WINstagram: 2018 Update

Like with most social media, Instagram is constantly updating and changing the way that it does things. This means that the way we enter competitions is also constantly changing. And so I felt it was high time to update my old Instagram tips blog with this brand spanking new one. While my old one had more tips and tricks, this blog serves as more of a guide as to how to enter Instagram competitions (with the odd tip thrown in for good measure of course).

In my opinion, Instagram is one of the trickiest and also best ways to win competitions and it is where the majority of my wins have come from. These two things go hand in hand: because the competitions often require a little more effort and hunting, less people will enter them.

There are different kinds of Instagram competitions:

- Repost (including repost to story)
- Combination of like/comment/follow/tag
- Loop competitions
- Creative competitions


1. Repost Competitions

Now to be honest, this is the sort of Instagram competition that I enter the least. In fact, I have only done a repost comp once, and that was to win a pair of wellies that I really needed for work, and I was lucky enough to win!

The issue with repost competitions, in my opinion, is that they make my Instagram profile look a bit messy. Some promoters will check out your Instagram page to check if you are a bot or a comper (give us a break), and so making your profile as 'real' as possible is important. For this reason, I would recommend deleting the post from your page after the competition winner has been decided.

To enter a repost to win competition, you have to post a copy of the promoters original competition post onto your own page. The simplest way to do this is to download an app such as 'Repost for Instagram' or 'RepostIt'. This will make sure that the caption below the promoters post is also copied over, and this often contains essential hashtags and handles.

For the repost to story competitions, you just need to take a screenshot of the post and put it on your story, as shown in the infographic below. Once you've chosen your picture you can add things to it! Make sure to tag the company and include any hashtags.

2. Comment/like/tag/follow Competitions (I need to think of a catchier name for these)

The most common type of Instagram competition is a simple interaction one. The promoter will give instruction in the post, and you just need to follow these. Be careful to check how many people you need to tag, and also if the person you tag also needs to follow. If that is the case, I will tag a fellow comper who has already entered the competition (or I'm pretty sure will after my tag) to make sure we are both entered correctly. If you're looking for people to tag, or want to be tagged, comment below this blog with your Instagram handle to build up some comping friends.

Make sure to follow all the brands mentioned, as they will check if you follow if/when they go to contact you as a winner. Be prepared for your Instagram feed to become filled with promoters, so if you're not a fan of  'JD posting a different angle of shoe every 15 second' (Neill Johnstone, 2018) consider opening a separate comping Instagram (but make sure to post to it so it doesn't look like a fake account). A similar style of competition are:

3. Loop Competitions

If you don't like following a lot of brands on Instagram, this is not the competition type for you. The idea of a loop competition is that lots of different brands collaborate together to have one large prize, and each of them benefit.

Starting on any of the competition posts you will have to like and follow the post/promoter before following a link to the next promoter in the chain. When you find the same competition post on their page you then also like/follow and continue to the next page. Do this until you are back at the original post and comment 'DONE' (or they will tell you to comment something). The idea is that all the promoters benefit, however it can be a bit of a long process, as sometimes there can be a hundred brands involved (well, about 15 but you get my point). Easy to enter if you can be bothered, but check where it's open to, as these are more common in America.

4. Creative Competitions

All hardcore compers love a good effort comp! Instagram is the perfect platform for them, as it is such a visual social media channel. These can be harder to find, but there are a few good Facebook groups that advertise them. Whenever I see an effort comp on Instagram I take a screenshot of it and add it to an album on my phone, so that I can check the details whenever inspiration hits. Another way of doing this is the 'Save' feature on Instagram. This way all the details are easily accessible for when you have time to create your post (often not when scrolling through Insta on the bus).

The key thing to remember with creative competitions is to stand out. Really take your time with these and read the brief carefully, making sure to include any tags, hashtags, products or specifications necessary. You don't want to go to a lot of effort for the perfect landscape photo when it has to be a selfie.

Another tip would be to check out the other entries by clicking the hashtag to view the other entries. Obviously not to copy any entries, in fact, the opposite: make sure your post is original and stands out amongst the others. Pick a colour of background or clothing that hasn't been used much, or include text or quirky angles to draw the eye of the promoter. 

Personally, I love a good Instagram competition. They are so easy to enter when out and about, and as I follow so many brands, the competitions just come to me on my timeline when I'm scrolling anyway. 

Follow me on Instagram (@lornab22) and comment below your Instagram handle if you want to be tagged in competitions too.

Luck and Love, 

Lorna