PostEaseThe short answer
A good giveaway offers a prize your real customers want, asks for a simple entry such as a comment or a follow, publishes clear official rules, and picks the winner fairly and publicly. Check each platform’s rules before you start. Meta’s terms for Facebook Pages require you to give entrants the official rules, to have them release Meta, and to state that the promotion is not sponsored or run by Meta, and they forbid requiring or encouraging people to share, repost or tag others to enter.
Disclose any brand connection. If a creator runs a giveaway for a brand that paid them or gave them the prize, the FTC’s guidance counts that as a material connection that must be disclosed in the post, in plain words such as “ad” or “sponsored”.
Entry methods
What you can ask entrants to do, and what to avoid, using Meta’s Pages terms as the strictest common rule:
| Entry method | Allowed? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Comment on the post | Yes | The simplest entry; ask a question related to the prize |
| Like or react to the post | Yes | Quick, but brings low-intent entries |
| Follow the account | Check each platform | Brings followers; many will leave after the draw |
| Share to your own timeline to enter | No, on Facebook Pages | Meta forbids requiring or encouraging sharing to enter |
| Tag friends to enter | No, on Facebook Pages | Meta forbids requiring or encouraging tagging others |
| Fill in a form | Yes | Collects emails, with consent, for the people who want to hear from you |
Choose a prize your customers want
The prize decides who enters. A generic prize such as a gadget or a gift card attracts people who want free things; your own product or service attracts people who want what you sell. Choose something your best customer would be glad to win, and the entrants will look more like your next customers.
Write the official rules
Every giveaway needs written rules, linked from the post. They usually cover:
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Who can enter | Residents of a named country, 18 or over |
| How to enter | Comment on this post |
| Dates | Opens Monday 9am, closes Friday 5pm, with the time zone |
| Prize | What it is and its value |
| Picking the winner | Random draw from valid entries |
| Notifying the winner | By reply and direct message, with a deadline to claim |
| Platform statement | Not sponsored, endorsed or run by the platform |
Instagram’s own promotion rules
On Instagram, the official rules need a few lines Instagram asks for itself. From its Promotion Guidelines:
| Requirement | What Instagram says |
|---|---|
| Who is responsible | you are responsible for the lawful operation of that promotion |
| A release | A complete release of Instagram by each entrant or participant. |
| Not Instagram’s promotion | Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. |
| Tagging | You must not inaccurately tag content or encourage users to inaccurately tag content |
Entries that cost you reach
Asking people to share or tag to enter does more than break Page rules. Meta’s Engagement Bait guideline covers posts that “explicitly request engagement (such as votes, shares, comments, tags, likes, or other reactions) for purposes other than a specific call to action”, and Facebook shows them to fewer people. An entry by comment, with a clear question to answer, avoids both problems.
Run it
A one-week giveaway, step by step:
- Day 1: post the giveaway with the prize, entry method, dates and a link to the rules.
- Days 2 to 6: remind people once or twice, and reply to questions.
- Day 7: close entries at the stated time, draw the winner randomly from valid entries, and record how.
- Announce the winner publicly, with their permission, and contact them privately.
- Afterwards, thank everyone and post something useful for the new followers who stay.
Check local law
Giveaways and contests are regulated, and the rules differ by country and state: some require no purchase to enter, some restrict games of chance, some set rules for prizes over a value. Check the law where you and your entrants are before launching, especially for large prizes or entrants in several countries.
Questions
Can I ask people to share my post to enter a giveaway?
Not on Facebook Pages: Meta’s terms forbid requiring or encouraging people to share, repost or tag others to enter. Ask for a comment instead.
Do giveaways need official rules?
Yes. Meta’s Pages terms require you to give entrants the official rules, and written rules protect you and the entrants everywhere.
Does a sponsored giveaway need to be disclosed?
Yes. If a brand paid for the giveaway or provided the prize, the FTC’s guidance says the connection must be disclosed in the post.
Sources
- Meta, Pages, Groups and Events Policies: promotions, checked October 2026.
- Instagram, Promotion Guidelines, checked October 2026.
- Meta, Engagement Bait (Content Distribution Guidelines), checked October 2026.
- FTC, Disclosures 101 for social media influencers, checked October 2026.