Advents/instagram

Debtfree2024

Is it just me or are many of the advents instagram ones this year? I’ve been comping for 4 years and I’m sure when I first started many of them were on their own websites. I’ve had a full go through the advents board and can only find a handful on websites which are ones I’d want to enter, I do do instagram ones but I’m worried about a ban and plus they get so many entries! 

Also when a post says to tag someone but it doesn’t specifically state that you can only tag one person or that you can tag more to get more entries, do people tag more than one or just leave it at one? 

AC55

In a way its probably a sign of the times.

Comps are a form of advertising and a good amount of people are on social media now. So traffic generated via social media is probably going to be larger than if you just sat a comp on your website for example. Tagging is likely to generate momentum in bringing people to your brand.

My advice - As a rule of thumb with tagging unless it explicitly says multiple entries are allowed, only enter once. People may decide to tag loads of people but they could be disqualifying their entries as a result. 

To try and avoid getting banned - put a limit on how many people you're tagging in one post (4 works well for me). Rotate the people you're tagging so it's not always the same people. Also try and do other things on instagram such as like posts, direct message (if possible), reply to stories and comment on posts (not tagging) are some examples 😊 this looks like you're using Instagram for more reasons than just tagging people over and over. 

Hope this helps 

JamboDP

AC55 said:

In a way its probably a sign of the times.

Comps are a form of advertising and a good amount of people are on social media now. So traffic generated via social media is probably going to be larger than if you just sat a comp on your website for example. Tagging is likely to generate momentum in bringing people to your brand.

My advice - As a rule of thumb with tagging unless it explicitly says multiple entries are allowed, only enter once. People may decide to tag loads of people but they could be disqualifying their entries as a result. 

To try and avoid getting banned - put a limit on how many people you're tagging in one post (4 works well for me). Rotate the people you're tagging so it's not always the same people. Also try and do other things on instagram such as like posts, direct message (if possible), reply to stories and comment on posts (not tagging) are some examples 😊 this looks like you're using Instagram for more reasons than just tagging people over and over. 

Hope this helps 

That is exactly why I do not bother with IG takes too much time and end up getting banned.

Debtfree2024

I’ve been banned 😞 created another account but entered about 5 comps on that one but was banned as well? Do I need to attach a new account to a different email address? 

Quod

I was loving the Instagram comps as I was banned on Facebook last year for liking too many posts. I’ve just been banned on Instagram so can’t tag, very annoying only tag one person but I can’t tag anyone now. Is there anything I can do to become unbanned or do I just have to wait ? Thx

Ms_Dee

Quod said:

I was loving the Instagram comps as I was banned on Facebook last year for liking too many posts. I’ve just been banned on Instagram so can’t tag, very annoying only tag one person but I can’t tag anyone now. Is there anything I can do to become unbanned or do I just have to wait ? Thx

@Quod Sadly you have to wait it out. It is best when you add a comment to add a unique emoji (one you haven't used on that post) with the tag so you don't get caught for spamming and count about 10 seconds in between commenting. 

tghe-retford

The vast majority of Advents require an Instagram account. It's not good for those who are banned or refuse to use social media but the competition organisers have realised that they can give far more attention and engagement with smaller value prizes via social media than the traditional website model.

It's the same thing with the TV and radio competitions. They're realising that they can get people to pay for entries and tweak their competitions enough to exempt themselves from a free entry route or at the very least, make the free entry route the postal route which is getting as expensive as the rest of the entry routes.

Social media and pay to play are the new models for comping. The traditional free web entry model is disappearing.

Lucky1983

I’ve got a IG ban, no idea how long it is, it’s been 4 days so far. I can post, DM etc but can’t comment. It’s frustrating when companies are asking for multiple tags. 

luijo

There's no rhyme or reason for the bans. Everyone I know is being cautious, (even non comping friends)  No over tagging, being engaging with a comment. No over use of emojis and still they get a ban. I got one again this morning and I post regularly to my grid, and space out all my entries. (it was my first tag of the day) I honestly don't feel like anything works. Good luck to everyone navigating this awful IG algorithm x

JamboDP

If all compers closed there account they might do something about it.

mjm3346

tghe-retford said:

The vast majority of Advents require an Instagram account. It's not good for those who are banned or refuse to use social media but the competition organisers have realised that they can give far more attention and engagement with smaller value prizes via social media than the traditional website model.

It's the same thing with the TV and radio competitions. They're realising that they can get people to pay for entries and tweak their competitions enough to exempt themselves from a free entry route or at the very least, make the free entry route the postal route which is getting as expensive as the rest of the entry routes.

Social media and pay to play are the new models for comping. The traditional free web entry model is disappearing.

The big players cannot and have not exempted themselves from the rules, the "free" entry route is about no added cost to use that route just the standard cost to use the service, be that post, phone call, web etc. Post is often used as it is compliant with the rules if set up correctly and is not very popular with users - with some competitions it is cheaper to pay to enter than use a 2nd class stamp multiple times - the FB and other pay to play sites in theory offer a free entry route often postal but I wouldn't trust them as far as I can spit into the wind.
Post was originally acceptable (by law) as it was a universally available service  - from several years ago 
"where any doubts exist as to whether the web entry arrangements in any particular case fully satisfy the Act’s requirements, other routes, for example by post that has been specifically sanctioned by Parliament, should be offered in addition."

I think it is long overdue for the rules to be changed and web to be considered the officially sanctioned standard "free" route so that would be bye, bye to Omaze and the pay to play lot and a reversion to web for ITV etc.