Due to the changes that Instagram is applying to their API on December 11, 2018, where the option to monitor hashtags will be disabled, we have developed a new way to import content published by Instagram users based on mentions. This new system uses the official Facebook tools to track new Instagram brand mentions.

This change in the Instagram API directly affects the Easypromos Premium application “Hashtag Contest” which allows to import photos and videos posted on public Instagram profiles with one or more hashtags. After this update, it’s necessary and mandatory, apart from the hashtag, that the photo or video also includes a mention of the organizing brand/business.

This is why the Premium application “Hashtag Contest” has been renamed and now it is the "Mention + Hashtag contest". The app has been updated to adapt to this change from Instagram, and from now on, in order to be able to import content published on Instagram, it should include a mention of the brand/business that organizes the contest, together with the contest hashtag. When new content is detected, automatically the photo or video will be imported to the contest and it will count as a new participant.

In this link you can find all the information about this update and how to organize hashtag contests on Instagram from now on.