---
title: "Instagram contests"
slug: "instagram-contests"
description: "The user manual provides comprehensive guidance on using the Antavo Management UI for managing loyalty programs."
updated: 2026-02-25T09:25:50Z
published: 2026-02-25T09:25:50Z
canonical: "docs.antavo.com/instagram-contests"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.antavo.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Instagram contests

The Instagram contests module allows you to drive customer-generated content through two types of contests:

- **Instagram #hashtag contest**: Participants compete by posting a picture using a #hashtag and tagging an @account
- **Instagram comment contest**: Participants compete for a prize by writing a comment on a selected Instagram post.

To access the configuration page, open the Modules menu and search for the Instagram contest module. The page displays a list of previously set-up contests, providing the following information:

| **Name** | The name of the contest. A label below the name indicates whether the status is *active* or *inactive*. |
| --- | --- |
| **Type** | The type of the contest |
| **Start date** | The start date of the contest |
| **End date** | The conclusion date of the contest |

## Connecting your Instagram account

Before creating a contest, ensure you’ve connected your Instagram app created under your Facebook Business Account by entering the credentials in the [Social accounts module](/v1/docs/social-accounts).

On the module configuration interface, locate the **Continue with Facebook** button. This button redirects you to authorized access to your Facebook Business Account via the connected app. This enables Antavo to retrieve the contest entries from the Instagram page.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/connect_insta.png)

Once you have connected your Instagram account, you can start creating contests. If you want to connect a different Instagram app, you must first [disconnect](/engine/docs/instagram-contests#disconnecting-your-instagram-account) the currently connected one.

If the connection is unsuccessful, you will be redirected back to the connection page and see an error message explaining why the connection failed.

## Creating a new Instagram contest

- Click**Create new contest** in the left-hand side menu of the module
- Select the type of contest you’d like to create
- Click **Next**

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/contest_type.png)

#### Basic information

The following basic information settings apply to both contest types. Configure these fields regardless of whether you are creating a hashtag-based contest or a comment-based contest.

- **Name** Set the name of your contest.
- **Description** Describe the specifics and rules of the contest.
- **Starts at** Set the start date of the contest.
- **Ends at** Set the end date of the contest.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/basic_settings(1).png)

#### Hashtag

This setting is available only when creating a **hashtag contest**.

Define the unique **#hashtag participants must include** in their Instagram posts to enter the contest.

To qualify, contestants must use the specified **#hashtag** in their post and tag the [connected](/engine/docs/instagram-contests#connecting-your-instagram-account) **@account** in the post.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/hashtag_insta.png)

#### Instagram Settings

This setting is available only when creating a **comment contest**.

Choose the **post from a list** of those already uploaded to your connected Instagram account.

To be eligible to participate, contestants must **comment** on the selected post and tag the [connected](/engine/docs/instagram-contests#connecting-your-instagram-account) **@account** in their comment.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/instagram_settings(1).png)

#### Points economy

The Points economy setting applies to both contest types if your workspace uses [Multi-accounts](/v1/docs/multi-accounts). Use the **Accounts** field to select the account to which the related events and earn points should be registered.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/insta_account.png)

Click **Create** to finalize the setup.

## **Activating a contest**

After the initial save, an Instagram contest will be saved as *inactive*, appearing only in the list of contests on the module configuration page.

To activate it, click the**Set active** button in the upper right-hand corner of the setup page and confirm the activation in the subsequent dialog.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/insta_activate.png(1).png)

## Tracking entries

### Configure jobs

To register contest entries, go to the [Jobs](/engine/docs/jobs) tab in the Settings menu and schedule [instagram-contests](/engine/docs/job-tasks-and-actions#instagram-contests) cron job(s).

- For **hashtag contests,** add an `instagram-contests` task with `processHashtags` action. Instagram provides hashtag data only for the past 24 hours. Therefore, we recommend running the job every 12 hours to avoid missing entries.
- For **comment contests**, add an `instagram-contests` task with `processComments` action. There is no limitation on how far back comment entries can be fetched.

The job also tracks **entry deletions**. For hashtags, deletions are detectable within 24 hours, and for comments, deletions can be tracked without time limits.

The responses received from the scheduled `instagram-contests` cron jobs are recorded and can be reviewed under the **Outbound Logs** section.

### Outbound Logs

The **Outbound Logs tab** provides a**technical but transparent record of all data requests** sent by the configured cron jobs and the corresponding responses received. These logs show when and **how the system interacts with Instagram** to retrieve contest-related data and help you verify that the data is being correctly fetched and processed.

For each request, you can **track details** such as the time it was made, the contest involved, contest type, response status, response type (including any errors), and a unique log entry ID. A**search bar** allows filtering the logs based on these details.

Requests labeled with general type represent the automatic fetching of posts from your connected Instagram account. This happens whenever you open the comment contest settings page and corresponds to [selecting the post](/engine/docs/instagram-contests#instagram-settings) to which comments should be added.

Each log entry can be**expanded to see the full request sent and response received**, giving full visibility into the data retrieval process behind the scenes.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/loyalty.test3.antavo.com_32010_extensions_instagram-contests_outbound-logs_page=4&type.in=hashtag.png)

### Entry logs

When the cron jobs detect a new entry, it is recorded in the contest’s entry log tab (called Comments for comment contests and Entries for hashtag contests). Each entry also registers an `instagram_contest_enter` event in the [customer’s event history](/engine/docs/customer-insights#events), allowing you to track participation over time.

To access contest entry logs:

- Navigate to the **Contests** tab
- Click the hamburger button of the contest whose entry log you want to see
- Click **Entries** or **Comments**

The log provides **detailed information** for each entry, including Instagram username, customer (if identified), timestamp, and like count.

For hashtag contests, the caption and comment count are also displayed. Each entry includes a **View Entry** button, allowing you to view the post directly on Instagram.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/hashtag_contest(1).png)

For comment contests, the **comment text** is shown within the log.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/comment_contest(5).png)

> [!NOTE]
> Please note that the entry logs display all the posts or comments that **meet the configured contest entry criteria**, regardless of whether the Instagram user is a loyalty program member. Antavo can only identify the owner of the entry if the contestant’s **Instagram username** is linked to a customer profile via the `instagram_username` customer attribute. If the Instagram user can be identified as a loyalty member, each entry also registers an `instagram_contest_enter` event in the [customer’s event history](/engine/docs/customer-insights#events).

Customers can enter a contest **multiple times,**and each valid entry is recorded individually.

## Selecting winners

When the contest reaches its end date, the option to select winners becomes available. This is done **manually**.

- Navigate to the **Entries**or**Comments** tab
- Tick the checkbox next to the entries that you’d like to select as winners
- Click the **Select winner** button that appears at the right end of the green bar

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/winner_selection(1).png)

Once the **Select winner** button is clicked, the `instagram_contest_non_winner`/ `instagram_contest_winner` events are automatically registered in the [event history](/v1/docs/customer-insights#events) of each contestant if the contestant has their Instagram username added to their profile.

Please note that the entry logs display all the posts or comments that **meet the configured contest entry criteria**, regardless of whether the Instagram user is a loyalty program member. Antavo can only identify the owner of the entry if the contestant’s **Instagram username** is linked to a customer profile via the `instagram_username` customer attribute. If the Instagram user can be identified as a loyalty member, each entry also registers an `instagram_contest_enter` event in the [customer’s event history](/engine/docs/customer-insights#events).

Please note that the entry logs display all the posts or comments that **meet the configured contest entry criteria**, regardless of whether the Instagram user is a loyalty program member. Antavo can only identify the owner of the entry if the contestant’s **Instagram username** is linked to a customer profile via the `instagram_username` customer attribute. If the Instagram user can be identified as a loyalty member, each entry also registers an `instagram_contest_enter` event in the [customer’s event history](/engine/docs/customer-insights#events).

> [!NOTE]
> Only loyalty program members can be selected as winners.

Please note that if a contestant has multiple non-winning entries, only one `instagram_contest_non_winner` event will be recorded for that contestant. Before registering these events, the **system verifies that the post or comment still exists** on Instagram to ensure valid winner selection.

## Managing contests

### Edit a contest

- Navigate to the Contests tab
- Click the **Edit** button of the contest you want to edit
- Make the necessary changes
- Click **Update** to save your changes

Active contests cannot be edited. To make changes, deactivate the contest first.

### Deactivate a contest

Follow these steps if you want to deactivate a contest:

- Navigate to the Contests tab
- Click the **Edit** button of the contest you want to deactivate
- Click the **Set inactive** button in the upper right-hand corner of the page
- Confirm your choice in the dialog that appears

### Archive a contest

You can delete inactive contests by archiving them.

- Navigate to the Contests tab
- Click the **Edit** button of the inactive contest you want to archive
- Click the **Archive** button in the upper right-hand corner of the page
- Confirm your choice in the dialog that appears

Archiving is irreversible. Once a contest is archived, it cannot be restored.

## Disconnecting your Instagram account

If you want to replace the currently [connected Instagram account](/engine/docs/instagram-contests#connecting-your-instagram-account) with another one:

- Go to the Settings
- Click **Disconnect**

![](https://cdn.document360.io/08a474ca-8fb4-4c3c-9cd8-665242086cd3/Images/Documentation/disconnect_insta.png)

Disconnecting your account ends all ongoing contests and permanently deletes all contests and entries associated with it. **The deletion is final and cannot be undone**.