How to run a giveaway without ruining your audience

A giveaway is a fast way to grow followers and activity. But done wrong, it brings a crowd of freeloaders who unsubscribe after the draw and drop your reach. Let's break down how to run a contest usefully.

Why contests often hurt

• Prize hunters come, not the target audience.
• After the draw — mass unsubscribes; the algorithm sees the drop and cuts reach.
• "Prize hunters" don't buy — the number grew, sales didn't.

How to do it right

• A targeted prize. Give away YOUR product, not an iPhone. Then the people who need it come, not everyone.
• On-topic conditions. Not "tag 5 friends" but actions that attract a relevant audience (share your experience, answer a niche question).
• No giveaway marathons with a dozen sponsors — that's where the most "junk" traffic comes from.
• Warm-up afterward. Right after the draw — useful content and an offer to retain the new ones.

The success metric

Not the follower gain but how many of them stayed and engaged after two weeks, and how many bought. The goal is a target audience, not a number.

When a contest fits

For a warmed-up product, a launch, reviving activity — as an addition to the strategy, not the main growth method.

Takeaway

A good giveaway brings the right people, not freeloaders: your own prize, on-topic conditions, warm-up afterward. Otherwise you're paying with a prize for a drop in reach. We'll help run a contest that strengthens the account rather than draining it.