New Update: Boost Social Proof with Reviews & Automation
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New Update: Boost Social Proof with Reviews & Automation
Stacey Corrin
Stacey Corrin
John Turner
John Turner
Want proven social media contest ideas that actually grow your audience? I’ve used these strategies to get real results. One of our customers grew their Facebook Group by over 11,000 members using a single contest built with this exact approach.
I’ve tested dozens of giveaway formats across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The best ones all have one thing in common: they turn passive followers into active fans and paying customers.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the contest ideas I trust most. You’ll see real examples and get practical tips to launch a giveaway that fits your goals and brings in results.
A social media contest is based on skill, while a giveaway is based on chance. Both are popular ways to grow your audience, but they work in different ways.
| Type | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Contest | Participants create or submit something (photo, video, caption, quiz answer). A winner is chosen based on quality, creativity, or votes. | User-generated content, deeper engagement, community building |
| Social Media Giveaway | Participants complete simple actions (follow, like, comment, tag a friend). Winners are picked randomly from all entries. | Growing followers fast, boosting reach, quick promotions |
After running many contests across different industries, I can tell you they’re one of the most effective ways to cut through the noise and get real engagement. Let me share what I’ve learned about why contests work so well:
I’ve tested dozens of contest formats over the years, and some consistently perform better than others. These are my go-to creative social media contest ideas that consistently perform well. You can start using any of them today to boost engagement and get better results.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook |
| Best For: User-generated content, engagement |
| Prize Tip: Feature-based giveaway (e.g. repost winner or free merch) |
A photo contest is one of the best ways to collect authentic user-generated content (UGC) while boosting engagement. This type of content feels more trustworthy than traditional ads and gives you a steady stream of branded visuals to share.
Example: Gansetts Beer ran a Valentine’s Day photo contest where fans shared what the holiday meant to them using the brand’s hashtag. The winner received roses to give to a loved one. You can see more Valentine’s giveaway ideas here.
| Platform: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok |
| Best For: High engagement, YouTube growth, creative entries |
| Prize Tip: Feature the prize in a promo or unboxing |
Video contests are powerful for engagement and growth. They work well on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram by encouraging fans to showcase creativity in short clips.
Example: Ask entrants to create a product unboxing or short tutorial. Offer bonus entries for sharing with friends or watching a specific video to expand your reach.
Running a video contest is also one of the best ways to get more likes on YouTube. For more ideas, see our list of video contest examples.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook |
| Best For: Low-effort entries, witty engagement |
| Prize Tip: Small product or gift card prize |
Caption contests are one of the easiest social media contest ideas. Post a funny or eye-catching image and ask followers to submit a caption. You can choose the best entry or pick a random winner.
Example: Sebastian & Co asked users to follow their Instagram and add a caption to one of their photos for a chance to win. You can run the same type of giveaway to boost followers and engagement with minimal effort.
| Platform: Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Best For: Thoughtful stories, testimonials, niche topics |
| Prize Tip: High-value prize or feature on your site |
Essay contests are a great way to gather authentic stories and testimonials from your audience. They work best when tied to your brand or industry, and you can boost reach by letting users vote for their favorite entries.
Example: Run a contest where participants submit a short essay on why they love your product or share a personal story from your industry. Offer a high-value prize or feature the winner on your website. Voting options encourage entrants to share the contest on social media, giving you more visibility.
| Platform: Instagram Stories, TikTok, Website |
| Best For: Interactive discovery, product promotion |
| Prize Tip: Bundle giveaway or exclusive experience |
A scavenger hunt contest turns your content into a game. Hide clues across your social channels or website and ask participants to find them for a chance to win. It’s a fun way to spark curiosity while driving attention to your products.
Example: Hide photos, videos, or trivia answers across your Instagram feed, TikTok clips, or blog posts. Ask users to submit their completed answers in your giveaway widget and join your newsletter to finalize their entry.
| Platform: TikTok, Instagram |
| Best For: Brand reach, viral potential |
| Prize Tip: Branded prize, influencer collab |
Hashtag challenges are a proven way to boost reach and encourage user-generated content. By creating a branded hashtag, you give fans an easy way to join in and share their own content, turning them into brand ambassadors.
Example: Chipotle launched the #LidFlipChallenge for Cinco de Mayo, encouraging users to flip burrito bowl lids. In just 6 days, fans submitted 110,000 videos, generating over 104 million views — and record-breaking app downloads and digital sales.
See more ways to drive digital sales here.
| Platform: Snapchat, Instagram |
| Best For: Event promotions, local contests |
| Prize Tip: Event ticket, selfie product giveaway |
A fun way to promote your brand is by creating a branded filter challenge. Filters make it easy for fans to share selfies or short clips that spread your brand to their friends and followers.
Example: The Kiss The Brides bridal show ran a Snapchat filter contest to give away event tickets. Participants followed the show, visited a partner location, and posted a selfie with the branded filter to enter — a perfect idea for event or trade show promotions.
| Platform: Website, Instagram, Facebook |
| Best For: Lead generation, quizzes, gamification |
| Prize Tip: Gift card or product bundle |
A play-to-win contest turns participation into a game. Ask users to complete quizzes, spins, or mini challenges to unlock entries. It’s an engaging way to generate leads while keeping your contest fun.
Example: Trident’s Chew Tunes contest asked users to play and vote on records for a chance to win a trip to the Grammys. Since participants entered with their email, the brand also grew its marketing list. If you don’t have budget for a custom game, try a simple trivia or spin-to-win format.
| Platform: Pinterest |
| Best For: eCommerce, visual discovery |
| Prize Tip: Wishlist or dream board giveaway |
Pinterest is a powerful driver of traffic and product discovery. A “Pin It to Win It” contest encourages followers to save your products or ideas to themed boards, giving you viral exposure while engaging fans with your brand.
Example: Ask users to create a dream board with your products, like a home décor collection or travel wishlist. Choose a winner and reward them with free products or a themed bundle.
Learn more in our guide on how to run a Pinterest contest.
Now let’s look at some social media giveaway ideas that you can easily adapt for your own business.
| Platform: Any (via landing page or widget) |
| Best For: Lead generation, email list growth |
| Prize Tip: Broad-appeal prize, entry form simplicity |
Sweepstakes are one of the simplest ways to generate leads and grow your email list. Since participation only requires basic details, they’re easy for anyone to enter and perfect for broad reach.
Example: Universal Studios offered a chance to win a trip to Hollywood or Orlando. Fans entered their details on a giveaway landing page, making the contest both fun and simple to join.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter |
| Best For: Viral reach, social sharing |
| Prize Tip: Double-entry reward or referral leaderboard |
Referral contests grow your reach by turning participants into promoters. Each entrant shares your giveaway with friends, multiplying visibility as new people join.
Example: Offer bonus entries when participants follow your social channels or give extra rewards for every successful referral. For more ideas, see our full list of refer-a-friend promotions.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn |
| Best For: Quick engagement, post visibility |
| Prize Tip: Surprise giveaway or themed prize |
A comment to win contest is one of the fastest ways to boost engagement. Ask followers to leave a comment on your post for a chance to win, and you’ll see higher visibility and more interaction on your content.
Example: Post a fun question, and let comments count as entries. You can also run the contest through your website using a giveaway tool like RafflePress, then promote it across social media for maximum reach.
| Platform: Website, Facebook |
| Best For: Amplifying UGC, peer involvement |
| Prize Tip: Popularity-based prize, bonus for top voters |
A voting contest boosts reach by motivating participants to share your giveaway with friends and family to collect votes. It works especially well alongside submission-based contests like photos or designs.
Example: Drovers ran a photo contest and then asked followers to vote for the winner on Facebook, turning entries into a community-driven campaign.
To manage entries, use the Surveys and Polls action in the RafflePress builder. It lets you track votes in real time and easily pick a winner.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook |
| Best For: Organic reach, word of mouth |
| Prize Tip: Entry for each tag or extra for new follows |
A tag-a-friend contest drives organic reach by encouraging participants to mention friends in the comments. Each new tag spreads your giveaway to a wider circle, creating a ripple effect of visibility.
Example: Broke Green Mums partnered with a complementary brand and asked participants to tag 2 friends. They also added optional entries to follow both Instagram profiles, boosting followers while keeping the contest simple to join.
| Platform: Instagram, Twitter, TikTok |
| Best For: Growing followers fast |
| Prize Tip: Milestone prize (e.g. “Help us hit 10k!”) |
A follow-to-win giveaway is one of the easiest ways to grow your audience. Participants simply follow your account to enter, and you can pair it with a like and share for extra engagement.
Example: Run a milestone giveaway by asking users to follow you to help hit a goal (like 10k followers). Once reached, you can randomly draw a winner and reward them with a prize.
| Platform: Instagram, Facebook |
| Best For: Loyalty, engagement momentum |
| Prize Tip: Weekly prize with low entry friction |
Running regular giveaways on social media helps build consistency and keeps followers engaged over the long term. Even small recurring prizes encourage loyalty and boost brand visibility.
Example: Costello’s Bakery runs a weekly Instagram giveaway, offering a cupcake box every Wednesday. To enter, participants simply leave a comment and follow their profile.
| Platform: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook |
| Best For: Celebrations, audience retention |
| Prize Tip: Exclusive bundle or community thank-you gift |
Reaching a follower milestone is the perfect chance to thank your audience with a giveaway. It shows appreciation and encourages even more people to join your community.
Example: Share a thank-you post announcing your milestone and invite users to follow, like, or comment for a chance to win. You can also use a giveaway app to expand to other platforms at the same time.
The easiest way to run a successful social media contest is to use an online giveaway tool like RafflePress.
RafflePress is the best WordPress giveaway plugin on the market. It makes it super easy to do a giveaway online right from your WordPress website. Plus, it gives you everything you need to accomplish your giveaway goals, whether to grow your email list, increase website traffic, or boost your social media presence.
You can learn how to create a social media contest with RafflePress here.
That’s it!
I hope this article helped you find some great ideas for social media contests you can use for your own campaigns.
While you’re here, you may also find the following guides helpful when running a successful giveaway or contest:
Don’t forget to follow us on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook for more great tips to grow your business.
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