Hashtag Entries
The Hashtag feature allows participants to enter your promotion by posting on Instagram using a specific hashtag. ViralSweep automatically imports eligible posts and displays them in your promotion.
You can use hashtag entries alongside an entry form or run a hashtag-only promotion.
Plan Availability
The number of hashtags you can track depends on your plan:
Business Plan: Track up to 3 hashtags
Premium Plan: Track up to 6 hashtags
If you need to track additional hashtags, please contact support.
Requirements
To use the hashtag feature, your Instagram account must meet the following requirements:
Your Instagram account must be a Business account
Your Instagram account must be connected to a Facebook Page
Limitations
Due to Instagram platform restrictions:
Only public Instagram posts can be imported
Instagram Stories are not supported
Hashtag entries are not imported in real time
It may take up to 1 hour for new hashtag entries to appear in ViralSweep.
How to Set Up Hashtag Entries
To configure hashtag tracking:
Go to Edit in your promotion.
Navigate to Hashtag Entry.
Click + Add Hashtag.
Connect your Instagram account.
Enter the hashtag you want to track.
Select the start and end dates for importing posts.
Choose the media types you want included (photos, videos, or text).
Once saved, ViralSweep will begin importing posts with the hashtag on the selected start date and stop importing posts on the end date.
How Hashtag Entries Work
When someone posts on Instagram using your configured hashtag:
ViralSweep scans Instagram for public posts containing the hashtag.
Eligible posts are automatically imported into your promotion.
The submitted content can be displayed in your promotion gallery.
For each hashtag entry, ViralSweep collects:
A link to the Instagram post
A link to the user’s profile
The photo or video submitted
The caption or comment
Due to Instagram API restrictions, names and email addresses are not collected from hashtag entries.
Viewing Hashtag Submissions
To review imported hashtag entries:
Log into your ViralSweep account.
Navigate to Entrants.
Click Moderate.
From here you can review, approve, or manage submitted content.
Troubleshooting
I see an error after connecting my Instagram account
If your Instagram account meets the requirements but you receive an error, your Facebook authentication token may have expired.
To reconnect your account:
Go to Facebook Settings.
Remove the Social Promotions app.
Return to ViralSweep and reconnect Instagram.
Some hashtag posts are not appearing
This can happen for several reasons:
The user's Instagram account is private
The post was deleted after submission
The post was created outside the configured date range
The import delay (up to 1 hour) has not yet passed
FAQ
Should I use Sweepstakes, Contest, or Hashtags for my promotion?
The best option depends on how you want to collect entries.
Hashtags
Use this option if you want to collect posts using a hashtag without requiring an entry form.
Contest
Use this option if participants should submit photos or videos through a form, but you also want to allow hashtag submissions.
Sweepstakes
Use this option if you want to randomly select winners from participants who entered using a hashtag.
Can I collect entries through both the entry form and a hashtag?
Yes.
However, hashtag entries only include limited social data because of Instagram API restrictions. ViralSweep does not receive personal details like name or email address from Instagram posts.
Need Help?
If you have any questions, our support team is happy to assist.