If you have spent any time on Instagram or Facebook, you have undoubtedly seen them: “Like, share, and tag three friends to win!” Social media giveaways and competitions are incredibly popular, and for good reason. When done correctly, they are one of the fastest ways to increase your follower count, boost engagement, and get your products in front of a new audience.
However, running a social media giveaway is not as simple as just posting a picture of a prize. There are strict rules you need to follow, both from the social media platforms themselves and from UK law. Get it wrong, and you risk having your post deleted, your account suspended, or even facing legal action.
Here is a practical guide to running a successful, legal, and effective social media giveaway for your small business.
1. Set a Clear Goal
Before you choose a prize, you need to know what you want to achieve on your social media. Your goal will dictate how you ask people to enter.
- Goal: Increase Followers. Ask people to “Follow our page and like this post.”
- Goal: Boost Engagement. Ask people to “Comment below with your favourite product.”
- Goal: Generate Leads. Ask people to “Click the link in our bio to enter your email address.” (This is often the most valuable goal for a small business).
Keep the entry requirements simple. Asking people to follow you, like the post, share it to their story, tag five friends, and sign up for your newsletter is too much friction. Stick to a maximum of two or three simple actions.
2. Choose the Right Prize
The biggest mistake small businesses make is giving away a generic prize, like an Amazon voucher or an iPad. While this will get you hundreds of entries, it will attract “prize hunters” who have no interest in your actual business. As soon as the competition ends, they will unfollow you.
Instead, give away your own product or service. If you run a local bakery, give away a custom celebration cake. If you are an accountant, give away a free one-hour consultation. This ensures that everyone who enters is genuinely interested in what you do, meaning they are much more likely to become paying customers in the future.
3. Understand the UK Rules
In the UK, promotions are governed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the CAP Code. The rules are designed to ensure social media competitions are fair. Here are the key things you must include in your post (often called the “Terms and Conditions”):
- The Closing Date: Be specific (e.g., “Closes at 11:59 PM on Friday 14th August 2026”).
- Any Restrictions: Who can enter? (e.g., “UK residents only”, “Must be over 18”).
- How the Winner is Chosen: Will it be a random draw, or judged on skill? If it is random, you must use a verifiably random method (like a random comment picker tool).
- How the Winner will be Contacted: (e.g., “The winner will be announced on our Stories and contacted via DM on Monday 17th August”).
4. Follow the Platform Guidelines
Every social media platform has its own specific rules for promotions.
Instagram and Facebook require you to include a complete release of their platform by each entrant. You must explicitly state that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram/Facebook.
You are also not allowed to ask users to inaccurately tag content (e.g., “Tag yourself in this photo of a cake to win”).
5. Beware of the Scammers
Unfortunately, social media giveaways attract scammers. They will often create a fake account that looks exactly like yours, complete with your logo and bio. They will then message your followers, telling them they have won and asking them to click a link and enter their credit card details to “claim their prize.”
You must proactively protect your audience. In your giveaway post, clearly state: “Please be aware of fake accounts. We will NEVER ask for your bank details or ask you to click a link to claim your prize. This is our only official account.”
Running a social media giveaway takes a little bit of planning, but the payoff in brand awareness and engagement can be huge. By following the rules and keeping your goals clear, you can run a promotion that genuinely benefits your business.
About Dead On Digital
Dead On Digital supports UK small businesses with practical websites, digital marketing and smart automation that help improve and strengthen their online presence. Everything we do is focused on keeping things clear, simple and aligned with how real businesses actually operate day to day.
We believe your website and online presence should keep working for you as your business grows, not be built once and forgotten. If you are reviewing where you are now or thinking about ways to improve things online, we are always happy to offer friendly, honest advice.