Run Hashtag Contests
If you want an Instagram hashtag of your very own to start trending, contests are one of the best ways to make it happen. Most people aren’t going to just use your hashtags because you want them to. But they WILL use your hashtags if they know it is how you are organizing and collecting contest entries. If there is something in it for the Instagram user, they are much more likely to behave in the way you want.
It’s very easy to setup a contest for your online store. Have Instagramers post a pic or video on their account and then have them tag it using your specific contest hashtag.
What is an Instagram Hashtag Contest?
An Instagram Hashtag Contest is one of the simplest ways to get fans interacting with your brand. It involves an individual posting their own picture on Instagram, then tagging it with a specific hashtag that your business has chosen.
All pictures uploaded with that hashtag are then displayed in a gallery page on your website or Facebook Page as well as being shown in one single stream on Instagram.
This type of contest allows you to deepen the emotional connection you have with followers. You get them communicating about your business to their own networks while also capturing user-generated content which you can then use for future marketing efforts.
What’s better than having fans as brand advocates? Not much at all.
Once in the gallery, all photos with the hashtag can then be voted on, shared or liked. This increases the reach of your contest and your business massively, allowing other users to discover you on the platform. You can then choose if you want to display submissions in the gallery based on most votes, most recent submission, or randomly.
What makes an Instagram Hashtag Contest so effective?
Using a specific hashtag allows you to spread the word about a campaign, exposing your business to new users
It requires little effort from your business - the hardest part simply being coming up with a good, catchy hashtag and theme
You get rewarded with engaged followers and authentic images from the customer themselves, showing your business through their eyes
A prize of a $100 gift certificate is relevant and valuable to Instagram users (more valuable, even, than a specific product worth $100). It is also proportionate to the level of effort required for users to participate.
They have asked users to tag their business in the photo, allowing all uploaded images to also be shown on their account in their tagged photo section.
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