach and interest of a campaign. The photo is also intriguing and well constructed to show off the prizes.

#11. Beth Louise

Travel and lifestyle blogger, Beth Louise, has used a similar approach to Amanda Mullen by giving away a bundle of low-price prizes to increase the overall value of the giveaway. One thing that caught my attention with this example was how Beth asked entrants to repost the giveaway to their Stories as a way to get more entries. With the growing interest and engagement levels of Stories, this is a great strategy.

#12. Lunches + Littles

Lunches + Littles take collaboration to the next level in this comment to win contest. In the lead up to Christmas, they partnered with Vitamix, Sunrays Citrus, and Lake Champlain Chocolates to put together a diverse but attractive prize bundle. You will notice how they use a range of different emojis in the post description, too, making it easy for viewers to find the most essential information.

#13. Parker and Poppy

Canadian online clothing boutique, Parker and Poppy, used a contest to give away one of their most popular (and sold out) coats. In anticipation of the restocking of the coat, this is an excellent way to build buzz and create awareness. Letting participants know that the coat had been sold out is also a psychological trick to increase interest. Because people are more likely to want something that is no longer available or perceived to be popular with others.

#14. Vermilli

There is nothing fancy about this giveaway from Vermilli, but it’s the simplicity that caught my attention. If you, or someone you know, want one of their “Stevie Tops,” leave a comment, and you could win one for free. As well as gaining new followers and engagement on Instagram, this kind of giveaway gives the brand insights into who wants this product.

#15. Nelson the Seagull

This giveaway is my favorite on the list. It’s something about the subtle reference to Valentine’s Day with a touch of sophistication that got my attention. Who would’ve thought a breadmaker could run a Valentine’s Day contest on Instagram with so much engagement? It proves that any brand, with some creativity, can make the most of these giveaways.

#16. Talasi

Showing off your products in unique situations with a pop of color and vibrancy is a proven way to build brand equity on Instagram. In this example, social enterprise Talasi features Watu Honey as the hero of their image surrounded by Christmas colors and much needed white space.

#17. Le-Vel Brands

In this last example, from skincare and nutrition brand, Le-Vel, they specifically target the moms in their audience with a range of lifestyle products. If you can, display just how well you know your audience by tailoring the prize, photo, and post description to their needs and interests.

Conclusion

Do you feel inspired to launch a comment to win contest now?

With the ease in which you can set one up and start reaping the benefits, these giveaways are a must for any brand on social media.

Think about how you can tailor the prize to your audience, collaborate with like-minded influencers, bundle products to increase the value of the giveaway, and spark engagement by rewarding additional entries. You won’t be disappointed.