The first day of spring (northern hemisphere) is around the third week in March every year, ranging from March 19-21. According to National Day Calendar, meteorologists actually mark spring as occurring from March 1 to the last day of May.
For most parts of the world, spring means warmer weather and more outdoor and social activities, as everyone is getting out to enjoy the sunshine and longer days. Because everyone is already hyped up about this season of renewal, it makes sense to offer a spring-themed giveaway, especially on Instagram.
How to Tie Spring to Instagram Giveaways
There are several themes that tie into spring well that you can use as a diving board to think of the best giveaway prizes to offer to your followers. Here are some of our favorites:
Spring Cleaning
Many people like to open their windows, experience the warmer weather, and give their house a thorough cleaning. They might clean items around their house that don’t normally get cleaned regularly, like curtains, light fixtures, and rugs. Real Simple has a list of cleaning chores broken down by day, week, month, and quarter. You can use this list as inspiration for building a giveaway package of supplies and tools to make these chores easier.
Besides inside the home, people also love getting their cars cleaned too. Offer a DIY car detailing kit or a portable vacuum that can help your followers keep their car cleaner and more organized.
Organization Projects
Speaking of organization, the need for order usually goes hand-in-hand with routine cleaning. Many of us have a closet, laundry area, pantry, or mudroom that is in desperate need of a mini cleaning and organization makeover. There are several items that your followers will likely love to receive as a giveaway item, such as:
- Pantry jars and baskets
- Label makers
- Peel and stick wallpaper
- Bins for toys, food, or blankets
- Closet shelving
- Additional clothing storage, like racks or over-the-door hangers
- Jewelry storage
- Professional home organization services
Many times, we will have a project that we know needs to get done, but we put off doing it. Getting the tools or resources we need to complete it is often a motivating-enough step that we finally take the leap to get it done.
Being Active
Nicer weather means that we can finally stop bundling up to go to the gym or be stuck outside for all of our workouts. Spring can be a powerful motivator to try a new workout class or join a beginner’s running group because seasons always mark a change or transition. If you run a healthy living blog or Instagram account, consider offering a spring fitness package that includes items like:
- Workout gear in pastel or neon colors (both still trendy this year)
- Your favorite workout or running shoes
- Water bottle
- Resistance bands
- Yoga mat for outdoor workouts
- Hats to protect hair and face while outside
- No-slip sunglasses for outdoor workouts
- Sunscreen made for sports so it doesn’t run
- Light and useful gym bag to stay organized
- Gift cards to outdoor boot camps, yoga classes, or running groups
Whether your followers are new to exercising or experienced pros, they will all appreciate new items to try during their workout routine.
Gardening
Besides exercising, gardening is another hobby that people take up as the weather begins to turn warmer and there aren’t regular overnight freezes anymore. Many gardeners begin preparing their garden beds to plant veggies and flowers so they sprout during their peak season. This is also a good time for lawn care, such as growing new seed, fertilizing, or preventative weed sprays.
The best gardeners know how crucial a good gardening bag is with all the essentials: gloves, a sun-blocking hat, a kneeling pad, tools for scooping and weeding, and seed packets or seedlings to plant.
If you aren’t sure what to offer to your gardening followers that would match the majority of climates, you could also consider sending an indoor plant or letting them decide what to receive based on their planting schedule and seasonal weather changes.
Spring Break
Spring break happens for most K-12 and college students every year, and if you have a younger audience or an audience that has children in these age ranges, they might love a spring break-themed giveaway package. This could include vouchers for amusement parks, resorts, airfare, or even a staycation gift that can make any spring break memorable.
Because the week of spring break varies depending on location– the East Coast usually has theirs toward the end of March or in April, whereas the Midwest’s is usually the second or third week of March– it’s important to pick a giveaway for your Instagram followers that can be used as whatever time period works best.
For bigger giveaway packages, you might consider pitching to companies to co-sponsor a giveaway for your followers. This will get them more exposure via Instagram and also allow you to give your audience a more valuable gift than if you were paying for it yourself.
A New Wardrobe
Freshening up your wardrobe is something else that comes naturally with spring because we can put away our winter coats and sweaters and get out short-sleeved tops, shorts, and other lighter apparel. This transition is a great time to offer your audience wardrobe staples (like basic tees and skinny jeans) or a gift card to your favorite boutique.
Thrifting and sustainable clothing is also a big trend right now. According to ThredUp’s annual report on the resale industry, secondhand fashion grew 21 times faster than traditional clothing retail in the last three years alone. Instead of new clothing, many followers love to have outfits thrifted for them personally by their favorite influencer or blogger, or love the challenge of putting together an affordable yet fashionable outfit from finds on sites like Poshmark, Thredup, and Swap.com.
Ways to Simplify Your Instagram Giveaways
While it’s always fun to offer a big bundle of prizes for a themed gift, choosing the right selection, as well as the winner, can get a little overwhelming. Here are some tips to help:
- Everyone is happy with gift cards: the winner can choose exactly what they want and it’s easy to mail or send over email
- You can just give away one item: many of the suggestions above were for bundles of items, but Instagram users still love receiving just one thing, like a vacuum or e-cloth set. Only offering one prize at a time might also make it possible to have multiple winners.
- Let the company figure out redemption: if you are partnering with a company for a hosted giveaway, you can ask that they handle the fulfillment side, while you handle the promotion and choosing of the winner. That way, you don’t have to worry about gathering the prize or mailing it to the winner.
- Simplify the rules: some bloggers chose to only allow winners to be in their country to make shipping easier, or they offer a tight turnaround to enter so they can choose someone as quickly as possible. Whatever makes giveaways easier for you, you can set as one of the rules. Just make sure it follows any Instagram guidelines.
Picking a Winner Easily
The most stressful part of the giveaway for many influencers or bloggers is choosing the winner. However, with Woobox’s Winner Picker, it’s easier than ever to choose the winner or winners of your giveaway. You can sign up for a free account now and see if this option works for you.
And if you have any questions, we are always happy to help at support@woobox.com