How to run a YouTube giveaway

Pick a prize relevant to your channel's content and set a clear start and end date. A defined window gives viewers a reason to act instead of meaning to enter "eventually."

Shorter, well-promoted windows around a specific video tend to convert better than long, quiet ones.

Turn on a verified subscribe action so an entry reflects an actual subscription, checked against YouTube — not a comment claiming one.

You can still allow a manual "visit the channel" action alongside it for viewers who prefer not to link an account, but label it clearly as unverified.

Link the giveaway in the video description, pin a comment with the link, and mention it on screen early in the video rather than only at the end.

If your campaign allows daily re-entry, remind viewers of that in a community post partway through the window — it's the easiest way to get a second wave of entries without a second video.

After the window closes, a winner is chosen randomly from eligible entries. Announce it in a video or community post and follow through on delivery.

A visible record of delivered prizes is what makes a viewer take your next giveaway seriously.