5 Hashtag Contests That “Get It Right” (Fueled By ShortStack)

Do you want to run a hashtag contest, but haven’t pulled the trigger?

What’s holding you back? Hashtag contests are easy for businesses to run and fun for people to participate in. When they’re done right, they promote engagement with customers and can lead to increased sales.

We found some awesome hashtag contests created by our customers to help inspire you to try your own.

Comfort Hotels’s “Ultimate Family Work Trip” Contest

According to Comfort Hotels, nine in 10 Americans surveyed have a “work family” and, as a result, feel happier. To celebrate the importance of positive workplace relationships, Comfort Hotels launched their “Ultimate Work Family Trip” contest. To enter, people explain why they deserve a work family trip by tagging @ChoiceHotels and using #workfamilytrip and #contest on Twitter and/or Instagram, or by visiting ComfortWorkFamilies.com or the Choice Hotels Facebook Page. The winner receives access to an entire Comfort hotel for a weekend to bring together their work, and personal, families.

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Victory Brewing Company’s “#FlipFlopNation Moments” Campaign

Giving away a big prize? Hashtag contests are not only a fun way for folks to enter, but they help get the word out about your campaign. Victory Brewing Company is giving away an oceanfront beach getaway. Entry is simple, folks just post to Instagram or Twitter sharing their @VictoryBeer #FlipFlopNation Moments, or enter via the form on the giveaway landing page. When entrants post to social media, their friends also see the posts, increasing visibility of the campaign.

TINCUP Whiskey’s “#YourMountainAwaits” Contest

Social media influencers can be very useful when promoting your contest, especially when you have a specific target market in mind. TINCUP Whiskey’s #YourMountainAwaits contest leveraged a number of social media influencers who embody the outdoor lifestyle of their target market. Influencers help promote the campaign, where people can enter their stories of “adventure, friendship and the pursuit of discovery” for a chance to win a backcountry adventure for two.

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Pioneer Seeds’s “Corn Revolution” Hashtag Sweepstakes

Weekly giveaways and hashtag contests work well together. Pioneer Seeds hosts a weekly giveaway on Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #cornrevolution. Pioneer encourages folks to visit their website to learn about Pioneer’s R&D process for improving products. From there, entrants post to social media explaining why they are excited about the “revolution,” and each week, Pioneer draws a winner from the entries they receive.

Oscar Mayer’s “#OMSweeps” Twitter Sweepstakes

Engage your fans by asking them for feedback in a hashtag contest. Oscar Mayer created a multi-week Twitter hashtag campaign to promote their 2019 sponsorship of the NASCAR No. 6 Ford Mustang driven by Ryan Newman. During the promotion, participants can help name the pit crew, share their go-to hot dog topping, and more. To enter, people simple tweet their question responses and include the #omsweeps hashtag. Twenty bi-weekly winners are awarded Oscar Mayer swag, with one grand prize of a spot on Ryan Newman’s pit crew at Darlington chosen at the end of the campaign.

Now’s the time for you to try your own hashtag contest. As with any campaign, it’s important to plan before you get started.

Be sure to check out our documentation to see how to set up a feed for collecting Instagram and Twitter entries using ShortStack.

Also, promoting your hashtag contest is extremely important. Our blog post, 40 Ways To Get the Word Out About Your Campaign, is packed with ideas.Questions? Just shoot an email to theteam@shortstacklab.com or set up a call with our team.

Try a ShortStack template to create your first contest fast and easily.

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