How to Create Weekly Instagram Challenges for Followers: Boost Engagement with New Instagram Challenges Sticker

Creating weekly Instagram challenges is a powerful way to boost engagement, build a sense of community among your followers, and help your Instagram account stand out. By leveraging tools like the new Instagram challenges sticker, branded hashtags, and daily prompts, you can encourage your audience to participate actively. Whether you’re planning a photo challenge, a fitness challenge, or a creative makeup challenge, weekly challenges provide your followers with a fun and interactive experience. The key to success is aligning each challenge theme with the interests of your target audience and making it easy for your Instagram followers to join and share.

In this article, we’ll explore step-by-step methods to create an Instagram challenge, tips for using the new stickers, and strategies for building momentum through Instagram story challenges. Additionally, we’ll provide 11 Instagram story ideas to inspire your next challenge and ensure your audience stays engaged. Read on to discover how to host an Instagram challenge that’s fun, impactful, and helps you grow your brand presence.

How to Create Weekly Instagram Challenges for Your Followers

Creating weekly Instagram challenges is an excellent way to keep your audience engaged and grow your Instagram account. Whether it’s encouraging followers to share their experiences through a photo challenge or hosting a themed challenge with a branded hashtag, the key is to make your challenges interactive and easy to join. Let’s explore two essential strategies to make your challenges stand out.

Using the New Instagram Challenges Sticker

The new Instagram challenges sticker is a powerful tool to enhance participation in your weekly challenges. This feature allows users to display the challenge name directly on their Instagram stories, making it easy for others to see and join in. To use it effectively, follow these tips:

1. Create a Catchy Challenge Name: Choose a name that’s short, unique, and easy to remember. This will make it stand out and increase the chances of others joining in. Use phrases that describe the activity, such as #DailyFitnessChallenge or #CreativeArtChallenge.
2. Incorporate the Sticker in Your Stories: Use the sticker in your own Instagram stories to announce the challenge and encourage your followers to join. Demonstrate how to use it by sharing examples of your own posts, and guide your audience on how to apply the sticker to their stories.
3. Encourage Followers to Tag Friends: Ask participants to tag their friends and fellow Instagrammers in their stories. This will help spread the word about your challenge and attract more participants. Use call-to-action phrases like “Tag a friend who should join this challenge!”

By using the new IG challenges sticker, you create a visual cue that enhances visibility and engagement for your challenges.

Find Challenges to Participate In and Engage Followers

If you’re not ready to host your own challenge, consider finding challenges to participate in that align with your brand. Participating in existing challenges can be a great way to boost visibility and connect with like-minded users.

1. Search for Popular Challenges: Look for trending challenges by exploring hashtags and stories that match your niche. For example, fitness brands can participate in challenges like #PushupChallenge, while photographers can join creative challenges like #365PhotoProject.
2. Engage with Your Audience: Share your challenge participation in your Instagram stories and invite your followers to join in with you. This not only helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level but also shows that you’re part of the larger Instagram community.
3. Use the Right Hashtags: Using Instagram hashtags related to the challenge will increase your content’s discoverability. This is especially effective for finding and connecting with new followers who share similar interests.

By actively participating in or creating challenges, you foster a sense of community and inspire your audience to take action, whether they’re joining your challenges or engaging with your content.

I decided to host a 30-Day Fitness Challenge on Instagram to motivate my followers and share workout routines. Each day, I posted a new exercise along with a short Instagram story demonstrating the proper form. To my surprise, many of my followers started tagging me in their own posts, showing their progress. By the end of the challenge, not only did I notice a boost in engagement, but I also gained over 300 new followers who were excited to keep up with similar challenges.

Tips to Host an Instagram Challenge Successfully

Hosting an Instagram challenge can be an exciting way to engage your followers and grow your online presence, but it requires planning and strategy to ensure success. From defining your challenge objectives to promoting it effectively, every step plays a crucial role. Here are some key tips to help you host a successful Instagram challenge that stands out:

Create an Instagram Challenge That Resonates with Your Audience

To run a successful challenge, start by identifying what your audience is passionate about. Consider your niche and the type of content your followers enjoy interacting with. For example:

• Fitness brands can create a weekly fitness challenge featuring daily workout routines.
• Photography accounts can host a photo challenge encouraging followers to share their best shots based on daily themes like “Nature,” “Abstract,” or “Night Photography.”

Once you have a clear idea of your challenge’s theme, outline the rules and goals. Make sure it’s easy for your audience to participate by providing specific guidelines, such as using a branded hashtag or tagging your Instagram account in their posts.

Use the New Instagram Challenges Sticker to Boost Engagement

One of the best ways to boost participation is by using the new challenges sticker. This sticker makes it easy for followers to share your challenge and encourage others to join. Here’s how to incorporate it effectively:

1. Feature the Sticker in Your Announcement Post: Include the sticker in your Instagram stories and feed posts when announcing the challenge. Explain its usage and show examples to guide your followers.
2. Highlight Participants in Your Stories: Regularly feature participants who use the sticker in your Instagram stories. This helps create a sense of community and recognition, motivating others to join in.
3. Use Instagram Captions That Prompt Engagement: Write engaging captions that invite followers to share their experiences and tag friends. Phrases like “Who’s joining the challenge?” or “Tag a friend who needs to see this!” can significantly increase your challenge’s visibility.

By creating a challenge that resonates with your audience and leveraging Instagram’s latest features, you can ensure your challenges are both fun and successful.

11 Instagram Story Ideas for Creating Challenges

If you want your Instagram challenges to capture attention and increase engagement, your Instagram stories need to be both visually appealing and relevant to your audience. Here are some creative Instagram story ideas that will help your challenges stand out and get your followers excited to participate.

Incorporate Trending Challenges to Participate In

One of the easiest ways to draw attention to your stories is by incorporating trending challenges that are already popular. By leveraging current trends, you can attract more Instagram users and inspire your followers to take part. Here are a few ideas on how to include trending challenges in your weekly themes:

1. Hashtag Challenges: Use well-known hashtag challenges like #ThrowbackThursday or #MondayMotivation to kickstart your own story series. Pair these with a relevant challenge hashtag that your followers can use to get featured.
2. Fitness Challenges: Participate in or adapt fitness challenges like the #30DayFitnessChallenge or the #PushupChallenge to fit your niche. Share your own progress in Instagram stories and encourage your audience to do the same.
3. Viral Challenges from TikTok and Reels: Stay on top of trending challenges from platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Share snippets of the trend in your stories and ask your followers to recreate it using your branded hashtag.
4. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Style Trends: Find challenges that have become a movement or community activity, like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Promote participation through your stories, creating a sense of purpose and engagement around the theme.
5. Current Pop Culture Challenges: Use trending pop culture references in your stories. Whether it’s a challenge based on a new movie release or a popular song, this approach is sure to attract more participants.

By aligning your stories with these trending themes, you create a strong foundation for engaging challenges that people are already excited to participate in.

When I launched a photo challenge called #ColorSplash2023, I encouraged my followers to share their best color-themed photos using the hashtag. The response was overwhelming. Over the span of three weeks, I featured more than 50 user submissions in my stories, which helped build a stronger sense of community and connection. Highlighting my followers’ creativity not only increased my engagement but also inspired others to join, which extended the challenge’s reach beyond my initial audience.

Challenge Ideas That Work for Different Niches

Creating challenges that appeal to your target audience is key to keeping your followers engaged. Whether your niche is fitness, photography, beauty, or wellness, tailoring your challenges to fit specific interests will help build a loyal community. Here are some niche-specific challenge ideas to inspire you:

1. Photography Niche: Create a photo challenge using daily prompts like “Capture the Sunrise” or “Black and White Photography.” Use a unique hashtag like #PhotoOfTheDayChallenge to build a community of photographers.
2. Fitness and Wellness Niche: Weekly fitness challenges like “7 Days of Self-Care” or “15-Minute Workout Challenge” are perfect for fitness enthusiasts. Add interactive polls and quizzes in your stories to keep your audience engaged.
3. Beauty and Makeup Niche: Host a makeup challenge with themes like “Bold Lip Look” or “Eye Makeup Trends.” Share tutorials in your stories and use the Instagram challenges sticker to encourage participation.
4. Travel Niche: Create a “Virtual Travel Challenge” where participants share their favorite travel memories or destinations. Use stickers like the Instagram location sticker to feature different destinations in your stories.
5. Food and Recipe Niche: Use “Recipe of the Week” or “Healthy Cooking Challenge” themes to inspire your foodie followers. Share recipe templates in your stories that participants can fill in and share.
6. Art and DIY Niche: Host a “30-Day Art Challenge” with daily prompts like “Draw Your Favorite Animal” or “Create a Landscape Scene.” Use the new Instagram challenges sticker to make it easy for participants to share their creations.
7. Lifestyle and Personal Development Niche: Create challenges around personal growth, such as a “30-Day Gratitude Challenge” or a “Daily Mindfulness Prompt.” Share inspirational quotes and ask followers to share their reflections through stories.
8. Business and Branding Niche: Run a “Brand Storytelling Challenge” where followers share a part of their business journey each day. Use hashtags like #MyBusinessJourney or #EntrepreneurChallenge to connect with fellow business owners.
9. Pet and Animal Niche: For animal lovers, create a “Pet Photo Challenge” with themes like “Pet of the Day” or “Funny Pet Moments.” Share participants’ posts in your stories and create a sense of community around the challenge.
10. Health and Wellness Niche: Host a “Daily Hydration Challenge” or “Steps Challenge” to encourage healthy habits. Use stickers like the progress bar to track followers’ participation.
11. Book and Reading Niche: Create a “Book Club Challenge” where participants share their current reads and recommendations. Use story quizzes to test your followers’ knowledge on popular books or authors.

By using these niche-specific challenge ideas, you can create Instagram story challenges that are perfectly tailored to your audience’s interests, making your challenges more relevant and engaging.

Mention’s Instagram Engagement Report analyzed 37 million Instagram posts and found that hashtag use and consistent engagement strategies significantly impacted post visibility and engagement​ (Mention). Brands that used dedicated hashtags and leveraged user-generated content saw a noticeable boost in reach and interaction.

Understanding the Instagram Algorithm for Challenges

When creating Instagram challenges, understanding how the Instagram algorithm works is essential for maximizing visibility and engagement. The algorithm determines which content appears on users’ feeds and which posts are prioritized in Instagram Stories, making it a critical factor in the success of your Instagram challenges.

understanding how the Instagram algorithm works

How the Instagram Algorithm Supports Challenge Visibility

The Instagram algorithm is designed to prioritize content that generates interaction and engagement. It uses a combination of factors such as likes, comments, shares, and time spent on a post to rank content. To ensure that your challenge receives more visibility:

1. Encourage Early Engagement: The faster your posts receive interactions, the more likely they are to appear at the top of followers’ feeds. Kickstart your challenge by getting participants to comment or share your challenge announcement.
2. Leverage Instagram Story Features: Use stickers like the poll, question, and new Instagram challenges sticker to increase interaction on your stories. The more engagement your story receives, the more likely it is to be highlighted at the top of followers’ story feeds.
3. Incorporate User-Generated Content: The algorithm also favors content that promotes a sense of community. Sharing user-generated content from participants in your stories or feed can increase engagement and encourage others to participate.
4. Post Consistently During the Challenge: Maintaining a consistent posting schedule throughout the challenge is important for the algorithm to recognize your activity. Use a combination of Instagram feed posts, reels, and stories to keep your followers engaged and boost your challenge’s reach.

By understanding these algorithm factors, you can optimize your content to get more eyes on your challenges and encourage higher participation.

Strategies to Increase the Success of Your Instagram Challenges

Maximizing the impact of your challenges goes beyond just understanding the algorithm. Implement these strategies to increase the success of your Instagram challenges:

1. Promote Your Challenge Before It Starts: Create anticipation by promoting your challenge a few days before it begins. Use countdown stickers, sneak peeks, and teasers in your stories to build excitement.
2. Use a Branded Hashtag: Create a unique challenge hashtag that participants can use throughout the challenge. This helps track entries and builds a community around your challenge. Encourage your followers to include it in every post or story they share.
3. Ask Participants to Tag Friends: Expanding your challenge’s reach is easier when participants invite others to join. Include calls-to-action like “Tag a friend to join this challenge” or “Share this post with someone who needs to try this” to increase visibility.
4. Host a Giveaway: Make your challenge more exciting by adding an incentive. Offer a small prize to participants who complete the challenge or create the best content. Use Instagram captions to clearly outline the giveaway rules and eligibility.
5. Analyze Your Instagram Insights: After the challenge ends, review your Instagram insights to see which content performed best. Look at metrics like reach, impressions, and engagement to determine what resonated with your audience and what you can improve for future challenges.

By using these strategies, you can create successful challenges that not only engage your current followers but also attract new followers and boost your overall engagement.

Best Practices to Use Instagram Challenges for Growth

Running effective Instagram challenges can significantly boost your brand awareness and help grow your follower base. However, to make the most out of these challenges, you need to ensure they are engaging, relevant, and well-organized. Follow these best practices to leverage challenges for your Instagram growth.

How to Create Consistent Weekly Challenges

Consistency is key when it comes to hosting successful Instagram challenges. By running weekly or monthly challenges, you create a routine that your followers can look forward to. Here’s how to establish a consistent challenge strategy:

1. Set a Recurring Theme: Choose a theme that can be easily repeated each week, such as “Monday Motivation,” “Wellness Wednesday,” or “Fitness Friday.” Consistency in themes helps followers remember when to expect new challenges and makes it easy for them to participate regularly.
2. Use a Scheduling Tool: Plan your challenges in advance using a scheduling tool. Platforms like Later or Buffer can help you map out your content for weeks or months, ensuring that each challenge is posted on time.
3. Prepare Content in Batches: Create all your challenge content — stories, feed posts, and reels — in batches. This not only saves time but also ensures your messaging is cohesive throughout the challenge period.
4. Engage with Participants Regularly: Consistent interaction is crucial. Respond to comments, share participant posts in your stories, and keep the energy high throughout the challenge period.

By implementing a consistent approach, you’ll create a more predictable and engaging experience for your audience.

Measure the Success of Your Instagram Challenges

To understand how well your challenges are performing, you need to track the right metrics. Use these strategies to analyze the success of your Instagram challenges:

1. Review Instagram Insights: Use Instagram insights to track key metrics such as engagement rate, reach, and follower growth. Compare these metrics before and after the challenge to measure impact.
2. Check Hashtag Performance: Analyze your challenge hashtag to see how many posts it generated. If the hashtag was widely used, it’s a good indicator of challenge participation and visibility.
3. Monitor User-Generated Content: Assess the volume and quality of user-generated content shared during the challenge. The more participants share and engage, the more successful the challenge.
4. Survey Your Followers: Use story polls or direct messages to gather feedback from participants. Ask them what they liked, what could be improved, and whether they’d participate in future challenges.
5. Track Follower Growth and Engagement: Finally, check whether your challenge resulted in increased followers or higher engagement on your posts. Successful challenges should not only engage your current audience but also attract new followers to your account.

By regularly evaluating your challenge performance, you can fine-tune your strategy and create even more impactful challenges in the future.

The reach rate for Instagram Stories has been steadily increasing, with smaller brands (under 10,000 followers) experiencing a 35% boost in reach rate in 2023​ (Sprout Social).

Conclusion

Creating weekly Instagram challenges is a powerful way to engage your audience, build a strong sense of community, and grow your Instagram account. Whether you’re using the new Instagram challenges sticker or experimenting with different challenge ideas for your niche, the key is to keep your followers excited and involved. Remember to stay consistent, use creative themes, and always review your Instagram insights to understand what resonates most with your audience. By following these strategies, you’ll be able to host successful Instagram challenges that not only boost engagement but also help you achieve your growth goals on the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of Instagram challenges work best for small businesses?

Small businesses can focus on challenges that highlight their products or services, such as a “Show Us Your Style” challenge for fashion brands or a “Share Your Workspace” challenge for creative businesses. These challenges not only engage followers but also showcase how customers use your products.

How often should I run Instagram challenges?

It’s best to run challenges consistently, whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The key is to choose a frequency that allows you to maintain high-quality content and keep followers excited without overwhelming them.

Can I collaborate with other brands or influencers for an Instagram challenge?

Absolutely! Collaborating with other brands or influencers can expand your reach and attract more participants. Choose partners with a similar target audience and complementary niche to maximize the impact of the challenge.

What’s the best way to track Instagram challenge participation?

Use a branded hashtag to track posts and stories related to your challenge. You can also use Instagram insights to monitor engagement, reach, and interactions on your challenge-related content.

How do I create a sense of community around my Instagram challenge?

Build a sense of community by regularly featuring participants in your stories, responding to comments, and using call-to-action phrases like “Tag a friend who would love this!” This interaction encourages participants to feel more connected and engaged.

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