Everybody loves a free gift, especially when it’s just one click away. It’s no wonder, then, that more than 200,000 new giveaways are posted on different social media platforms every day. And it’s also no wonder that you’re thinking of organizing a YouTube giveaway—after all, giveaways are one of the easiest ways to boost engagement and attract new viewers.
But how do you run a YouTube giveaway that actually helps meet your goals without breaching YouTube’s contest policies and guidelines? By the end of this article, you’ll learn how to do a YouTube giveaway, step by step. You’ll also discover two free winner pickers and 10 YouTube giveaway ideas that you can customize for your channel.
Let’s go.
YouTube Giveaway vs YouTube Contest: What’s the Difference?
Although these phrases are sometimes used interchangeably, they don’t mean the same thing. Running a YouTube giveaway means organizing a promotion where winners are chosen at random. Typically, a giveaway requires minimal effort on the part of the entrants, such as filling a form, submitting their email addresses, etc.
On the other hand, a contest demands that entrants participate based on skill, creativity, or effort—such as submitting videos, answering questions, or completing challenges.
YouTube has the same set of rules and guidelines for giveaways and contests. So, officially, there’s no difference between the two.
YouTube Giveaway Rules
Before running a giveaway on YouTube, you need to understand the rules you’re required to follow. These stipulations are listed on YouTube’s official support page. They’re reproduced below in simpler terms:
| You are fully responsible for your contest, including its rules, administration, and any legal issues. |
| Your YouTube contest or giveaway must follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including U.S. sanctions if relevant. |
| You cannot run giveaways that encourage illegal activities or violate third-party rights (like copyright or trademarks). |
| You cannot force participants to give up ownership of their entries. Creators must keep their rights. |
| Your contest must be free to enter. Charging money could turn it into an illegal lottery. Check your local lottery laws to ensure that any action you take complies with them. |
| You cannot use the giveaway to manipulate metrics on the YouTube service. This means that you can’t require people to like, comment, or share your videos in order to be entered into the giveaway. |
| You cannot associate or affiliate YouTube with your contest without their written permission. Don’t say YouTube sponsors or endorses your contest if they haven’t confirmed their sponsorship or endorsement in writing. |
| Your contest must have official rules that clearly state how it works and what is required to win the giveaway prize. |
| Your official rules must include a link to the YouTube Community Guidelines, and disqualify any entries that break them. |
| Your contest must fully comply with YouTube’s Terms of Service. Don’t make rules that conflict with them. |
| You must follow through with awarding prizes exactly as promised in your official rules. |
| You are solely responsible for running your giveaway, including choosing winners and handling disputes. |
| Your official rules must clearly state that YouTube is not responsible for your contest. |
| Your contest must include a legally compliant privacy notice, explaining how you’ll use any personal data you collect. Follow your own privacy policy. |
10 CREATIVE YouTube Giveaway Ideas
Not everyone can easily come up with creative giveaway ideas. That’s why this list of 10 giveaway ideas is designed to be refined based on your channel size, niche, and budget.
Idea 1: The winner chooses any item from their online wishlist (within budget), and you buy it for them.
Why should you consider it?
- This gives the illusion of a “custom” prize, making it feel exclusive and personal.
- The winner gets exactly what they want.
Idea 2: The winner chooses between three pre-selected prizes, adding suspense and choice.
Why should you consider it?
- Prevents disinterest because they get something they actually want.
- Boosts engagement as viewers debate which prize is best.
Idea 3: The winner chooses a friend, and both receive the same prize.
Why should you consider it?
- People tag friends to increase their chances.
- Winners feel rewarded for sharing.
Idea 4: The winner gets a 1-year subscription to a premium service (Netflix, Spotify, ChatGPT Plus, Skillshare, etc.).
Why should you consider it?
- Highly valuable & universally useful.
- No shipping required.
Idea 5: The winner receives a curated mystery box filled with high-quality, niche-relevant items.
Why should you consider it?
- People love surprises, but only if they’re valuable.
- Great for unboxing content & suspense.
Idea 6: The winner chooses between a guaranteed prize or a mystery prize that could be better… or worse.
Why should you consider it?
- Gamifies the giveaway, making it more interactive.
- Creates suspense: Viewers debate what they would do.
Idea 7: When you reach a subscriber milestone, you give away a new prize.
Why should you consider it?
- Keeps audiences engaged over time.
- Feels progressive & rewarding.
Idea 8: The winner gets a personalized package of merch, private access, and a special thank-you.
Why should you consider it?
- Perfect for superfans—makes them feel valued.
- Strong community-building giveaway.
Idea 9: Winner is chosen live on stream, but they must be present to claim it.
Why should you consider it?
- Boosts real-time engagement.
- Drives more live viewers.
Idea 10: Instead of giving away a product, you buy something from a random subscriber’s store, artwork, or service and showcase it.
Why should you consider it?
- Directly supports your audience instead of just giving them a prize.
- Encourages entrepreneurs, artists, and small business owners in your community.
- Creates engaging content when you review or unbox the item.
This table will guide you on how to customize any of ideas based on your niche, channel size, and budget without sacrificing engagement or practicality.
| Small Channel (Under 10K Subs) | Growing Channel (10K – 100K Subs) | Large Channel (100K+ Subs) | |
| Prize Size | Digital gifts (subscriptions, gift cards, templates, shoutouts). | Mid-range prizes ($50-$200 tech, accessories, niche products). | High-value prizes ($250-$500+ items, exclusive experiences). |
| Niche Adaptation | Offer tools/services related to your niche (e.g., AI tools for tech, makeup kits for beauty). | Provide physical products relevant to your niche. | Use premium, sponsored products or VIP experiences. |
| Budget Handling | Cap at $50 max or offer free, high-value digital perks. | Balance cash-funded and sponsored prizes ($100-$250 range). | Use brand collaborations to fund big-ticket giveaways. |
50 Realistic Giveaway Ideas for 8 Popular Niches (With Price Tags)
Customizing the ideas above can feel like a lot, especially if all you want to do is run a simple giveaway. We totally understand. That’s why we pulled together a bunch of gift ideas across 8 popular niches, along with rough price estimates at the time of writing. Make sure you verify prices before locking anything into your plan. And if your niche isn’t listed below, something from the earlier list of creative giveaway ideas will definitely spark inspiration.
1. Tech Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Wireless earbuds or headphones: Always a good move—people use them daily and love upgrades.
- 💰 Sony WF-1000XM5: Around $300 (premium pick)
- 💰 Beats Studio Buds: Around $100
- 💰 Budget-friendly (like Earfun Air): About $50
- Smart home gadget (speaker, lighting kit, etc.): Let your audience start building their smart home setup.
- 💰 Amazon Echo (4th Gen): About $100
- 💰 Philips Hue Starter Kit: $150–$200 depending on bundle
- Streaming subscription (Netflix, Spotify, etc.): Perfect if your content overlaps with lifestyle, entertainment, or tech reviews.
- 💰 Netflix Standard Plan (12 months): ~$186
- 💰 Spotify Premium: ~$120/year
- Gaming accessories (keyboard, mouse, headset): Especially good if you’ve got crossover with the gaming community.
- 💰 Mechanical keyboards: $80–$200
- 💰 Gaming mice: $30–$150
- 💰 Headsets: $60–$150
- Software or digital product voucher: Give your audience something they can choose—apps, games, subscriptions.
- 💰 Steam, Apple, or Google Play gift cards: $25–$100
- 💰 Sponsor a month of Adobe Creative Cloud: $22.99
- Tech essentials bundle (charger, case, power bank): Easy to pull together, useful for anyone with a phone or tablet.
- 💰 Full bundle: $40–$80 depending on what you include
- Online tech course or workshop: For an audience interested in productivity, design, coding, or AI.
- 💰 Udemy or Coursera courses: $15–$200
- 💰 Skillshare membership (1–3 months): ~$30–$100
2. Fashion Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Gift card to an online fashion store: Let people pick what they actually like. Whether it’s ASOS, Zara, or something niche, a fashion voucher gives them freedom to shop their style.
- 💰 A $100 digital gift card is okay. Many stores let you start from $50 and scale up.
- Designer accessories (watch, sunglasses, bag): Everyone wants that “one thing” that feels a little luxe. Accessories are a low-stress way to go premium.
- 💰 Mid-tier watches from Fossil or MVMT: $150–$250
- 💰 Sunglasses from Ray-Ban or Prada: $150–$400
- 💰 Handbags? Coach starts at $300. High-end brands like YSL can go $1,000+
- Wardrobe styling session: You can gift a virtual consultation with a stylist who helps the winner plan outfits or build a smarter closet.
- 💰 Zoom sessions start around $100, going up to $300 depending on who you book
- Sustainable fashion bundle: Perfect if your brand leans eco-conscious. Bundle up ethically made or slow-fashion pieces.
- 💰 Organic cotton basics from brands like Pact: $30–$40
- 💰 A full curated outfit: $120–$200
- Premium footwear: Sneakers or dress shoes from Nike, Adidas, Clarks are always a safe and stylish choice.
- 💰 Most pairs fall between $100 and $300
- Fashion rental subscription: Let your winner try Rent the Runway or Nuuly for a month or two.
- 💰 Subscriptions go for $80–$120/month
- Personalized fashion item (custom sneakers, engraved jewelry): Add a unique twist with nameplate necklaces or artist-designed kicks.
- 💰 Custom necklaces: $50–$100
- 💰 Custom sneakers: $150–$500
3. Beauty Niche Giveaway Ideas
- A full skincare routine kit: A full bundle with toner, serum, moisturizer, mask—no one hates that.
- 💰 6- to 7-piece sets from K-beauty or drugstore brands go for $30–$80
- Premium makeup palette: These are easy to ship and always fun to win.
- 💰 Urban Decay: $35–$60
- 💰 e.l.f. and ColourPop: under $10 if you’re budgeting
- Spa or facial voucher: A classic self-care prize. You can offer a facial, massage, or full spa day.
- 💰 Most spa services fall between $75–$150
- Beauty subscription box (3 to 6 months): A monthly surprise feels like the gift that keeps on giving.
- 💰 3-month Ipsy plan: $75
- 💰 6-month BoxyCharm: $140
- Limited-edition collab products: Influencer collabs sell out fast, which makes them great giveaway material.
- 💰 Eyeshadow kits or lip bundles: $30–$60
- Beauty tools (brushes, rollers, etc.): Brush sets and jade rollers are always trending.
- 💰 Brush sets (like Real Techniques): $25–$80
- 💰 Face rollers or gua sha stones: $10–$30
- Virtual beauty masterclass: Either host your own or sponsor access to one.
- 💰 Small creators may charge $50–$100
- 💰 Some may even offer free ones for brand exposure
4. Sports Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Tickets to a live game: Few things get fans more excited than game tickets.
- 💰 NBA Finals: $1,500+
- 💰 Regular season: $150–$400
- 💰 NCAA Final Four: $450–$1,000+
- Official merch or jerseys: Let them rep their team in style.
- 💰 NBA/NFL jerseys: $100–$150
- 💰 College team replicas: $80–$130
- Signed gear (ball, glove, cap): Next-level flex if you can get something autographed.
- 💰 Autographed items: $200–$1,000+, depending on the athlete
- Fitness tech (trackers, earbuds): Perfect if your content leans into health and performance.
- 💰 Fitbit/Garmin: $100–$200
- 💰 Apple AirPods Pro or Bose: $150–$250
- Annual sports streaming subscription: ESPN+ or DAZN access is a chill, functional gift.
- 💰 ESPN+: $100/year
- 💰 DAZN: $150/year (varies by region)
- Coaching session or training plan: Great if your audience includes athletes or gym-goers.
- 💰 Virtual coaching: $75–$200 depending on experience
- Gift card to a sportswear brand: Nike, Adidas, Under Armour are always solid options.
- 💰 Go with $50–$200 depending on your budget
5. Gaming Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Gaming console or accessories: You could go all out with a full console, or stick with premium add-ons like headsets or controllers.
- 💰 PS5 or Xbox Series X: Around $450–$500
- 💰 Nintendo Switch (OLED): Around $349
- 💰 Official controllers or headsets: $50–$150
- Gift cards for game platforms (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox): Let them pick the games or DLCs they actually want.
- 💰 Gift cards usually come in $10, $25, $50, and $100 denominations
- Ergonomic gaming gear: Think comfy gaming chairs, desk accessories, or even RGB setups.
- 💰 Premium chairs: $150–$500
- 💰 Accessories like monitor arms, keyboard trays: $20–$100
- Merch from popular games: T-shirts, figurines, or collectibles from trending titles.
- 💰 Apparel: $20–$60
- 💰 Collectibles: $30–$150 (depends on rarity/size)
- Exclusive in-game items: Limited edition skins, character bundles, or in-game currency.
- 💰 Anywhere from $5–$50 depending on the item or bundle
6. Food & Cooking Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Kitchen gadgets (air fryer, blender, etc.): Go for practical tools people will actually use.
- 💰 Air fryers: $100
- 💰 High-end blender (e.g., Vitamix): $600
- 💰 Mid-range options (Ninja, NutriBullet): $80–$150
- Snack box or global food subscription: Perfect for foodies who love discovering new flavors.
- 💰 Subscription boxes (like Universal Yums): $40–$60/month
- 💰 3-month sub makes for a great $120–$150 prize
- Food delivery or restaurant gift card: Great for lifestyle/food vloggers with a wide audience.
- 💰 Uber Eats, DoorDash, or restaurant vouchers: $50–$100
- Custom cookbook or cooking class: Make it personal or educational.
- 💰 Personalized cookbooks: $30–$80
- 💰 Live or virtual classes: $50–$150
- Professional cookware (knife set, pans): Premium tools feel like luxury without needing to be overly expensive.
- 💰 Knife sets: $100–$200
- 💰 Pan sets: $80–$200
7. Vlog/Lifestyle Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Customized vlogging gear (tripod, mic, ring light): Great for beginner creators or those upgrading from their phone stack setup.
- 💰 A complete vlogging kit (like Digipower Follow Me): around $55
- 💰 Premium gear setup (Rode mic, UBeesize tripod, Neewer ring light): $100–$150
- Subscription to editing software: Help them level up their content with pro tools.
- 💰 Adobe Premiere Pro: $22.99/month
- 💰 CapCut Pro or Canva Pro: $10–$15/month
- Personalized shoutout or video message: A direct shoutout from you or a partnered influencer can mean the world.
- 💰 Cameo videos: $50–$500 depending on creator
- 💰 Your own shoutout? Just time and love
- Channel-branded merch (hoodie, mug, stickers): Feels personal, strengthens community, and works for small or big audiences.
- 💰 Custom hoodies: $25–$50
- 💰 Mugs, stickers: $10–$20
- Course voucher (editing, branding, or self-development): For vloggers who are trying to level up on and off the camera.
- 💰 Udemy or Skillshare: $15–$200 depending on depth
- 💰 One-month Skillshare trial: ~$30
- Gift card to a lifestyle brand (fashion, wellness, books): Let them pick: a wellness box, a fashion splurge, or that book they keep skipping.
- 💰 $50–$100 to places like Urban Outfitters, Book Depository, or Sephora
8. Travel Niche Giveaway Ideas
- Airline or travel vouchers: Cover part of the trip and let the winner decide the rest.
- 💰 Airline gift cards (Delta, Southwest): Start at $50, sweet spot is $200–$500
- 💰 Flexible travel vouchers: Depends on site, but most let you customize value
- Premium travel gear (carry-on, pillow, cubes): The perfect companion for someone planning their next trip.
- 💰 Carry-on from Away/Samsonite: $150–$300
- 💰 Travel pillows: $25–$50
- 💰 Packing cubes: $30–$60
- Airbnb or hotel stay voucher: Give them an excuse to escape. Just a night or weekend away can be huge.
- 💰 Airbnb gift cards: $50–$200+
- 💰 Hotels.com or chain-specific vouchers work too
- Travel app subscription (navigation, language tools, etc.): Make their next trip smoother, more fun, or more organized.
- 💰 TripIt Pro, Hopper, Duolingo Super: $50–$100/year
- Action camera (GoPro or similar): For adventure lovers, vloggers, or anyone documenting memories.
- 💰 GoPro HERO12: Around $399
- 💰 Budget cams (Akaso, DJI): $100–$150
- Travel accessories bundle: Great as a budget-friendly gift. Passport holders, adapters, organizers—bundle it up.
- 💰 Curated kit: $30–$70 depending on what’s inside and where you shop
5 Examples of Giveaways by Famous YouTubers
The smartest YouTubers use giveaways as engagement machines, turning viral videos into marketing opportunities. Hare 5 great examples of giveaways from top creators that nailed the balance between entertainment, authenticity, and strategy.
1. @xQc – Gaming Livestream Giveaway
Famous Twitch streamer and YouTuber xQc hosted a giveaway during a livestream, asking viewers directly what they wanted. He gifted things on the spot—no entry forms, no rules—just instant giving based on live interaction. The prizes were huge: a custom gaming PC, $10K toward a car, a watch for someone’s mom, and even help with mortgage payments. All rewards were fulfilled after the stream.
Takeaway ➡ An unscripted, viewer-driven giveaway like this works well when there’s a strong community and a huge audience watching in real time. It also creates viral moments that fans love to clip and share.
2. @momlifewithlaura x @bubbleskincare – Product Bundle Giveaway (Beauty Niche)
Creator @momlifewithlaura partnered with @bubbleskincare to give away $400 worth of skincare products—a total of 26 items from the Bubble vault. The giveaway ran for 5 days, posted on March 13, 2025, with the winner announced on the 18th.
To enter, viewers had to:
- Subscribe to both @momlifewithlaura and @bubbleskincare
- Like the Short
- Share it with a few friends
- Comment why they felt they deserved to win
Takeaway ➡ In the winner announcement, the creator mentioned that she personally read the entries, named the winner, and asked them to email her to claim the prize. This added a personal touch and helped reassure viewers that the giveaway was genuine.
3. @chef x Blue Stripes – Gold Chocolate Bar Giveaway (Food Niche)
YouTube chef and creator @chef (Nick DiGiovanni) partnered with Blue Stripes to promote the world’s largest chocolate bar and launch a massive giveaway. The grand prize included a custom gold chocolate bar worth $10,000, a lifetime supply of chocolate, and a signed collectible piece made of silver 950, plated in 18k yellow gold, and engraved with Nick’s signature.
The giveaway ran from December 10, 2024 to February 28, 2025, with the total prize value estimated at $22,974 USD.
Ways to enter included:
- Submitting your phone number on the official contest site and opting in for SMS marketing
- Uploading a receipt from an eligible product purchase
- Free mail-in entry
Takeaway ➡ As a brand-backed, high-value sweepstakes, it taps into product hype, creator credibility, and multi-channel exposure—all while requiring minimal effort to enter.
4. @MrBeast – 1,000 Samsung Phones Giveaway (Tech Niche)
@MrBeast, known for his over-the-top generosity, launched a giveaway of 1,000 Samsung phones, with a single, simple entry requirement: subscribe to his YouTube channel. In the very Short where he announced the giveaway, he immediately picked a viewer and ordered a phone to be shipped directly to them on the spot—setting the tone for the rest of the giveaway.
Takeaway ➡ ️ This kind of high-volume, low-barrier giveaway is classic MrBeast—attention-grabbing, easy to enter, and instantly rewarding. It also shows how powerful giveaways can be when combined with real-time action and creator trust.
5. @JeffNippard – $100,000 Physique Transformation Challenge (Fitness Niche)
Fitness creator @JeffNippard launched a Short titled “Transform Your Physique, Win $100,000,” inviting viewers to join a 100-day transformation challenge. The grand prize? $50,000 for the best overall transformation. An additional 100 participants would each receive $500, bringing the total prize pool to $100,000.
Entries were accepted from January 1 to January 10, 2025, and the winner will be selected 100 days after the entry period closes.
To enter, participants had to:
- Download MacroFactor, Jeff’s nutrition app
- Visit macrofactorapp.com
- Fill out the entry form
Takeaway ➡ Goal-oriented, app-integrated giveaways such as this tap into community motivation, build product engagement, and drive long-term participation beyond a single click.
How to Run a YouTube Giveaway
YouTube’s strict contest rules can make giveaways feel overwhelming for creators. But following them isn’t as hard as it seems. In this section, we’ll break down the steps to help you run a giveaway without the stress.
Step 1: Define Your Giveaway Goals
What do you want your YouTube giveaway to achieve? A good giveaway goal must be:
- Specific: Clearly defines what you want to achieve (e.g., “increase watch time by 20%,” not just “get more views”).
- Audience-focused: Benefits your viewers, not just your channel (e.g., “reward loyal fans” instead of “just gain subscribers”).
- Measurable: You can track progress (e.g., “500 giveaway entries” or “increase engagement by 30%”).
- Realistic: Fits your budget, audience size, and resources (e.g., a small channel shouldn’t aim for 100K new subs from one giveaway).
- Aligned with your content: The goal should complement your niche and long-term strategy (e.g., a tech channel giving away gadgets, not random cash).
- Sustainable: Achieving the goal should help grow your channel in a way you can maintain, instead of attracting one-time giveaway hunters.
Need a template? Complete this sentence to define your giveaway goal in seconds:
I WANT TO GIVE AWAY (prize) TO (who: e.g., my loyal subscribers, new viewers, random participants, etc.) THROUGH (entry method: e.g., a challenge, a lucky draw, a hidden clue, etc.) SO THAT (benefit for audience: e.g., they feel appreciated, they have fun, they learn something, etc.) WHILE (benefit for your channel: e.g., increasing watch time, boosting engagement, growing my community, etc.).
See this example for a direct clue on how to customize the template:
I WANT TO GIVE AWAY a 3-month Netflix subscription TO my active subscribers THROUGH a trivia quiz based on my last three videos SO THAT they enjoy participating WHILE helping me increase watch time and retention.
Step 2: Choose a Prize
The most important factor to consider when picking a prize is your budget. Once you’ve set your budget, everything else falls into place—whether the prize will be physical or digital, which countries can enter, and how the prize will be delivered. You could even ask your YouTube viewers for prize ideas after finalizing your budget.
Step 3: Choose the Giveaway Format
How will people join your giveaway?
Will they fill out a form or enter a code hidden in your video? Will they leave comments, subscribe to your channel, share the video, or tag their friends on YouTube?
Below, we’ll cover two main giveaway formats: comment-based and non-comment-based.
I. Comment-based Giveaways
Many creators have run (and continue to run) comment-based giveaways for one simple reason: they’re easy to set up and cost nothing to organize. Most YouTube users also prefer typing a quick comment over clicking a link and filling out a form.
And YouTube hasn’t penalized creators for asking viewers to comment as part of a giveaway. Several big and small creators do it regularly without facing consequences.
If you’re willing to risk bending YouTube’s rules and want viewers to enter by commenting, you’ll need a comment picker. One of the best is TubePilot’s AI random comment picker. To use it:
- Paste the link to your giveaway video or Short into the “Enter YouTube Video URL” field.
- Click “Pick Random Comment.”
If you want to narrow it down to comments that include a specific keyword, enter that keyword in the “Filter by Keyword (Optional)” field.
II. Non-comment-based Giveaways
These are giveaways where viewers are asked to do something other than leave a comment. For example:
- Fill out a form
- Subscribe to your channel
- Share your video
- Tag friends
If you choose to collect entries via a form, you’ll need to create and publish one. To minimize stress, consider using a giveaway builder such as:
a. Shortstack
Shortstack provides over 150 giveaway templates, which you can customize with different widgets like rich text, countdowns, a custom code widget, a tracking widget, and buttons. You can also write and upload your own official rules. These features make Shortstack suitable for robust giveaway campaigns where you need full control over customization.
If you’re running a small giveaway and expect no more than 20 entries, you can use Shortstack for free. To accept more, you’ll need to upgrade to one of their premium plans. When you sign in to Shortstack and verify your email address, make sure to watch the demo video before playing around with the giveaway editor, because Shortstack isn’t as intuitive as some of the other tools on this list.
One major plus? Shortstack lets you request one free feedback session on your giveaway format from a campaign expert. This way, you’re not just walking into it blindly.
b. Gleam
Gleam offers many templates that can be customized within minutes to create a giveaway for specific platforms. However, the YouTube giveaway template is fully accessible only to premium Gleam users.
You may copy the free features to create your own version, but you won’t be able to do the things that actually make the process stress-free—like allowing entries from specific locations, adding more than three prizes, hiding the number of entries, customizing the entry form with an image, or modifying the terms and conditions.
Gleam’s monthly plans start at $59, while yearly plans start at $120.
c. EasyPromos
EasyPromos is indeed easy to use. It lets you add multiple pages to your giveaway template and customize the fields and text on each one. But there’s one tiny issue—you have to subscribe to at least the Basic plan ($29/month or $290/year) to activate or publish your giveaway form. In other words, you can’t run a giveaway with EasyPromos for free.
➡ If a paid giveaway builder isn’t in your budget and you don’t like the free ones, don’t worry. There are alternatives. You can explore free online form builders like Google Forms, Typeform, SurveyMonkey, or Jotform.
Step 4: Set Clear Rules
Per YouTube’s policies, you must properly spell out the rules and regulations that must be followed by those who enter the giveaway. These rules must be communicated to participants in the giveaway. You can choose to explain the rules in a YouTube video or only disclose them to those that opt to enter your giveaway.
Like we said before, your official rules must include a link to YouTube’s Community Guidelines and conform to other stipulations in YouTube’s contest rules.
Furthermore, you may not:
- Use a giveaway as a pretext to collect money from people.
- Require anyone to make any purchase from you in order to be eligible to win prizes.
You may:
- Encourage giveaway participants to promote your giveaway as long as you don’t make it a rule.
- Specify when the giveaway will start and end.
Step 5: Promote Your Giveaway the Smart Way
Now that the giveaway is live, get as many entries as possible without breaking YouTube’s spam policies.
- Mention the giveaway naturally in a YouTube video.
- Use YouTube Shorts to tease the prize.
- Post about it on your Community tab.
- Share it on Instagram, Twitter, Discord, and other platforms.
- Engage with comments to increase visibility.
Step 6: Select and Announce the Winner Fairly
Choosing a winner must be transparent and fair.
- If using a random draw, let the entrants know.
- If choosing based on skill, show why the winner was selected.
- Announce the winner via a video, pinned comment, or email.
- Give the winner 48 to 72 hours to respond before selecting another.
Step 7: Deliver the Prize and Get Proof
For physical prizes, contact the winner as soon as possible and confirm shipping details. Keep tracking information and proof of shipment. For digital prizes, send the code or subscription link immediately. You may also encourage the winner to send a reaction video or post to create more engagement.
Step 8: Analyze Your Giveaway Results
After the giveaway, evaluate what worked and what didn’t.
- Did it increase engagement and subscribers?
- Did the format encourage real participation or just freebie hunters?
- Should you adjust the prize, format, or entry requirements next time?
Taking time to understand the results will help you discover the giveaway type that works best for your channel.
YouTube Giveaway Winner Pickers
How do you decide who takes home the prize from tens, hundreds, or even thousands of participants that filled your giveaway form? That’s where YouTube giveaway winner pickers come in. These tools let you randomly select one or multiple winners from those who completed the required giveaway actions.
If you’re using a platform with built-in winner selection features, you won’t need a separate picker.
After a rigorous search and testing process, we shortlisted two standout pickers. They’re so good, they might just inspire you to create a giveaway on YouTube.
a. AppSorteos
AppSorteos offers a random name winner. It works just the way it sounds: you input a list of names and the tool generates winners. Here’s how to use it:
- Go to the random name picker.
- Enter the giveaway title.
- Add participants: Paste the list of participants into the “Entrants” field or import a .txt or .csv file. However, AppSorteos may not read all lines from an imported file, especially if the list has over 25 names. To ensure no names are missed, copy and paste the list manually instead.
- Click “Start.”
- Set your winner selection preferences:
- Choose the number of winners.
- Choose the number of substitutes.
- Enable “Exclude Duplicates” to prevent duplicate names from being included.
- Click “Confirm.”
- Click “Start” again. AppSorteos will count down from 10 to 0, then display the results.
- Save and share the results. Click “Save and Share” to generate a certificate or short animation. You can also copy the certificate link and share it with your audience to prove the draw was fair.
b. Randraw
Randraw is a random drawing tool that lets you spin a wheel, get instant results, or schedule a winner reveal for later. Instead of showing the winner immediately, you can set the result to be locked and revealed after one day or seven days, adding suspense to your giveaway.
If you create a Randraw account, you’ll unlock the options to delay the reveal by one or eight hours.
To pick the winners of your giveaway:
- Go to Randraw.
- Paste the names of entrants in the “Add participants” field.
- Select the number of winners you want.
- Choose “No animation, instant results” if you don’t want to watch Randraw spinning the wheel. Select “Spin the wheel animation” if you’d like to watch the wheel spinning before the winner is chosen.
- Once the winner is selected, you can share the results for transparency. Click “Share the Animation” to generate a visual result, or choose to reveal the winner gradually over one day or seven days. If you want to keep a record, export the results as a TXT or CSV file. Sharing the link with your audience allows them to verify the draw was fair.
10 Best Tips to Help Your Giveaway Go Viral
Organizing a giveaway that barely gets any entries or never makes it beyond your immediate circle feels awful—and honestly, it makes all your effort pointless. To avoid those two outcomes, hold these tips close.
- Start with a prize that feels exciting, specific, and relevant to your audience. It should spark curiosity or desire on sight.
- Keep the entry steps dead simple. The fewer actions required, the more people will actually do them.
- Tell people to share. Whether it’s tagging friends, reposting, or forwarding, sharing is how you grow your reach for free.
- Set a deadline and make it known. A tight, clear timeframe creates urgency and makes people act faster.
- Use clean, bold visuals and a caption that hooks in the first second. You only get one shot at attention. Don’t waste it.
- Collaborate with a creator or brand that serves a similar audience. It gives your giveaway built-in reach and trust.
- Make sure everything, from the entry process to the confirmation, is mobile-friendly. Most people won’t enter if it’s clunky on their phone.
- Use strong, relevant hashtags and promote the giveaway across multiple platforms—not just one.
- Engage during the campaign. Respond to comments, shout out participants, and post reminders. The more energy you give it, the more it stays alive.
- When it’s over, look at the data. Check what worked and what flopped, and use it to make your next giveaway better.
Hosting a Giveaway on YouTube: Do You Have What It Takes?
Running a giveaway can help you increase engagement, attract new viewers, and grow your YouTube channel, but only if you do it right. Pick a giveaway type that fits your audience and follows YouTube’s contest rules. Giveaways can help bring in more interaction, but if you’re not careful, you’ll just attract people who enter and never come back even after the giveaway ends.
The easiest way to get real participation is to keep it simple. Choose a prize your audience actually wants, set clear rules, and share the giveaway everywhere. If you’re running it across platforms, using a WordPress giveaway plugin can make managing entries easier.
After the giveaway is over, YouTube video analytics can help you see if it actually worked. Check for spikes in engagement, retention, and comments. The right type of giveaway isn’t supposed to just boost your numbers. It’ll help grow your YouTube channel in a way that actually lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to do a YouTube subscriber giveaway?
A subscriber giveaway sounds like it should be exclusive to your YouTube subscribers, but the official contest policies prohibit requiring people to subscribe to enter. This means you can’t technically run a true “subscriber giveaway.” However, you can still encourage engagement in other ways, like watching a video or answering a question.
Choose a fair way to pick the winner, announce them publicly, and ensure they receive their prize.
How old do you have to be to enter a YouTube giveaway?
The minimum age depends on YouTube’s rules and local laws. YouTube requires users to be at least 13 years old, but some giveaways may require you to be 18 or older. Always check the official rules to be sure.
Is the YouTube giveaway real?
Some giveaways are legitimate, but scams exist too. A real giveaway will have clear rules, a fair winner selection, and an official announcement from the creator. Be wary of giveaways that ask for personal information upfront or payments to enter or claim your prize.
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