How to Use Instagram Hashtags

Love them or hate them, #hashtags are an important aspect of our most beloved social platforms. They are an important part of the discovery component on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more. Hashtags allow people to find your business organically based on their specific interests. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags per post, but not all hashtags are created equally. Keep reading to learn how to up your Instagram hashtag game:

TIP 1: DO SOME RESEARCH

If you are just starting out on your hashtag plan, we recommend doing a quick Google search on trending hashtags in your industry. Here you will find the most basic ones for your product or service. Make sure you’re looking at articles published within the year.

After, start looking at your competition. What hashtags are they using? Others in your industry that are doing well on social will give you great idea of the high-quality hashtags to use. Leaders in many industries have built hashtags with a whole community around them, so find one that you fit in!

Finally, look through your chosen hashtags! Click on the ones you plan on using and determine if this is where your content fits. Ask yourself if this is a space where your targeted customers are.

TIP 2: MIX WIDE AND NARROW REACH TAGS

Are you currently using hashtags and aren’t seeing much engagement or new following? Chances are you aren’t using the correct ones. You should have a mix of wide and narrow reach hashtags, but mostly settle in the middle. For example, if you are a florist, simply using the hashtag #flowers is going to get you lost in a sea of 99 million posts. A hashtag with very few posts, like #omgiloveflowers, will likely not get any eyes on your content either. Try using #floristsofinstagram because it’s more specific, or #[your city or town]florist to target customers close to you! Think of what you ideal customer would be searching!

The Golden Rule: don’t go to broad or too specific, stay right in the middle.

TIP 3: HIDE THEM

Nobody likes to see a caption full of hashtags. OR WORSE – a caption of only hashtags. It can look spammy. Keep your caption section reserved for well-written, engaging content with a CTA (call to action) – and use the comment section to store your hashtags. The comment section will automatically minimize – hiding all of that text, and leaving the focus on your captivating image and caption. There are few ways people like to do this, some like to add a series of dots to hide hashtags even further, or you can just post the comment normal. Either way works!

TIP 4: SWITCH IT UP

A helpful way to keep your hashtags organized is in the note section on your phone. We suggest creating a list of core hashtags (the ones you use most frequently), and then some separate lists of hashtags relating to the different kind of content you post. Don’t be afraid to mix it up! If you keep using the same hashtags over and over again, you’re missing the opportunity to reach other people. Set some time aside every few weeks to do some research into new hashtags to revamp your list.

TIP 5: DON’T BE PASSIVE

Be active, hashtags are to be used both ways! Make sure you are regularly looking through the hashtags you use most often to find people to engage with. And really engage! Like, comment, and follow people that are in your industry or that you think could benefit from your content. Be thoughtful, no posting just emojis as comments!

When it comes to effective organic marketing on social media, hashtags are a key player. Have any other hashtags tips you love to use? Let us know in the comments!