free Instagram Comment Picker
How to Run a Viral Instagram Giveaway (Without Getting Shadowbanned)
Boost your follower count and pick a winner safely without risking your account.
Running an Instagram giveaway is one of the most powerful ways to skyrocket your brand's reach, gain targeted followers, and build a massive community. But if you do it wrong, Instagram’s algorithm will flag your account as spam, tanking your engagement for months.
Even worse, many creators risk their account security by logging into sketchy "winner picker" apps that ask for their Instagram passwords. Here is your ultimate guide to running a wildly successful, algorithm-friendly giveaway while keeping your account 100% secure.
1. The "Algorithm-Friendly" Entry Rules
The goal of a giveaway is to train Instagram to push your content to the Explore page. To do this, you need high-value engagement. Set these three rules for entry:
- Like and Save this post: "Saves" are the highest form of engagement on Instagram right now. It signals to the algorithm that your content is highly valuable.
- Follow us: The standard rule for growth.
- Comment your favorite [insert topic]: Avoid asking people to tag 10 friends. Instagram often flags mass-tagging as bot behavior. Instead, ask a genuine question to spark real conversations in the comments!
2. Partner Up for a "Loop" Giveaway
If you want to double your reach, partner with a brand or creator in your exact niche. Give away a bundle of both your products, and make one of the entry rules to "Follow both accounts." You instantly cross-pollinate your audiences without spending a dime on ads.
3. How to Safely Pick Your Winner (No Login Required)
When the giveaway ends, you might have hundreds or thousands of comments. Never give a third-party app your Instagram password to pick a winner. Handing over your login credentials is the fastest way to get your account compromised or banned.
Use a Secure, Manual Comment Picker
Keep your account safe by using an external tool that doesn't require API access. Simply copy the comments from your post on your desktop and paste them into our secure picker. It will instantly filter the entries and select a random winner for you!
Pick a Winner Safely 📸4. Announce the Winner in Your Stories
Don't just edit the caption of your post to say "Closed." Take a screenshot of the winner being chosen using our tool and post it to your Instagram Stories. Tag the winner and congratulate them!
This does two things: it proves to your audience that the giveaway was 100% fair and transparent, and it trains your followers to watch your Stories for future announcements.