How to Grow Your Social Media with a Loyalty Program

Social media is no longer a space to just share pretty pictures; it’s a vital tool for building brand visibility, fostering community, and driving customer engagement. 

Pairing social media with a loyalty program can take your brand’s Instagram presence to new heights by rewarding actions like following, tagging, and engaging with your posts.

The result?

Increased reach, stronger customer connections, and a vibrant online community.

Why does this work?

User-generated content (UGC) has become one of the most powerful tools in marketing, with 50% of consumers stating UGC videos help them discover new products or services to buy.

To get a better idea of UGC and its real-world applications, take a look at GoPro’s social media. GoPro’s social media is primarily composed of content captured by its customers. 

GoPro ties this user-facing social media presence with their GoPro Awards. These awards incentivize their users to post GoPro footage by offering social media features, GoPro merchandise, and monetary rewards. 

By rewarding your loyalty members for creating UGC and interacting with your brand on Instagram, you’re not just growing your followers—you’re amplifying your message and building lasting relationships.

In this blog, we’ll dive into how you can grow social media with loyalty programs.

Plus, we’ll explore how to use Instagram as a direct line to your most loyal members, making them feel like VIPs every step of the way.

Let’s get started!

Expand Your Loyalty Program to Social Media

A loyalty program doesn’t have to stop at purchases.

By rewarding specific Instagram actions like following, tagging, and mentioning your brand, you can create new opportunities for engagement while growing your social presence.

Why expand your loyalty program to social media?

• Drive Brand Engagement: With automated social media loyalty integration, you can create campaigns that reward members at just the right moment, allowing you to foster deeper connections without adding extra work for your team.
  
  
• Open New Channels of Communication: Social media lets you engage with customers where they’re already spending their time, keeping your brand top-of-mind outside of SMS and email.
  
  
• Engage Beyond Purchases: Customers who aren’t actively shopping can still engage with your brand and earn points, ensuring they remain connected to your loyalty program.

How to Encourage Social Media Actions Through Loyalty Rewards

Instagram-based rewards make it easy to grow your social media presence while rewarding your members for specific behaviors.

With a seamless integration, you can incentivize user-generated content and brand mentions to build a loyal online following.

Here are a couple of effective tactics to encourage social media actions:

• Follow Your Brand: Offer members one-time points for following your Instagram page. For verification, ask them to send a DM with a specific code.

Example: A café could run a campaign like “Follow us on Instagram and DM us ‘COFFEELOVER’ to earn 50 points.”

• Tag and Mention Your Brand: Reward points for posts, stories, or reels where members tag or mention your brand. This increases visibility while fostering word-of-mouth promotion.

Tip: Customize how often rewards are given—one-time only, unlimited, or at specific intervals.

Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content is like free marketing—except better, because it comes with authenticity and trust.

UGC loyalty rewards transform your customers into brand ambassadors, amplifying your reach in ways traditional ads can’t match.

Here are some ideas to drive UGC:

• "Tag Us Tuesdays": Create a weekly campaign where members earn bonus points for tagging your brand in their posts or stories.
  
  
• Hashtag Challenges: Launch a branded hashtag and reward points for every post that uses it. For instance, a fitness brand could run a #TrainWith[YourBrand] campaign and reward members for sharing workout posts.
  
  
• Photo Contests: Encourage members to post pictures featuring your products for a chance to win prizes, with all participants earning points for entering.
  
  
• Spotlight Campaigns: Feature the best UGC on your Instagram feed, showcasing your members and inspiring others to join the fun.

Rewarding UGC boosts engagement and provides a library of authentic content for marketing.

Brands like Chipotle use Instagram campaigns to reward customers for participating in UGC challenges, such as creating videos for their #ChipotleLidFlip campaign.

Through TikTok, Chipotle encouraged users to record and post themselves flipping a burrito bowl in their own unique way.  This approach keeps customers engaged while amplifying their social presence.

Build Stronger Connections With Verified Members

When loyalty members follow your brand on Instagram, you gain a direct line to your best customers.

Social media engagement goes beyond one-way communication—it’s a space for real-time conversations and community building.

79% of consumers say they actively interact with brands through activities like following on social media, sharing feedback, or consuming branded content.

Why this matters:

• Stronger Relationships: Interact directly with members by responding to their comments, resharing their stories, and making them feel seen and appreciated.
  
  
• Real-Time Feedback: Use Instagram polls or questions to gather valuable insights from your audience.
  
  
• Exclusive Content for Members: Create an Instagram list featuring your loyalty members and share behind-the-scenes content, early product previews, or private promotions to make them feel like VIPs.

Direct engagement strengthens trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind, especially when members feel valued beyond just their purchases.

Make Your Members Feel Like VIPs

Your loyalty program isn’t just about rewards—it’s about creating a community where members feel appreciated and recognized.

Instagram offers unique opportunities to spotlight your most loyal customers and give them exclusive perks.

Ideas to make your members feel special:

• Member Spotlights: Feature customer stories, testimonials, or photos on your Instagram feed or stories.
  
  
• Exclusive Live Events: Host Instagram Live Q&A sessions, product launches, or tutorials for your members and offer bonus points for attending.
  
  
• Experiential Perks: Reward loyalty members with exclusive experiences they’ll love.

For example, Lululemon hosted a “Members Weekend” at a fitness studio for their most loyal customers, offering an immersive experience complete with branded giveaways.

Attendees shared their experiences on Instagram, creating buzz and amplifying Lululemon’s reach through authentic UGC.

• Milestone Celebrations: Celebrate member milestones, like their 1-year loyalty anniversary, with special shoutouts or exclusive rewards.
  
  
• Surprise Perks: Randomly reward points to active members on Instagram to create delight and excitement.
  

Turn Social Engagement Into Loyal Connections with DataCandy

Growing your social media presence is easier when you have a strategy that rewards your most engaged followers.

By expanding your loyalty program to include Instagram actions, you can drive brand engagement, encourage UGC, and create meaningful connections with your audience.

The result? A thriving online community and a stronger brand presence.

With DataCandy’s Social Rewards feature, you can seamlessly integrate Instagram-based actions into your loyalty program, rewarding your customers for following, tagging, and interacting with your brand.

It’s time to transform your social media into a powerful engine for growth.

Ready to grow your social media with loyalty programs?

Let’s make it happen!