Before inviting entries, explain what message qualifies and whether following your account is required. Keep those eligibility conditions separate from the random selection: a verifiable result does not itself prove that an entrant follows you.
How does an Instagram DM giveaway work?
Participants send a direct message that meets your entry instructions, and eligible entrants form the list used for the draw. Clear rules help you resolve incomplete messages, repeated entries and follower requirements consistently.
| Rule to explain | What entrants need to know |
|---|---|
| Entry message | What they should send and which account should receive it |
| Closing point | When entries close, including the time zone |
| Repeated messages | Whether additional messages affect eligibility |
| Following requirement | Which account to follow and when eligibility is assessed |
| Result announcement | Where you will announce the outcome |
For example, a bookshop could invite people to send the word “READ” by DM. Its announcement should explain how repeated messages are treated, rather than leaving entrants to assume that sending more messages improves their chances.
These are rules for your campaign; they do not imply that the tool automatically filters messages or removes duplicate entries.
How should you handle follower checks?
If following your account is an entry condition, define how and when you will check it before opening the giveaway. Do not assume that receiving a DM proves someone follows you or that an Instagram DM giveaway picker automatically verifies follower status.
Use this checklist when preparing your rules:
- Name the account entrants must follow.
- Explain when the following requirement must be met.
- Confirm the available checking method before promising automatic verification.
- State how you will handle eligibility that cannot be confirmed.
For example, “Follow our account and send ‘READ’ by DM” leaves an important question unanswered: when is the following requirement assessed? Resolve that in your announcement, using a checking process you can actually carry out.
With the follow requirement on, we can check, using information from Instagram, whether the sender follows the connected account when each message is collected; if the status cannot be read, the entry is marked “uncertain” and is not drawn. Likes and Story shares are not verified, so avoid presenting them as conditions the tool can check.
What makes the result verifiable?
The participant list is locked, and selection uses a drand randomness reference announced in advance. Anyone can recalculate the result in their browser using the same draw information.
Drand provides publicly verifiable randomness, as described in its official documentation. The product’s verification process lets participants check the selection against the locked list.
| Verification can establish | Verification does not establish |
|---|---|
| Whether recalculation produces the same result | Whether every entrant met a follower requirement |
| Whether selection matches the locked list and specified randomness | Whether likes or Story shares occurred |
For example, someone questioning the selection can recalculate it. A question about an entrant’s follower status still needs a separate eligibility check.
Do you need to share your Instagram password?
The service does not ask for your Instagram password; it uses the platform's own sign-in screen. Follow that sign-in process when connecting your account.
For example, asking entrants to DM a campaign word is an entry instruction. Asking them to send account credentials is unnecessary for participation.
Frequently asked questions
These answers separate entry requirements from result verification. Use them alongside your published campaign rules.
Can I require entrants to follow my account?
You can describe following as an eligibility condition, but first establish a workable checking process. The follow requirement is checked automatically as of the moment each message is collected.
Does the tool verify likes or Story shares?
No. Do not tell entrants that likes or Story shares are automatically checked by this tool.
Can participants verify the winner themselves?
Yes. Anyone can recalculate and verify the result in their browser. This checks the selection result; follower eligibility remains a separate matter.