Want to Grow Your Instagram Like Crazy? Run a Picture Contest (Here's How)

Remember that time you scrolled through your Instagram feed and stumbled upon a photo contest that made you think, "I'd totally enter that!"? Yeah, me too. And honestly, it wasn't just the prize that caught my eye. It was the whole vibe—the fun, the community, the chance to get featured. It was a little piece of marketing magic that had me hooked.

Now, let's rewind the tape a bit. Imagine this: You're a brand trying to make waves on Instagram. You've got the fancy filters, the trendy hashtags, and a steady stream of posts, but you're still struggling to get that extra boost—the kind that makes your followers go wild and your engagement explode. What's a brand to do?

That's where the Instagram picture contest comes in. It's like the secret weapon of social media marketing, a magic potion that can transform your Instagram game from blah to BAM! Think of it as a viral marketing machine that gets your brand out there, builds buzz, and keeps your audience engaged.

But here's the catch—a good Instagram picture contest isn't just about throwing a prize at your audience and hoping for the best. It's about crafting a strategic plan, using your creativity, and understanding the psychology behind what makes people want to participate. It's about taking that "I'd totally enter that!" feeling and turning it into a real, measurable impact for your brand.

Let's dive into the world of Instagram picture contests and unlock the secrets to making them work like magic for your business.

The Anatomy of a Winning Instagram Picture Contest: Growth Hacking Strategies You Need to Know

Think of an Instagram picture contest as a mini-marketing campaign. It needs a clear goal, a compelling theme, and a strategy to get people excited. So, how do we go from "Instagram picture contest" to "Instagram game changer"?

1. Define Your Goal: What Are You Hoping to Achieve?

Before you even start brainstorming creative ideas, you need to figure out what you want to get out of this whole Instagram picture contest shebang. What's your goal? Are you looking to:

• Boost brand awareness: Get more people talking about your brand and spreading the word on social media.
• Increase engagement: Get your audience actively participating with your brand, liking, commenting, and sharing.
• Generate leads: Collect valuable information from potential customers and build your email list.
• Promote a new product or service: Get people excited about your latest offerings and drive sales.
• Strengthen your community: Connect with your audience on a deeper level and build relationships.

Knowing your goal will help you shape every aspect of your contest, from the theme to the prizes.

2. Choose a Compelling Theme: What's Going to Spark People's Interest?

A good Instagram picture contest theme is like the glue that holds everything together. It's the hook that grabs your audience's attention, the common thread that connects your entries, and the foundation for a successful campaign. Here's how to choose a theme that will hit the bullseye:

• Relevant to your brand: Make sure the theme aligns with your brand identity and resonates with your target audience.
• Seasonal or timely: Leverage holidays, events, or current trends to create a sense of urgency and relevance.
• Engaging and fun: Choose a theme that encourages creativity, playfulness, and encourages people to share their unique perspectives.
• Easy to understand: Avoid themes that are too complicated or obscure. Make it clear what you want participants to do.

Think about themes that encourage storytelling, humor, creativity, or a sense of community. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• "Best Dressed Pet" contest: A fun and engaging theme that allows people to showcase their furry friends.
• "What Makes You Happy" photo challenge: A feel-good theme that encourages people to share positive vibes.
• "My Favorite Travel Memory" contest: Perfect for travel brands and companies that promote a sense of adventure.
• "Behind-the-Scenes" contest: Give your followers a glimpse into your brand's world and show them the human side of your business.
• "Create Your Own Ad" contest: Challenge your audience to come up with creative advertisements for your brand.

3. Set Up Your Instagram Picture Contest Like a Pro: The Technical Stuff

Alright, now that you've got your goals and your theme, it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty of setting up your contest. There are a few essential components to make it work like a well-oiled machine:

• Choose a contest platform: Decide whether to run your contest directly on Instagram or use a third-party platform like Gleam.io or ShortStack. Each option has its pros and cons.
• Create clear contest rules: Outline the contest duration, entry requirements, eligibility criteria, and prize details.
• Set a deadline: Give your audience a clear deadline to submit their entries and avoid any confusion.
• Establish judging criteria: Be transparent about how you'll choose the winners. You can use a combination of likes, comments, originality, creativity, or a panel of judges.
• Choose your prize(s): Offer prizes that are relevant to your audience and align with your brand values. It could be gift cards, discounts, products, exclusive experiences, or even a donation to charity in the winner's name.

4. Make Your Contest Easy to Enter: No Confusing Instructions Here!

The key to a successful Instagram picture contest is making it super easy for people to participate. No one wants to wade through a confusing maze of instructions. Here's how to make it a breeze:

• Keep your entry instructions concise and clear: Use bullet points, simple language, and visuals to break down the steps.
• Allow multiple entry options: Give people multiple ways to enter, such as following your account, liking your post, tagging a friend, or creating a post using a specific hashtag.
• Consider using a QR code: Make it easy for people to access the contest landing page from their phone by using a QR code they can scan with their camera.

5. Promote Your Contest Like a Rockstar: Get Those Entries Rolling!

You've got your contest set up, but now it's time to unleash the hype and get people excited. Promote your contest across all your social media channels, email lists, website, and even in your physical store. Here's a cheat sheet for getting the word out:

• Create eye-catching visuals: Use high-quality graphics, compelling captions, and videos to draw attention to your contest.
• Run social media ads: Target your ads to reach people interested in your niche or similar contests.
• Collaborate with influencers: Partner with influencers in your industry to promote your contest to their followers.
• Host a giveaway or sweepstakes: Add an extra layer of excitement by offering a chance to win a bonus prize or a larger grand prize.
• Use engaging hashtags: Use relevant hashtags that people are likely to search for and use.
• Encourage sharing: Motivate people to share their entries with friends and family by offering extra entries for each share.

6. Engage with Your Participants: It's All About the Interaction

Remember, an Instagram picture contest isn't just about collecting entries. It's about building a community and connecting with your audience. Here's how to keep the conversation flowing:

• Reply to comments and messages: Be responsive and show your audience that you value their participation.
• Share the entries: Re-share the best entries on your Instagram feed or stories to show your appreciation and give them more exposure.
• Run live Q&A sessions: Answer questions from your audience about the contest and your brand.
• Host a contest-themed Instagram Live session: Get people talking and sharing their experiences with your brand.

7. Choose Your Winners Fairly and Transparency: It's All About Credibility

Once the contest ends, it's time to announce the winners and deliver on your promises. Here's how to make sure it's done right:

• Select the winners based on your judging criteria: Be clear and fair in your decision-making process.
• Announce the winners publicly: Share the names of the winners on your Instagram feed and stories to build excitement and anticipation.
• Reach out to the winners privately: Contact the winners directly to congratulate them and let them know how they can claim their prize.

8. Track Your Results: See What Worked and What Didn't

Don't just assume your Instagram picture contest was a success. Track your results and see what you can learn for next time. Here are some key metrics to consider:

• Number of entries: How many people participated in the contest?
• Reach and impressions: How many people saw your contest posts and stories?
• Engagement rate: How many people liked, commented, or shared your contest posts?
• Website traffic and conversions: Did your contest drive traffic to your website or lead to sales?
• Follower growth: Did your contest help you gain new followers?

Real-Life Examples of Businesses Crushing Instagram Picture Contests: Get Inspired!

You don't have to take my word for it. Let's look at some real-life examples of brands who are rocking the Instagram picture contest game:

• National Geographic: Known for its stunning photography, National Geographic regularly hosts photo contests that encourage its followers to submit their own breathtaking images. They often have specific themes, like "Your Shot: Travel" or "Your Shot: Wildlife," which allows them to tap into the passion and expertise of their audience. Their contests consistently generate millions of entries and draw a huge following to their page.
• Starbucks: Starbucks runs a variety of contests on Instagram, often tied to new products or seasonal themes. They encourage people to share their coffee moments, using unique hashtags to promote their brand. Their contests often involve collaborations with influencers or brand ambassadors, which expands their reach and drives engagement.
• Target: Target leverages Instagram contests to connect with their audience on a personal level, showcasing the latest trends and products in a fun and engaging way. They often have a theme that encourages people to get creative, like "Style Your Home" or "DIY with Target." They partner with brands and influencers to create a buzz around their campaigns and generate excitement among their followers.

These brands have mastered the art of the Instagram picture contest, using it as a powerful tool to build brand awareness, engage their audience, and ultimately drive business results.

FAISCO: Your Shortcut to Launching Epic Instagram Picture Contests

You've got the ideas, the know-how, and the passion to create a mind-blowing Instagram picture contest. But let's face it—setting up a contest from scratch can feel like a marathon. You need a platform that's fast, easy, and designed to unleash your creativity.

That's where FAISCO comes in. FAISCO is a SaaS platform that puts the power of game-changing marketing in your hands, giving you the tools to create Instagram picture contests that attract attention, boost engagement, and generate leads like never before.

Forget the hassle of complex coding or complicated platforms. FAISCO is built for marketers who want to launch impactful contests, quickly and easily. With customizable templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and powerful analytics, FAISCO simplifies the process of creating Instagram picture contests that drive results.

Ready to turn your Instagram game from "meh" to "magnificent"? Give FAISCO a try and see how easy it is to create Instagram picture contests that will have your audience hooked.