A loop giveaway is several accounts pooling one prize and asking entrants to follow all of them. Done well, everyone in the loop grows and the prize is bigger than any one host could offer. Done badly, it's a week of group-chat chaos, a winner nobody can agree on, and followers who leave the moment it ends. Here's how to run one that stays organized and ends with a draw everybody in the loop can stand behind.

Key takeaways

Pick one host post for entries. Comments on multiple posts means multiple draws or messy merging; one post means one entrant list, one draw, one proof link.
The rule is "follow every host + comment and tag 2 friends on the host post." Following is verified on the drawn winner (and alternates), not on every entrant.
Agree in writing before you start: prize split, shipping, close time, who DMs the winner, who posts the announcement, and how disputes are settled.
Use a draw with a public proof page so no host has to trust another host's screenshot.
Keep the loop small (4–8 accounts) with overlapping audiences. Twenty random accounts means twenty follow requirements and a lot of unfollows afterward.

Step 1: Choose your loop

The best loops share an audience but not a product. A candle maker, a ceramicist, a tea shop, and a stationery brand make sense together; their followers overlap in taste and none of them competes. Aim for four to eight accounts. Each additional host is another follow entrants must do, and the entry rate drops with each one. Also agree on account types: if one host is private, entrants can't easily follow, and no tool can verify follows to a private account.

Step 2: Write the loop agreement

A shared doc, not a group chat. Include:

Prize contributions: what each host adds, approximate value, and who ships what to the winner (usually each host ships their own item).
Host post: which account's post collects the entries. Everyone else posts the same image and caption pointing to the host post ("enter on @host's post").
Timeline: post time, close date/time with time zone, draw time, announcement time.
Roles: who runs the draw, who DMs the winner, who posts the announcement, who handles alternates.
Rules text: the exact caption and full rules everyone will use. See the rules template.
Disputes: "the proof page is final" is a good clause. It removes the temptation to redraw when one host doesn't like the result.

Step 3: Write the entry rule so it's enforceable

The standard loop rule is:

Follow every account in the loop (@host1, @host2, @host3, @host4). Then comment on THIS post and tag 2 friends. One entry per person. Winner must be following all hosts at the time of the draw.

Why this shape works: the comment on one post creates a single entrant list, "tag 2 friends" is enforceable by a picker (Pickfetti counts only different accounts and pools mentions across a person's comments), and "must be following all hosts" is checked on the drawn winner only. Don't add "like every host's post" or "share to your Story" as conditions; no one can verify those across a loop, and pretending you will just creates arguments.

Step 4: Coordinate the posts

Everyone posts within the same hour so the loop looks unified and the close time is the same for all.
Same image (or a carousel with each host's item), same caption structure, and a clear line saying where to enter.
Turn off comments or add "entries on @host's post only" on the non-host posts, so people don't enter in the wrong place. If they do, be kind but consistent: those comments aren't in the draw, and your rules said so.
Each host shares a Story on day one, mid-run, and before close. Tag the loop.
Add the scam warning: "Only @host will DM the winner. We will never ask for payment."

Step 5: Draw the winner (with proof for every host)

When the close time passes, whoever runs the draw:

Pastes the host post link into Pickfetti. No login is needed and no host has to share credentials with another host, which is a real benefit in loops.
Sets the rules: minimum 2 mentions, one entry per person, date window to the close time, exclude the host account and every loop member (blocklist), ignore replies if the rules said so, and turn on the follow check.
Sets 1 winner plus 2 or 3 alternates.
Draws. The proof page at pickfetti.com/d/{code} shows the winner, alternates, rules, seed, and entrant hash. Post that link in the loop's shared doc so every host can verify independently at /d/{code}/verify.json.

Free for host posts up to 500 comments; loops often go bigger, so a Draw Pass ($4.99, up to 10,000 comments) or Pro covers it. See pricing.

Step 6: Verify follows on the winner only

This is the part loops get wrong most often. Nobody should be checking whether hundreds of entrants follow all eight hosts; it's not feasible and it isn't necessary. You only need to know about the person who won.

Pickfetti's follow verification runs against the drawn winners: if a winner provably doesn't follow the host, they're skipped and listed transparently on the proof page, and the next person in the shuffle moves up. Private accounts are shown as unknown, never as a rejection, because you can't fail someone for something no one can see. For a loop, treat that as the first pass, then have each host quickly confirm the winner follows them (a 30-second check per host). If a host finds the winner doesn't follow, move to the first alternate and say so publicly.

Step 7: Announce as a loop

The host announces first (Story plus pinned comment on the host post) with the proof link. Every other host reposts the announcement to their Story within the hour, tagging the winner and the host. Then the designated host DMs the winner from that one account only. Templates in how to announce a winner.

Step 8: Split and ship

Each host ships their own contribution and confirms in the shared doc when it's out the door. If shipping costs are unequal (one host has a heavy item), settle that up front in the agreement. Ask the winner to tag everyone when the prizes arrive; a single unboxing post that mentions the whole loop is the best possible follow-up.

Sample timeline

When	What
2 weeks before	Loop confirmed, agreement written, prizes committed
1 week before	Image and caption finalized, rules text approved, roles assigned
Day 0	All hosts post within one hour; day-one Stories
Day 3	Mid-run Stories from every host
Day 5 (close)	Last-call Stories; close at stated time; wait a few minutes; draw with proof
Day 5–6	Follow checks on the winner; announcement across the loop; DM from host
Day 8	Alternate if no reply; prizes ship

Common loop problems and fixes

Entries on the wrong post. Say "enter on @host's post only" in every caption; draw only from the host post.
A host wants a redraw. Point to the agreement's "proof page is final" clause and the public verification.
Winner follows seven of eight hosts. Your rule said all hosts. Move to the alternate; that's why you drew alternates.
Mass unfollows after the loop. Normal. Loops with tighter audience overlap and better prize fit keep more followers.
Comment counts don't match Instagram's number. Also normal. Here's why.

FAQ

How many accounts should be in a loop giveaway?

Four to eight. Fewer than four and it's just a collab; more than eight and the follow requirement starts scaring people off.

Should entries be on every host's post?

No. One host post makes one entrant list, one draw, and one proof link. Other hosts point to it.

How do we verify the winner follows everyone?

Verify on the winner only. Pickfetti checks the drawn winners against the host and lists any provable non-follower transparently; each host then confirms in seconds. Private accounts show as unknown and aren't rejected.

Do the hosts have to share Instagram passwords to use a picker?

Not with a public-URL picker. Pickfetti reads public comments from the post link; no login is involved for anyone.

What if the host post has more than 500 comments?

Use a one-time Draw Pass or a Pro subscription; posts up to 500 comments are free.