Instagram can be so much fun, right?
Even just scrolling your feed, playing with filters, or creating animated images can keep you entertained for a long time.
But what if you’d want to take things to a whole new level? What if you’d like to have fun and engage your audience at the same time?
Well, then, you need to either join or, even better, create Instagram Games.
So, let’s look at everything you need to know about Instagram games and how to use them for your brand.
Key Takeaways: Best Instagram Games
- Challenges: Fuel engagement by initiating fun, viral challenges.
- Mention Others: Enhance reach through games that encourage tagging.
- Pick a Song: Leverage music for interactive, themed sharing.
- Fill in the Gap: Engage with creative, thought-provoking templates.
- Play a Quiz: Utilize quizzes for interactive, informative engagement.
What are Instagram Games?
Instagram Games have become very popular lately as a fun way to beat social isolation and lockdowns. They are a cool way to virtually come together with your friends and have a good time.
But no, Instagram games aren’t actual games the company has created for your pleasure.
Think of them more like challenges that you can ask your friends or followers to complete.
For example, if you’ve used Instagram recently, then you must have come across at least one challenge that involves tagging five of your friends or sharing similar photos with your network.
@Run.For.Heroes were encouraging their supporters to run 5km, nominate five people, and donate £5. This is a fantastic idea to boost your engagement for a good cause.
That’s an Instagram game. It requires no additional software or any skills to run but an idea you can execute on the social platform.
As a matter of fact, Instagram even released a Challenges sticker on Stories to make it easier to create your challenge.
How to Create an Instagram Challenge
If you’re ready to create your first Challenge, here are the steps you need to follow.
- Open Instagram Stories
- Pick a photo that you want to share
- Choose the sticker icon from the top right of your screen
- Select the Challenges sticker
- Pick the hashtag and a challenge that you want to use
- Nominate your friends
Just like that, you’ve just created a new challenge.
But Instagram Games can help with more than just keeping you and your friends entertained. You can also use them to engage your brand’s audience.
Here’s how.
How to Use Instagram Games for Your Brand
First, let’s talk about how Games could help boost your Instagram marketing strategy.
And, as a matter of fact, there are three main benefits you can gain from creating them:
Boost Brand Awareness
Instagram Games can help get more people to notice your content.
For example, if you start by tagging your partners, they will continue the game and promote it to their followers. These people, in turn, will soon discover your content and your brand.
As with friends, tagging is a quick way to spread the word and make sharing effortless.
When it comes to your brand, it’s also smart to boost your brand affinity in a very playful manner.
Increase Engagement
The most obvious reason to create Instagram Games for your brand is to increase the audience’s engagement. Instagram Games make it even easier to engage with your followers and get them to interact with your brand.
Promote Your Product
Finally, with Games, you can boost engagement and brand affinity while also promoting the product at the same time.
For example, you can create Instagram Games that involve your brand and your products. Or you can ask for your followers to share fun photos with a specific product.
5 Instagram Games You Can Launch for Your Brand
Below, you’ll find several different ideas to help you explore new creative tactics for your Instagram strategy.
#1. Challenges
Challenges are very popular on Instagram and can be used both for the Feed and the Stories.
One example of a Challenge is asking the audience to share a different song every day. It’s a fun way to share your music tastes with your friends while sharing new Instagram posts every day.
Another example is a running challenge that takes place when you do a 5k run. In the challenge, you tag three of your friends to take upon the challenge, and you are waiting for them to complete it and nominate three more friends.
You can combine both the posts on your Feed and your Stories to boost your reach and engagement.
#2 Mention Others
All Instagram Games are only successful because you involve others in them. The easiest way to keep them going across your friends is to start a challenge or a game by mentioning a few of your friends.
Many Instagram Games ask you to nominate one, three, or five of your friends who have to follow the instructions and then nominate more of their friends.
It may seem easy, but you also want to make sure that the challenge is exciting and relevant for as many people as possible.
TIP: Don’t add too many tasks and instructions, as this would make the concept harder to understand.
#3. Pick a Song
Song challenges have been trending for a while on Instagram. Ever since the music sticker’s launch, it’s easier than ever to share your favorite songs in some sort of sequence.
For example, there are many templates for 30-day song challenges that ask you to share a different song every day.
If you join the challenge, you are expected to post a different song every day based on your mood, memories, etc.
#4. Fill in the Gap
Many successful Instagram Games involve incomplete phrases and sentences. You can post a Story template for an Instagram Game and ask for your friends and followers to re-share it by completing the phrase.
For example, you can ask your audience to share their mood, thoughts, favorite vacation spots, or even help you with your latest brand campaign.
Asking your followers to share their answers as emojis is also a smart way to make your Story effortlessly engaging. Ensure that any sort of answer in your Instagram Game does not require too much thought or effort.
#5. Play a Quiz
Quizzes can be straightforward yet engaging on Instagram. We’ve seen lots of Stories featuring games over the last few months that involve quizzes.
You must have seen a template about some sort of quarantine bingo.
There is a template with different activities or emotions, and you are asked to re-share it, marking the ones you relate with.
These ideas can make a good addition to your brand’s strategy to boost your engagement while your followers just love them.
Benefits of Instagram Games for Brands
Instagram games have emerged as a dynamic tool for brands to amplify visibility and foster deeper customer engagement. These interactive games not only serve as a platform for entertainment but also act as a catalyst for brand-consumer interaction.
By incorporating games into their social media strategy, brands can enhance their digital presence and create a more relatable and approachable image.
Real-world examples underscore the effectiveness of these games.
For instance, a fashion brand might launch a ‘Style This’ challenge, inviting followers to mix and match products creatively. Such initiatives not only showcase the versatility of the products but also encourage user-generated content, providing the brand with authentic promotional material.
Similarly, a fitness brand could initiate a ’30-Day Challenge,’ creating a community around health and wellness, while subtly promoting its products and services.
The key to success lies in the game’s relevance to both the brand and its audience, ensuring a natural fit that resonates with the followers’ interests and lifestyles. This strategic alignment between the game’s theme and the brand’s identity is crucial in capturing and sustaining user interest, leading to increased brand loyalty and customer retention.
How to Successfully Launch an Instagram Game or Challenge
Creating and launching an Instagram game or challenge requires thoughtful planning and strategic execution.
To ensure high participation and viral potential, consider the following tips:
- Understand Your Audience: Tailor your game to the interests and behaviors of your followers. This ensures greater relevance and engagement.
- Simplicity is Key: Design games that are easy to understand and participate in. Complex rules or requirements can deter participation.
- Leverage Trends: Utilize current trends and hashtags to increase visibility. Aligning with popular themes can boost your game’s reach.
- Promote Interaction: Encourage followers to tag friends, share responses, or repost content. This not only engages your current audience but also exposes your brand to a wider audience.
- Offer Incentives: Prizes or recognition can be powerful motivators. Highlighting participants’ submissions on your profile or offering small rewards can increase participation.
- Utilize Instagram Features: Make use of Instagram’s tools like Stories, Polls, and Quizzes to create interactive and engaging challenges.
- Cross-Promote on Other Channels: Share your game on other social media platforms and your website to reach a broader audience.
- Measure and Adapt: Track the performance of your game and be ready to tweak it based on the response. Use insights to understand what works and refine future games accordingly.
By following these strategies, brands can create engaging and shareable content that not only entertains but also builds a stronger connection with their audience.
Instagram Games present an innovative avenue for brands to engage with their audience in a fun and interactive way.
By strategically designing and implementing these games, brands can significantly boost their online presence, enhance customer engagement, and foster a sense of community among their followers. In the ever-evolving landscape of social media marketing, Instagram games stand out as a creative and effective tool for brand promotion and audience connection.
Key Takeaway
All Instagram Games are both interactive and straightforward. There is an excellent opportunity for your brand to stand out while boosting the interaction with your followers.
If you’re ready to design your own Instagram Games, here are three tips to keep in mind.
Be engaging
Instagram Games should be engaging. It’s not enough to focus on the visuals if your content is not encouraging your followers to join the challenge.
Keep it simple
It’s very important to ask for simple actions in your Instagram Games. Asking for too many things can confuse your followers.
Aim for a straightforward design that will not paralyze your followers with too many options.
Be fun
Last but not least, always keep it fun. They are called Instagram Games for a reason. You want to create content that your followers will want to use on their own.
Good luck!