My Giveaway Secrets

Many have asked me HOW I win so many Instagram/online giveaways. I know even more are sick of this topic and sick of me winning, but I want to tell you what I do. It's silly and fun, and I've won anything from a T-shirt to a TV midcentury furniture piece. I started entering giveaways just this year, and I've won about 25. Read if you want!

1. Create a separate Instagram account, but don't make it giveaway-centric. Contests can tell if you're a "giveaway account." I have @jenuinelife, a watercolor and interior design Instagram I created last year. That's the main account I use for giveaways, though sometimes I'll use my personal account if the giveaway is great.

2. Know the different giveaway styles. There's a loop giveaway, a tag giveaway, a "like" only giveaway, a "share this post" giveaway (I rarely do these), and a "Tag, you're it" giveaway. Most accounts use the "tag a friend! Each tagged friend=extra entries so get tagging!"

3. Find a small giveaway. If the post already has 3,000 comments, walk away. You're not going to win that $500 gift card that 20,000 other people want. You can tag if you'd like, but I stay away from super big giveaways. Once you find the one you like, you're ready to type.

4. TAG. A lot. I've lost followers from my tags, and I totally get it; it's annoying. BUT it's also fun. Some friends like when I tag them, because they can enter the giveaway and get updated on new prizes. You can't just tag 10 friends and be done. On average, I'll tag between 40 to 200 unique people on the post.

An Ulta curling iron I've won 

5. Come back the next day and tag. The contest will last for a few days, so I'll come back in my free time and tag tag tag. If the "@" sign doesn't bring up any names, I go to my Instagram profile page, click "Followers" and "Following," and go back to the post. That means Instagram has loaded your followers and those you follow into your "@" sign algorithm (or something).

6. Don't be the last person to tag. I've never won a giveaway where my tag is the last one on the list. I'm learning a SECRET to giveaways: if you tag way too many people and dominate the post, you may not win. Some accounts like to award the "underdog" or a random girl who only tagged 5 friends. Not all choose randomly, so if you have 400 tags on a post, the account may find it annoying and they won't choose you.

7. When you're bored, look up the hashtag #giveaway and weed out the foreign ones to find one you'll like. That's how I found and won a giveaway for $100 to Macy's! It takes a while, and my work-at-home job really helps, so don't get sucked into this world. It's too fun.

So, if I tag you, I'm sorry! I'm sort of addicted. Here's a list of some things I've won. Good luck and feel free to tag me anytime!

1. A set of two gold mugs
2. A set of copper mugs
3. Gift card to Chalkfulloflove (mug/calligraphy store, I got 2 mugs and an art print)
4. Walker Edison Furniture midcentury furniture stand
5. Ulta curling iron
6. Shabby Apple $200 and Miranda Frye Jewelry $200 gift cards
7. Shop Stevie gift cards (probably totaling $250 by now)
8. Canvas art print
9. "Gather" wooden sign
10. Jane giveaway bag (I had to find a woman in a Target to claim the bag!)
11. LipSense (3 separate giveaways)
12. A big Fall Giveaway that included 10+ shops, a blowout/deep condition, 2 photoshoots, 3 gift cards, a ShopStevie item, candle, beanies, and more
13. Naturoco baby store $20 gift card
14. A T-shirt from a random company haha
15. Stadium of Fire tickets for Journey in 2015 (took my mom!)
16. $100 gift card to Macy's