Read the text below and answer the questions:

One way some companies engage in marketing on Instagram is through contests. A particular kind of contest, called the loop giveaway has become popular.

Basically, it works like this: A company posts a picture. The pictures caption usually announces that there is a prize giveaway and explains how people can participate and any rules involved.

Companies participating in the loop giveaway may each pay a portion of the cost of the prize(s), or each company might select one of its own products or services as a prize. In order to win the prize(s), the Instagrammer has to like the picture and follow the company that posted it. However, the process is just getting started.

The individual then needs to click on the picture and go to the next account that is featured. That account will also post a picture connected to the giveaway. The individual must like that picture and follow that account as well. This process of liking and following continues until the individual finds himself or herself at the start of the loop again. The number of companies participating in the loop can be more than 30.

Some giveaways also require the Instagrammer to tag another person every time he or she follows a new account and likes its contest-related picture. Once the loop giveaway ends, the Instagrammer can unfollow and unlike all the accounts that were part of the contest. However, its very probable that some people wont bother to do this or may actually want to continue following at least some of the new accounts that were part of the giveaway.

Given the potential for people to quickly click through, the loop campaigns may see less return than otherwise expected and the concept is likely to generate Instagram Follow Fatigue, driving people away from future endeavors. The advice here would be to use loop campaigns carefully.

Questions:

What is your opinion of loop giveaways? Do you think they are a good strategy on the part of marketers and companies when it comes to achieving goals like increasing awareness and reaching a new audience?

How successful are they? Do some online research to answer this question.

How real are the followers garnered through these types of contests? Do some online research to answer this question