Running giveaways is one of the most powerful ways to grow your brand, boost engagement, and build strong relationships with your audience. Whether you’re a small business owner, influencer, content creator, or marketing professional, giveaways can give your online presence a major push.
In this complete guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about running successful giveaways in the US. From legal rules and Comment Picker, to promotion strategies, goal-setting, and prize ideas—this article covers it all.
Why Run a Giveaway?
Before planning a giveaway, you should first understand why giveaways work so well:
More Engagement: People love free stuff. Giveaways create excitement, which leads to more likes, shares, and comments.
More Followers: Giveaways help your account or brand reach new people quickly.
User-Generated Content: Many giveaways ask users to tag friends, share posts, or create content, which spreads your brand further.
Email Signups or Leads: You can grow your email list fast if the entry requires signing up.
Promote a Product or Service: It’s a great way to build interest in a new product.
Set a Clear Goal for Your Giveaway
Before you launch, decide what you want to achieve. Your goal will shape every part of your giveaway.
Common goals include:
Gaining followers
Increasing comments or engagement
Promoting a product launch
Getting email signups
Increasing brand awareness
Collecting user content (photos, testimonials, etc.)
Example: If your goal is to grow your Instagram followers, your entry method could be “Follow us + Tag 2 friends in the comments.”
Understand the Giveaway Rules and Laws in the US
In the United States, giveaways (also known as sweepstakes or contests) must follow certain rules. Breaking them can get your brand in trouble.
Key Legal Points:
No Purchase Necessary: You can’t require someone to buy something to enter a sweepstake.
Official Rules: Always include terms and conditions, eligibility (age, location), how to enter, start and end dates, and how the winner will be chosen.
Void Where Prohibited: Some states may have different rules. Add this clause to protect yourself.
Follow Platform Guidelines: Each social media platform has its own rules for running giveaways (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.).
For official rules, you can use free templates or hire a legal expert for large campaigns.
Choose the Right Prize
Your giveaway prize should be something that excites your audience and connects to your brand.
Good Prize Ideas:
Your product or service
Gift cards (Amazon, Target, Starbucks, etc.)
Exclusive experiences (Zoom call with influencer, backstage pass)
Tech gadgets (AirPods, headphones, phone stands)
Collaborations with other brands
Make sure the prize is:
Select the Best Giveaway Type
There are several popular giveaway formats. Choose the one that fits your goal best.
Common Types:
Comment to Win: Ask users to comment on your post. Use Comment Picker to choose a winner randomly.
Tag a Friend: Have users tag 1–3 friends in comments.
Like & Follow: A Simple entry method for increasing followers.
Share to Story: Boost visibility when users share your post.
UGC Contest: Ask users to post photos or videos and tag you.
Website Sign-up Giveaway: Collect emails via a landing page.
Quiz or Trivia: Engage users by asking a fun question.
Vote to Win: Let users vote on something and enter to win.
Set Start and End Dates Clearly
People need to know exactly when the giveaway begins and ends. Always include:
Tip: Run your giveaway for 5 to 10 days to create urgency, but give enough time for people to join.
Promote Your Giveaway Effectively
You can’t just post once and expect people to show up. Promotion is key.
Where to Promote:
Use clear visuals, easy-to-read text, and strong CTAs like:
“Enter Now!”
“Giveaway Ends Soon!”
“Win This for FREE!”
Use Comment Picker to Pick Winners Fairly
Once your giveaway ends, you need a fair way to choose a winner. This is where Comment Picker shines.
Why Use Comment Picker?
It supports Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Just copy your post URL and let Comment Picker randomly pick a winner. This ensures fairness and transparency for all entries.
Announce the Winner the Right Way
Once a winner is chosen:
Contact them directly (DM or email)
Announce it publicly (on social media or your site)
Thank everyone who entered
Stay professional and kind—even to those who didn’t win
This builds trust with your audience and encourages them to join your future giveaways.
Follow Up After the Giveaway Ends
Don’t just disappear once the prize is sent.
What to do:
Ask the winner to share a photo with the prize
Post that content (with permission)
Offer a thank-you discount or coupon to others
Ask for feedback about the contest
Promote your next campaign
Analyze the Results
Track the performance of your giveaway so you can improve future campaigns.
What to Measure:
Compare results to your original goal to measure success.
Collaborate with Influencers or Brands
To grow your audience even faster, consider teaming up with an influencer or another business. This exposes your brand to their followers, too.
How It Helps:
Shared prize cost
Larger reach
Trusted endorsement
More engagement
Just make sure both parties clearly define rules, responsibilities, and how the prize will be handled.
Avoid These Giveaway Mistakes
Running a giveaway is easy to mess up if you’re not careful.
Common Mistakes:
Avoid these to maintain your brand’s credibility.
Keep It Simple and Fun
People love giveaways that are easy and exciting. If your entry process is too complicated, people will skip it.
Best Practices:
Remember, people scroll quickly. Keep it simple!
Build a Giveaway Strategy for the Long Term
Don’t treat giveaways as one-time events. Instead, build them into your marketing calendar.
Tips:
Host monthly or seasonal giveaways
Celebrate milestones (1K followers, 100 orders)
Use themed prizes (Valentine’s, Back to School, Summer)
Always use Comment Picker to save time and ensure fairness
Over time, you’ll grow a loyal audience who looks forward to each giveaway.
Tips for Running Successful Giveaways in US
Running giveaways is one of the most powerful ways to grow your brand, boost engagement, and build strong relationships with your audience. Whether you’re a small business owner, influencer, content creator, or marketing professional, giveaways can give your online presence a major push.
In this complete guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about running successful giveaways in the US. From legal rules and Comment Picker, to promotion strategies, goal-setting, and prize ideas—this article covers it all.
Why Run a Giveaway?
Before planning a giveaway, you should first understand why giveaways work so well:
More Engagement: People love free stuff. Giveaways create excitement, which leads to more likes, shares, and comments.
More Followers: Giveaways help your account or brand reach new people quickly.
User-Generated Content: Many giveaways ask users to tag friends, share posts, or create content, which spreads your brand further.
Email Signups or Leads: You can grow your email list fast if the entry requires signing up.
Promote a Product or Service: It’s a great way to build interest in a new product.
Set a Clear Goal for Your Giveaway
Before you launch, decide what you want to achieve. Your goal will shape every part of your giveaway.
Common goals include:
Gaining followers
Increasing comments or engagement
Promoting a product launch
Getting email signups
Increasing brand awareness
Collecting user content (photos, testimonials, etc.)
Understand the Giveaway Rules and Laws in the US
In the United States, giveaways (also known as sweepstakes or contests) must follow certain rules. Breaking them can get your brand in trouble.
Key Legal Points:
No Purchase Necessary: You can’t require someone to buy something to enter a sweepstake.
Official Rules: Always include terms and conditions, eligibility (age, location), how to enter, start and end dates, and how the winner will be chosen.
Void Where Prohibited: Some states may have different rules. Add this clause to protect yourself.
Follow Platform Guidelines: Each social media platform has its own rules for running giveaways (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.).
For official rules, you can use free templates or hire a legal expert for large campaigns.
Choose the Right Prize
Your giveaway prize should be something that excites your audience and connects to your brand.
Good Prize Ideas:
Your product or service
Gift cards (Amazon, Target, Starbucks, etc.)
Exclusive experiences (Zoom call with influencer, backstage pass)
Tech gadgets (AirPods, headphones, phone stands)
Collaborations with other brands
Make sure the prize is:
Valuable enough to attract interest
Related to your business
Easy to ship or deliver
Select the Best Giveaway Type
There are several popular giveaway formats. Choose the one that fits your goal best.
Common Types:
Comment to Win: Ask users to comment on your post. Use Comment Picker to choose a winner randomly.
Tag a Friend: Have users tag 1–3 friends in comments.
Like & Follow: A Simple entry method for increasing followers.
Share to Story: Boost visibility when users share your post.
UGC Contest: Ask users to post photos or videos and tag you.
Website Sign-up Giveaway: Collect emails via a landing page.
Quiz or Trivia: Engage users by asking a fun question.
Vote to Win: Let users vote on something and enter to win.
Set Start and End Dates Clearly
People need to know exactly when the giveaway begins and ends. Always include:
Start Date
End Date
Time Zone (example: 11:59 PM EST)
Winner Announcement Date
Tip: Run your giveaway for 5 to 10 days to create urgency, but give enough time for people to join.
Promote Your Giveaway Effectively
You can’t just post once and expect people to show up. Promotion is key.
Where to Promote:
Instagram Feed + Stories
Facebook Page + Groups
TikTok Short Videos
Twitter/X Post
Your Website Banner
Email Newsletter
Blog Post
Reddit Threads
Giveaway Directories (like SweepSheet or GiveawayMonkey)
Use clear visuals, easy-to-read text, and strong CTAs like:
“Enter Now!”
“Giveaway Ends Soon!”
“Win This for FREE!”
Use Comment Picker to Pick Winners Fairly
Once your giveaway ends, you need a fair way to choose a winner. This is where Comment Picker shines.
Why Use Comment Picker?
Free to use
No account needed
Quick and easy
Picks random winners from social media comments
It supports Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Just copy your post URL and let Comment Picker randomly pick a winner. This ensures fairness and transparency for all entries.
Announce the Winner the Right Way
Once a winner is chosen:
Contact them directly (DM or email)
Announce it publicly (on social media or your site)
Thank everyone who entered
Stay professional and kind—even to those who didn’t win
This builds trust with your audience and encourages them to join your future giveaways.
Follow Up After the Giveaway Ends
Don’t just disappear once the prize is sent.
What to do:
Ask the winner to share a photo with the prize
Post that content (with permission)
Offer a thank-you discount or coupon to others
Ask for feedback about the contest
Promote your next campaign
Analyze the Results
Track the performance of your giveaway so you can improve future campaigns.
What to Measure:
Number of entries/comments
Number of new followers
Likes, shares, reach
Email signups
Traffic to website
Sales (if connected)
Compare results to your original goal to measure success.
Collaborate with Influencers or Brands
To grow your audience even faster, consider teaming up with an influencer or another business. This exposes your brand to their followers, too.
How It Helps:
Shared prize cost
Larger reach
Trusted endorsement
More engagement
Just make sure both parties clearly define rules, responsibilities, and how the prize will be handled.
Avoid These Giveaway Mistakes
Running a giveaway is easy to mess up if you’re not careful.
Common Mistakes:
No clear rules
No terms and conditions
Making it too complicated to enter
Giving away unrelated prizes (like iPhones for a skincare brand)
Picking winners unfairly
Forgetting to follow up
Avoid these to maintain your brand’s credibility.
Keep It Simple and Fun
People love giveaways that are easy and exciting. If your entry process is too complicated, people will skip it.
Best Practices:
Clear steps
Short caption
Eye-catching images
Countdown reminders
Use emojis and a fun tone
Remember, people scroll quickly. Keep it simple!
Build a Giveaway Strategy for the Long Term
Don’t treat giveaways as one-time events. Instead, build them into your marketing calendar.
Tips:
Host monthly or seasonal giveaways
Celebrate milestones (1K followers, 100 orders)
Use themed prizes (Valentine’s, Back to School, Summer)
Always use Comment Picker to save time and ensure fairness
Over time, you’ll grow a loyal audience who looks forward to each giveaway.
Yes, giveaways (also known as sweepstakes) are legal in the US, but you must follow specific rules. These include stating that no purchase is necessary, clearly outlining terms and conditions, and complying with federal and state laws. Always include details like eligibility, entry methods, start/end dates, and how winners are chosen.
The best and easiest way to pick a winner fairly is by using a Comment Picker. It randomly selects winners from social media comments, ensuring a transparent and unbiased process. This is ideal for Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube giveaways.
The ideal giveaway length is 5 to 10 days. This gives your audience enough time to enter while keeping the momentum and excitement high. Longer giveaways may lose engagement over time, while very short ones may not reach enough people.
Prizes that are relevant to your brand attract the best quality entries. For example, if you sell beauty products, offer a beauty bundle. Other attractive prizes include gift cards, tech gadgets, or exclusive access to your services. Avoid overly generic prizes like cash or iPhones if they don’t relate to your business.
Promote your giveaway across multiple platforms—Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, your website, and email list. Use eye-catching visuals, clear instructions, and strong call-to-actions like “Enter Now!” or “Tag 2 friends.” You can also collaborate with influencers or other brands for wider reach.
Conclusion: Run Giveaways the Smart Way with Comment Picker
Running successful giveaways in the US doesn’t need to be hard. With the right goal, clear rules, smart promotion, and Comment Picker, you can run fun and effective contests that boost your brand quickly.
So, plan your next giveaway today, follow these simple tips, and grow your online presence while having fun!