How to find, enter and win Instagram competitions

by Di · Published 17/04/2026 · Updated 15/07/2026

Instagram is currently the most active social media platform for giveaways, and it’s definitely my favourite! I’ve won amazing prizes in Instagram competitions, including flights to New York and £1000 Selfridges vouchers. I feature every prize I win in my monthly ‘unboxing’ videos on YouTube, and recently more than a third of my competition wins are from Instagram giveaways (although I am now winning lots in TikTok competitions too!)

I’ve put together the ultimate guide to tracking down the best low-entry competitions on Instagram, and my secrets for making sure your entry has the best chance of winning!

If you’re a member of Lucky Legends, I recommend you watch my special edition of Legends Live all about Instagram, with my special guest Julie Dillamore (@moondill). Julie has won thousands of pounds of prizes on Instagram – including a recent £10,000 holiday with Airwick – and shares some great tips. Legends members can find the link to watch on the forum here.

PART 1: How to find Instagram competitions

It’s not necessary to look for Instagram comps on competition listings sites – just spend your time browsing the app, entering comps to win your wishlist prizes and local giveaways. Instagram will learn what you like, and then the competitions will find you!

1. Check your alternative feeds

When you open Instagram, it curates a feed for you. Once you start entering comps, you will see plenty of them on this main feed. Engage with the type of prizes and comps you enjoy most by liking, saving and commenting, and you will start to see more of those type of comps in your feed. But did you know if you tap on the Instagram logo at the top of the screen you can switch feeds? Change it to Following, and it will show you content from the users you follow. Or you can switch your feed to Favourites, which is handy if you are looking for specific prizes or you know of brands who run regular giveaways. Add users to Favourites by tapping Following on their profile, then Add to favourites.

2. Use Instagram search

Search Instagram using specific phrases and hashtags. Unfortunately, you can’t use date filters on the results (like you can on TikTok) so you’ll find some comps have already closed!

When you get your results, tap on the top one and then you can easily swipe through the rest of the results quickly. I tend to swipe past the ones with 1000+ comments already, and check the ones with low numbers of comments because there should be a better chance of winning.

Here’s some suggestions of hashtags you can search for – Instagram will also search for the words within those hashtags.

General tags: #ukgiveaway or #ukcompetition
Event specific: #EasterCompetition or #ChristmasGiveaway
Local tags: #LondonGiveaway or #BrightonCompetition

Try WIN and your local town and a keyword like Easter, Mothers Day, Halloween etc. to find lots of comps.

3. Follow other compers

An easy way to find giveaways is to see what other compers are entering – they will be reposting and sharing to their stories (find stories across the top of your home page – just tap the circles). If you want to find friendly compers to follow and tag, use our Compers Connect database – you can search for Instagram friends by location and hobbies. Having comping friends that tag you in local giveaways can be a great way to find low entry comps – and they might even invite you to events and meals if they win!

4. Use Google search

Don’t just search on Instagram itself! Use Google to find specific prizes or types of competition on Instagram by adding the phrase site:instagram.com to your searches. For example, win running shoes OR gear site:instagram.com (click here to see the results of this specific search). When you get your results you can filter by date by tapping Tools, and changing to Past Week for example. If your search is successful, then save or bookmark it to use regularly! More info: How to search Google for competitions.

5. Follow favourite brands, and local businesses

Start by following your favourite brands – for example the food and drink you buy regularly, all the products in your bathroom cabinet, the clothing brands in your wardrobe (the more niche the brand, the better as they will have fewer followers to enter their comps!) Then follow all the places you visit locally – leisure centres, beauty salons, pubs and restaurants, activities and kids entertainment. All these places run competitions! React and comment on a couple of recent posts, to show Instagram you’re interested in their content. If you really like a particular brand, tap the bell at the top of the screen to get notifications when they post – and if they have a broadcast channel, join that (look for the little speech bubble icon on their profile). When you find a local business running a giveaway, go to their profile and tap the little person icon next to the message or contact button. Instagram will show you a Suggested for you list of similar local businesses. Swipe through and FOLLOW any that appeal to you.

6. Join Lucky Legends

Lucky Legends members love creative and effort-based competitions and we share lots of these on the forum, which you get access to when you join. There’s also quite a few Instagram comps where you need to be the first to enter, and Legends have done well in these! Recently VeeTee ran an Instagram photo competition to win 4 Macbooks and 40 pairs of Airpods – Lucky Legends members picked up 28 of those prizes with their creative photos! Find out more at superlucky.me/luckylegends

PART 2: How to enter Instagram competitions

Before you get started comping, It’s recommended to set your account to public so promoters can see your grid posts and story shares, because brands cannot see content from private accounts unless they follow them. Users with private Instagram accounts do win prizes, but most brands want entrants and winners who can reach a large following if they post about the competition or prize.

It’s also important to read the instructions carefully before rushing in. Tagging the wrong number of people, omitting an answer or spelling a hashtag incorrectly can mean your entry is skipped by the winner picker tools. Be wary of Australian competitions and US sweepstakes sneaking onto your radar – don’t enter any giveaways originating from outside the UK as you could get stung with an import tax bill.

There are a few main formats for Instagram competitions:

1. Simple prize draw

Usually you have to follow, like, comment and tag a friend or two to enter an Instagram giveaway. Entries may be unlimited, or restricted – you’ll have a tough time winning a giveaway that states ‘One entry per comment’ as some compers go wild on these, leaving dozens of comments! Keep in mind that a brand who asks you to SAVE a post is not choosing a winner fairly – as your saves are private only to yourself, they cannot actually check who saved. Some giveaways are a collaboration, and you’ll need to follow multiple brands, so double check you’ve done so! And it should be obvious – but make sure you tag real friends in your comments – not celebrities, influencers or your own accounts!

Tap the paper plane under the post to share to your story. This will usually be mentioned as a ‘bonus’ entry. A story share is very difficult for a brand to track as they only last 24 hours and must be tracked manually. As you can imagine, most brands will not have the time to do this properly when there are over a hundred entrants! When sharing a competition to your story, use the text tool to tag the promoter so they receive a notification in both their mentions and their inbox. Start typing their name, and then tap their profile picture to make it a clickable tag.

3. Upload a photo or video to your grid

If you need to create content in order to enter, it’s super important to check if the winner is chosen at random, or if there are criteria for judging. This should affect how much time you spend on your entry! Usually you will need to tag the brand in the caption, but it’s a good idea to tag them in the photo too.

4. Upload a photo or video to your story

An Instagram story will only be around for 24 hours, so you have to trust that the brand will save it. I won’t usually share a competition entry to my story on a Saturday or Sunday as the brand may not check their inbox over the weekend! If it’s an entry I’ve spent a lot of time on I will post on my grid and then share it to my story, both with tags to ensure the brand doesn’t miss it.

Other ways to enter Instagram comps include using filters, screenshotting a video at the correct time, sending a DM, interacting in a broadcast channel or replying to a story.

PART 3: How to win Instagram competitions

My number 1 tip for Instagram is to make your entry stand out. Don’t assume brands all use random winner picker tools to choose their winners – these tools cost money, and many brands will simply choose a comment they like as the winner. And although choosing a winner this way isn’t CAP Code compliant, successful compers use this knowledge to their advantage by making their entry stand out or engaging with the brand wisely. Your aim should be to look like you’re a super fan – your profile and comments should appeal to the brand.

1. Smarten up your profile

Brands want to give prizes to humans, not flowers or cats, Use a clear, friendly, and smiley photo of yourself so promoters can see the person behind the entry. If you don’t want to use a photo, create a caricature using an AI chatbot! Add interests like travel, family, or hobbies in your bio. Share non-competition related photos and videos regularly to your grid and stories, so you appear like a genuine Instagram user rather than a comper. Pin three nice photos or videos to the top of your grid that reflect your personality and interests, and archive any ugly photos and old competition entries (tap and hold on a post, then Archive)

2. Be prepared by taking photos of everything

The easiest competitions to win on Instagram are the ‘creative’ ones where you have to upload your own photo, and tag the brand. Most people simply can’t be bothered to enter! Get into the habit of snapping photos of everything – meals, pets, garden, family, sunsets, etc. Then you have them ready to post when a competition pops up! Instagram grid posts are recommended to be in the 4:5 ratio – use Instagram filters and adjustments on your photos to improve them.

3. Enter comps that require effort

Most people don’t like taking photos for competitions – especially selfies! But photo and video comps get much lower entry numbers than straightforward prize draws. Many brands ask you to take photos of their products in supermarkets, or to spot their adverts at tube stations – you have a really good chance of winning this type of competition, and you’ll find plenty shared in the Photo & Video comps category of the Lucky Legends forum! For judged creative competitions, there’s usually a unique hashtag – tap this to see what you’re up against and ensure you do something different to make your entry stand out to the judges. If there’s a choice of uploading a photo or a video (reel) for a judged competition, a video entry will usually win – and most brands love an entry that makes them laugh.

4. Set up a second Instagram account

Many compers have been forced to do this after reaching the 7,500 account follow limit (a limit which may have recently been scrapped!). As well as being a practical solution, a second account is also a savvy way to win more prizes! Ideally, that extra account should be focussed on one of your hobbies, or certain type of prizes. Choose the username, profile photo and bio to suit the type of prizes you want to win – for example travel, beauty, family or home and garden. Then be sure to enter those type of comps using that account. To set up your account go to Settings and Privacy – then Add Account. Switching between account is as easy as tapping your username at the top of the screen – or double tapping your icon in the bottom right corner. The trickiest part is ensuring you don’t accidentally enter the same giveaway from your different accounts. I have assigned my second account – @discohat – to food, beauty and drink giveaways and am slowly transferring over the relevant accounts when I see them in my feed – unfollowing from @superluckydi, and then following from @discohat. I also use @discohat for competitions where I need to share a competition entry involving a photo of a billboard, product or something not particularly inspiring, rather than putting it onto my @superluckydi account (I then ARCHIVE these photos as soon as the winners have been announced or contacted).

5. Make thoughtful and relevant comments

Instead of just dropping a friend tag, leave a comment that shows your appreciation of the brand. Think about what you type and make it relevant to the brand or prize. eg. – I know @friend is renovating her house at the moment so new tiles would be perfect! (this is also a benefit to your tagged friend, as seeing this message in their notifications lets them know what the prize is). Some brands will choose a winner based on their comment, and your aim should be to make them smile. They will appreciate you’ve actually put some thought into your response, and might well favour you as a winner – especially in a giveaway with lower entry numbers. If a friend tags you in a comment on a giveaway, reply to their comment to show engagement – brands like to see that a friend tag has been appreciated, especially if it’s a prize that the two of you would share.

6. Use text replacement shortcuts for quick comments

Setting text replacement phrases in your phone’s settings will help you enter more comps in less time. Set up shortcuts for tagging your friends and you’ll be able to enter comps at lightning speed – don’t overdo it in one session though, as you may get a ban! I use shortcuts starting with i for instagram – for example it3 will expand into a sentence tagging three friends, and it2 will tag two. Watch my video guide showing how to do this here.

7. Engage with brands

Make sure you like and comment on a brand’s non-giveaway posts too. If you use their products, wear their clothes or visit their venue then take a photo and tag them in a story, as they really appreciate this. Brands like to reward dedicated fans, especially those they can see will share a photo of the prize. This is why influencers and bloggers do well with giveaways – they’re constantly engaging with brands and their followers. Try to share photos of your prizes to your story, tagging the brand – they love this and will usually re-share in their own story. Lots of compers never share a photo to say thank you – which is such a shame!

8. Enter on the final day

As Instagram stories are only visible for 24 hours, sharing a giveaway on the closing date means that your message should be at the top of the promoter’s inbox when they choose their winner, so could work in your favour if they’re not conducting a proper random draw from the comments – and many of them don’t! For a creative competition, enter as late as you can, and tap the competition hashtag to see other entries, to make sure yours is unique and stands out. If you enter late, this means there’s less chance of your followers being able to squeeze an entry in at the last minute.

9. Save posts into collections

Save comps into dated Instagram collections, so you can enter on the closing date. Tap the bookmark to save, then choose a collection or create one. Find your saved posts and collections by tapping the three lines at the top of your profile, then Saved. Collections are also great for saving non comping posts too – like recipes or places you want to visit. If you have multiple accounts, add them as collaborators to your saved collections so you can enter the comps from any account. (Read my step-by-step guide on How to save posts on Instagram).

Don’t miss a win!

The biggest frustration compers have with Instagram is that tags don’t always work, so it’s easy to miss out on a winning notification.

Check your inbox and notifications often – AND your message requests. A brand may announce you as a winner on their story, which will only last for 24 hours, so you need to check at least once a day.
Use a distinctive and memorable username so other compers recognise you and can tag you if they see a winning announcement. Numbers and punctuation are best avoided.
Get yourself a good network of tagging friends and look out for each other – check our Compers Connect database to find Instagram friends!
Do regular Google searches for your Instagram name with Congratulations or Winner, using the site:instagram.com trick. See my post on How to search Google for missed competition wins.
Check back for winner announcements – for effort-based or low entry comps where you have a decent chance of winning, set a reminder to pop back a couple of weeks after it closes to see if a winner was announced, and send a polite DM if not: “I was just wondering have you contacted the lucky winner of this giveaway yet please?” (add a link to the post). Check the Lucky Legends forum too, as lots of Instagram winners post on the original chat topic to say they have won!

Instagram Housekeeping & Safety

Comping on Instagram requires a bit of maintenance and a lot of vigilance. Stay safe out there with these extra tips:

Clear out your Following list: Instagram officially only lets you follow 7,500 people, although this may have been lifted. If you hit the limit, you won’t be able to enter any new comps. You’ll need to start unfollowing, set up a second profile – or ideally, do both. Find out how to download a full list of every account you follow in my guide How to mass unfollow on Instagram.
Pace yourself to avoid a ban If you go on a massive liking, commenting, and tagging spree, Instagram’s algorithm might think you are a bot and restrict your account! Space out your entries throughout the day. Read my full guide on How t o avoid an Instagram ban .
Beware of scams: unfortunately scammers love Instagram. Make sure you know how to spot giveaway scams on social media – and never give your card details out!
Watch out for cloned profiles: If you get a message saying you’ve won, check the profile link and username very carefully. – is it the profile you actually entered the competition on? Scammers often clone legitimate brand profiles and will ask you to click a link or provide credit card details. Read more about the Facebook & Instagram profile cloning scam
Know the rules: Frustrated by brands picking winners unfairly, or omitting essential information from the terms & conditions? Read about ASA rulings on unfair Instagram prize draws and politely message a brand if they are not complying with the CAP Code.

Watch my YouTube guide to Instagram tips

I recorded this video a few years ago, so the Instagram app looks different now – but most of the core comping strategies, hacks, and tips I share should still work!

Time to get comping! The secret to Instagram success is being consistent, staying organised, and engaging genuinely with brands you like. Dedicate ten minutes a day to focusing low-entry giveaways and leaving creative comments that make you stand out. Tag active comping friends in comps, stay vigilant for scammers, and most importantly – be lucky!

How to find, enter and win Instagram competitions