- How Long Should a Contest Run?<\/a>
- 1. Running a Giveaway for 1 Week<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Running a Contest for 2 Weeks<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Running a Contest for 1 Month<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Running a Contest for Several Months<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What Time Should You Run a Giveaway?<\/a>
- Giveaway Times: Week Days vs. Weekends<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- FAQs About Giveaway Timing<\/a><\/li>
- How to Run a Giveaway for Any Duration<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n
How Long Should a Contest Run?<\/h2>
\nThe length of your giveaway largely depends on your goals. If your goal is to get a quick boost in social media engagement, your contest won\u2019t need to last long. But if you\u2019re after a steady stream of qualified leads<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to give users time to find and enter your giveaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also takes trial and error to find the contest duration that offers the results you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even so, you\u2019ll find that most businesses choose 1 of these 4 popular giveaway run times:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Up to 1 week<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2 weeks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 30 days<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Several months<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Each of these giveaway durations has pros and cons. Let\u2019s look closer at each option so you know which one is the best starting point for your contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Best Giveaway Duration:<\/strong> Most contests perform best when they run for 2 weeks. This length gives your campaign time to build awareness and engagement without losing urgency.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
1. Running a Giveaway for 1 Week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summary:<\/strong> A 1-week giveaway creates urgency and drives fast action, but you\u2019ll need strong daily promotion to get enough entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"7-day](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7-day-giveaway-example.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRunning a giveaway for 1 week or less is a smart choice for encouraging your audience to act quickly. Since there\u2019s so little time to enter your contest, your audience has to act right away before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shorter, flash giveaways like this evoke a sense of urgency, especially if they\u2019re paired with a desirable prize. They instill the fear of missing out<\/a>, which can significantly increase entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet, to ensure this type of contest has the most impact, you\u2019ll have to ramp up your promotion efforts. If you don\u2019t promote your giveaway<\/a> on a daily basis, not enough people will see your campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your giveaway needs to go viral<\/a> for it to show up in as many news feeds as possible. That\u2019s because the more people see your contest, the more likely they are to enter and meet your business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But this is pretty difficult to achieve in only 7 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Running a Contest for 2 Weeks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summary:<\/strong> A 2-week contest is the best all-around duration for most businesses. It balances exposure, engagement, and conversion without losing steam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"14](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/14-day-giveaway-example.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRunning a giveaway for 2 weeks (14 days) is generally the best giveaway running time. It gives you plenty of time to secure entries, and it isn\u2019t so long that users will forget about you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having your giveaway last for 2 weeks is actually the most popular choice for many businesses. It offers the optimum amount of time to reach your ideal audience while keeping your giveaway relevant and timely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When running this type of giveaway, generate tons of hype at the beginning to get an instant burst of entries. Then keep a steady stream of promotion throughout to keep up the momentum. Right before the end of your contest, create a last-minute promotional frenzy to secure a final boost in entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only downside to a shorter contest like this is that it might not be long enough to raise as much awareness as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Running a Contest for 1 Month<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summary:<\/strong> A 1-month giveaway gives you time to build awareness and fix mistakes, especially if you tie it to a seasonal event or theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Monthly](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/monthly-giveaway-example.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRunning your contest for a 1-month duration gives you enough time to launch it with the right momentum. You can also fix any mistakes that come up and get the word out to your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 1-month giveaway is also the perfect opportunity to fit your contest into a theme or seasonal event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, you could run a\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Christmas in July contest<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- February Frenzy<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- March Madness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You could even run a post-holiday season giveaway to beat the January blues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Themed contests like this work because they give you the chance to promote your contest without it feeling forced. Plus, it means your giveaway is relevant for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, having your giveaway last this long could see it become idle and lose engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can combat that by coming up with creative ways to promote your contest that generates a lot of interaction, such as running polls, highlighting contest entries, and offering extra incentives like ways to earn more entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RafflePress, the best WordPress giveaway plugin<\/a>, has everything you need to incentivize your giveaway. The 1-click bonus actions let users earn extra ways to enter your contest that simultaneously boost your contest awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Click](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/choose-raffle-entry-methods.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPlus, running a contest with RafflePress doesn’t require any technical experience. The drag-and-drop giveaway widget handles everything for you without needing to code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Running a Contest for Several Months<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summary:<\/strong> Multi-month giveaways can bring in more entries over time, but risk losing urgency and engagement without ongoing promotion or paid ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Quarterly](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/quarterly-giveaway-example.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHaving your giveaway last for several months has many of the benefits as the other run times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll have loads of time to plan and organize your contest, iron out mistakes, and pick up a steady stream of entries. What\u2019s more, if you keep your promotional efforts creative and enticing, it can result in many more customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, a time frame longer than a month isn\u2019t as effective as shorter giveaways. You\u2019ll lose the sense of urgency, which can cause participants to put off engaging and entering. And if they put it off long enough, they\u2019ll lose interest in your contest altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, you\u2019d have to spend money and effort on paid promotions to win back that engagement, which likely won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how long should your giveaway last?<\/strong><\/div>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/best-giveaway-run-time-rp-min.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhile each giveaway contest requires a unique approach, a giveaway duration of up to 2 weeks is the best solution. 14 days offer the ideal balance between giving your campaign time to grow without losing engagement and interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s more, research shows you\u2019ll get the best quality entrants in the first and last 3 days of your giveaway, with engagement dropping during the middle. Therefore, a 2-week giveaway gives you the best gap between both peaks in engagement.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What Time Should You Run a Giveaway?<\/h2>
\nDeciding how long your giveaway should last is only 1 part of creating an online contest<\/a>. You also need to find out the best time to launch your giveaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since your audience is hit with tons of promotions all day long, you\u2019ll need to time your contest for when they\u2019re most active and engaged. Otherwise, your message is lost in the news feed.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Here are our top tips for discovering when to run your giveaway:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Check your calendar<\/strong> – Avoid running your campaign during important dates like Christmas weekend and the Super Bowl. Your audience\u2019s attention will be elsewhere, so your contest may not get much traction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Make contests a habit<\/strong> – If you run regular giveaways, your audience will come to expect them, creating a habit they\u2019ll look forward to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check your statistics<\/strong> – Dive into your social media and website statistics to learn when your audience is most active. You can then use that data to launch your campaign at the perfect time for them to see it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Giveaway Times: Week Days vs. Weekends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Best](\"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/best-giveaway-launch-time-rp-min.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBesides checking your statistics and analytics, the majority of users have pretty predictable surfing habits. These habits can vary from weekdays to weekends and from hour to hour. Generally speaking, here\u2019s what to look out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Weekdays<\/strong> – For maximum entries, launch your giveaway between 9-10 AM or 8 PM to midnight. Most people start the day by surfing the web and unwind similarly before bed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Weekends<\/strong> – You can expect the highest number of entries between 8 PM and midnight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
As with any contest timings, you should consider your audience\u2019s time zone to get the best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FAQs About Giveaway Timing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How long should a giveaway last to get the most entries?<\/span><\/div>The best giveaway length is typically 2 weeks. It gives your contest enough time to build momentum while keeping urgency high.<\/div><\/div><\/div>Do longer giveaways perform better?<\/span><\/div>Not always. Longer contests can lose engagement after the first few days. You’ll need to run promotions or offer bonus entries to keep people interested.<\/div><\/div><\/div>Can I run a giveaway for just a few days?<\/span><\/div>Yes, but you\u2019ll need to promote it heavily. Short giveaways work best with a strong prize, an engaged audience, and daily reminders.<\/div><\/div><\/div>What\u2019s the best day to start a giveaway?<\/span><\/div>Weekdays tend to perform best\u2014especially Mondays and Tuesdays. Aim to launch around 9\u201310 AM or 8 PM\u201312 AM when people are online and more likely to engage.<\/div><\/div><\/div>Does the time zone matter when running a giveaway?<\/span><\/div>Yes. Always schedule your giveaway based on your audience\u2019s time zone. This ensures your start and end times match when they\u2019re most active.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nHow to Run a Giveaway for Any Duration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With RafflePress, you can set your giveaway duration with just a few clicks.<\/strong> Choose your start and end dates, automate entries, and keep users engaged with viral sharing tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drag-and-drop builder makes it easy to create a professional giveaway. Plus, bonus actions help you get more subscribers, followers, and traffic while the contest runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Click here to launch your giveaway with RafflePress now<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope this article helped you learn how long a giveaway should last. With the right giveaway timings, you can attract tons of entries to your contest, resulting in more leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To find out how to create a viral giveaway to get more social media followers<\/a>, follow this easy tutorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And don\u2019t forget to follow us on YouTube<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Facebook<\/a> for more great tips to grow your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Want to know how long should a giveaway last? Today we’ll share the best giveaway durations and launch times to boost your contest entries and leads.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8673,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"limit_modified_date":"1","last_modified_date":"2025-07-18T07:33:46","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[2028,2027,2026],"class_list":["post-2768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-giveaway-launch-time","tag-giveaway-length","tag-how-long-should-a-giveaway-last"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2768"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15818,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2768\/revisions\/15818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rafflepress.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Weekends<\/strong> – You can expect the highest number of entries between 8 PM and midnight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Make contests a habit<\/strong> – If you run regular giveaways, your audience will come to expect them, creating a habit they\u2019ll look forward to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check your calendar<\/strong> – Avoid running your campaign during important dates like Christmas weekend and the Super Bowl. Your audience\u2019s attention will be elsewhere, so your contest may not get much traction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- FAQs About Giveaway Timing<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Running a Contest for 2 Weeks<\/a><\/li>
- 1. Running a Giveaway for 1 Week<\/a><\/li>