Skip to main content

How to Run a YouTube Shorts Giveaway (and Pick the Winner)

The short answer: make a Short that shows the prize, says the one thing people have to do to enter (comment a keyword or answer a question), and gives the deadline. Pin a comment with the rules. When it closes, copy the Short's link, draw from its comments with a picker that supports Shorts, and announce the winner in a follow-up Short.

Why Shorts giveaways are different

  • Most viewers don't know you yet. Shorts are watched in a feed, so a giveaway reaches people well beyond your subscribers. That's good for reach, but it also brings more spam and low-effort comments.
  • The rules have to be visible. Few viewers open a Short's description, so put the essentials on screen and in a pinned comment.
  • Comments keep coming. A Short can keep picking up views for weeks, so people will comment after your deadline. Say exactly when it ends, and draw as soon as it closes.

What to say in the Short

A 20 to 30 second script covers everything:

  1. Hook (first 3 seconds): "I'm giving away [prize]." Show it.
  2. How to enter: "Comment [KEYWORD] below. One entry per person."
  3. Deadline: "It ends [day] at [time and time zone]."
  4. Rules and fairness: "Full rules are in the pinned comment. Not sponsored by YouTube. I'll pick at random and show the draw."

Put "Comment [KEYWORD] to enter" and the end date on screen as text too, for people watching without sound.

Pin a comment with the rules

GIVEAWAY RULES: Comment [KEYWORD] to enter. One entry per person; replies don't count. Ends [date, time, time zone]. Open to [where], [18]+. Winner picked at random on [date] and announced in a reply from @[yourhandle]. I'll never ask you to pay or to message another account. Not sponsored, endorsed or administered by YouTube; by entering you release YouTube from any liability. Full rules: [link]

YouTube's contest policies require official rules with a "YouTube is not a sponsor" statement, a release, a link to the Community Guidelines and a privacy notice, so link to a full version. Our YouTube giveaway rules guide has a template.

Pick the winner from the Short's comments

  1. Approve genuine comments in YouTube Studio's Held for review tab. Held comments aren't public, so no picker can draw them.
  2. In the YouTube app, open the Short, tap Share, then Copy link. It looks like youtube.com/shorts/….
  3. Paste it into the YouTube comment picker. You'll see the comment count and whether it's free before you start.
  4. Set the rules you announced: your keyword, one entry per person, replies off, your own comments left out, and a minimum length if you want to drop single-emoji comments.
  5. Draw your winner and backups. The results page lists every comment and why it did or didn't qualify.

Announce the winner with another Short

  • Download the winner-reveal video from your results page (a spinning wheel of your real entrants landing on the winner) and post it as a Short.
  • Reply to the winning comment from your channel, and pin a comment with the winner's @handle and the results page link.
  • Tell the winner how to claim and by when. YouTube has no private messages, so the reply and the pinned comment are how they'll find out.

Expect fake "you won!" replies from accounts copying your name. Warn people in your rules, and read how to spot YouTube giveaway scams.

Shorts giveaway checklist

  • The prize shown in the first 3 seconds
  • One clear way to enter: comment a keyword or an answer
  • The end date and time on screen and in the pinned comment
  • "Not sponsored by YouTube" and a link to the full rules
  • Held comments approved before the draw
  • The draw done at the deadline, with backups
  • The winner announced in a reply, a pinned comment and a reveal Short

More YouTube giveaway guides

Pick your Shorts winner free

Paste your video or Shorts link into the free YouTube comment picker. Videos with up to 250 comments are free, and you never sign in to Google. Bigger videos are a one-time payment from $2.99.

Frequently asked questions

Can you pick a winner from YouTube Shorts comments?

Yes. Copy the Short's link (Share, then Copy link) and paste it into a comment picker that supports Shorts. The Pick Is Right reads Shorts comments the same way as comments on regular videos.

How long should a YouTube Shorts giveaway run?

Three to seven days is common. Shorts keep getting views long after you post them, so a clear end date and time matters more than the length.

Do replies count as entries in a Shorts giveaway?

Only if your rules say so. Most giveaways count top-level comments only, which is also the picker's default.

Can I combine entries from a Short and a long video?

Our picker draws from one video at a time. Either choose one video as the place to enter, or draw from each video separately and say so in your rules.

Where should the rules go on a Short?

Say the essentials in the video, put a summary in a pinned comment, and link to your full official rules, because YouTube requires a sponsor disclaimer, a release, a Community Guidelines link and a privacy notice.

Back to Blog Pick a YouTube Winner