Business Marketing with an Instagram Photo Contest

An Instagram photo contest is a great way to promote your business while having some fun. A photo contest can lead to new followers while your company is giving back to the Instagram community.

But running an Instagram photo contest isn’t always easy, and can be a bit confusing. Here is a short guide on getting the most out of a photo contest, should you choose to do so.

Target Your Market

Define your target market before kicking off your photo contest. A contest for families who enjoy camping is going to look a lot different than couples who look for new and exciting places to visit in the city. Determine who you intend to engage with, and gear your contest toward them.

Team Up

Finding a partner for your Instagram photo contest can be a benefit for both businesses. Not only can you gain more followers through this method, but you’ll also receive additional exposure. Most of these types of partnerships require participants to be followers of both accounts before they can enter. Keep things simple though. There’s no need to team up with more than one business per contest.

Avoid Confusion

Make sure your rules for entering and participating in your photo contest are clear and concise. Include an ending date and time, and offer step-by-step instructions for participants, including limitations on number of entries.

Call to Action

Provide your followers a clear call to action, so that they are fully aware of the necessary steps required to enter the contest. The primary purpose of your photo contest is to gain followers or increase your exposure (but make sure you have fun too!). The two most common ways to go about doing this is to have contestants tag a friend or post a picture.

Tag a Friend – For this type of call to action, have participants tag a friend to enter the contest. When the friend sees your post and competition, they will join and tag more friends.

Post a Photo – Contestants with this type of call to action post a photo and use a specific hashtag to enter. This will allow you to track the entries, and pick a winner when the time comes.

Keep an Eye on Submissions

This is your contest, so it would behoove you to be aware of how it’s progressing. Decide how you’ll monitor your contest, whether manually or by using one of the many tools available for just such an occasion. Decide beforehand how you plan on following your contest, so you’re not scrambling to decide while submissions are rolling in.

Declare a Winner

When your contest comes to a close, it’s time to pick a winner. Some contests use a poll, while others may use a group of judges. No matter what method you choose, select a winner and notify them through Instagram.

Promote the winner on your Instagram page, but don’t forget to give credit where credit is due. Cross-promote on other platforms. Announce the results on your Twitter, Facebook, and web pages as well.

Repeat as Needed

Running an Instagram photo contest doesn’t have to be a one-time occurrence. You can have a weekly or monthly contest. Explore your options, find what works best for your company and adjust as needed. Discover a way to build habits with your followers while creating momentum with your contests.

Instagram photo contests are an excellent opportunity to have fun with the platform while building up a following. Be creative and engaging with your contests to have the most success. Not only will you expand your audience, but you’ll also have fresh content that may inspire your next photo contest. For more tips, check out DFY’s lead generation system

Jesús Muriana.