How to plan your giveaway posts
A giveaway only works if people hear about it. One post on launch day is easy to miss, so plan a short series: a launch, a reminder, a last chance and the winner announcement. The planner turns your dates into that schedule and writes a first draft for every post.
What every giveaway post must say
Each post should answer five questions without making anyone click: what people can win, how to enter, when it closes, who is running it and where to find the terms. Put the prize in the first line, because that is often all people see before "more". Keep the details in the terms and link to them. If you don't have terms yet, the competition terms generator helps you write them.
Link to an entry page, or ask for comments?
Comment-to-enter is quick, but a comment only gives you a username. You can't send a newsletter to a username, and a comment is not marketing consent. Many brands post the giveaway on social media and let people enter on their own page, where they give an email address and can tick a box for the newsletter. The post builds reach, and the entry page builds your list. With Scratcher, every campaign gets its own link to share on social media.
Follow the platform's rules
On Facebook, Meta's Pages policy says a promotion must not require or reward sharing, reposting or tagging other people. Entrants must also be told that the promotion is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Meta. That is why the planner never writes "tag a friend" or "share to enter", and why social posts end with a line about the platform. Instagram has its own Promotion Guidelines. See our guide to Instagram giveaway rules for what to check before you post.
Fit the text to the channel
Each channel has its own shape. A caption on Instagram or TikTok can't hold a clickable link, so the posts point to the link in your bio. On Facebook and LinkedIn, the link goes straight in the post. A newsletter has room for a subject line and a few short paragraphs. An SMS should fit in one message, which is why the planner shows how many SMS a text needs. Only send texts to people who have agreed to receive them.
Announce the winner with care
Tell everyone who took part, not only the winner. It shows the draw really happened. Only share the winner details your terms allow, such as a first name and initial, and contact the winner privately first. Draw the winner fairly with the random winner picker.
For more templates, including stories and website pop-ups, read how to announce a competition.
