Do you need tips on how to use hashtags on Instagram? If so pause your Netflix show and keep reading. Increasing your reach on Instagram using hashtags can seem overwhelming for some; so I’m here to simplify things as much as as I can. Keep in mind I will be sharing tips that have worked for me and clients of mine. However, I am not employed by Instagram and cannot guarantee results for everyone. I hope this article encourages you to implement what you’ve learned on how to use hashtags on Instagram.
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Table of Contents
Every post you publish to Instagram should have RELEVANT hashtags. Using hashtags such as #likeforlike & #followme will only get you those spammy comments that we don’t want. Those bot pages don’t turn into loyal followers or subscribers. Which gaining loyal subscribers should be your focus as a creator. You’d be surprised the number of bot accounts I block on a daily basis.
You should focus on engaging with followers that are interested in your content. There are a few ways to go about checking your Instagram engagement rate. The easiest way is to use an engagement calculator that does the math for you. If you’d like to calculate your engagement rate yourself then take a look at Later’s article on this topic.
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The most common questions I’ve received about hashtags is knowing where to put them and how many to use. I personally prefer to add my hashtags as the first comment under my post so it doesn’t make my post look too cluttered. I am able to create the first comment when I schedule my Instagram posts using the Later app. That’s one of my favorite features on the platform and they offer a lot.
Instagram allows us to use up to 30 hashtags per post, but even using a few targeted hashtags can make a huge difference in how many people see your posts. Try to use hashtags on Instagram for the brands you are wearing, promotion pages, and your personal brand tags.
You should not use the same hashtags for every post. It can make your account look like spammy and it won’t help you reach many new people. This is why I do not recommend purchasing a pre-made list of hashtags to use under every post.
- Be sure that all the hashtags you are using are what your target audience is searching for and following.
- Be sure you are using a mix of popular (used over 500k times) and growing (used 100k or less) hashtags. If you only use hashtags that have been used millions of times before your posts will easily get lost under that hashtag.
- Be sure when using a brand’s hashtag you check their profile or website to see what their dedicated hashtag is for a chance of a feature on their profile.
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I had been using the paid version of the Smarthash app, but a few months ago I made the switch to the Later app. I use Later to keep all of my hashtags for Instagram organized in one place. The platform makes it easy to search through many different saved sets quickly. Also, Later is available as an app and on desktop which is great for bloggers who prefer a desktop version.
- I can organize my hashtags into saved captions.
- Later offers hashtag analytics for Instagram. This feature allows you to get a better look at what hashtags are working for you and what isn’t.
- My Later plan allows me to connect multiple social media accounts. A very convenient feature for bloggers running more than one account on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter. This can also be beneficial for social media managers with multiple clients.
- The Later app has a helpful hashtag suggestions feature to help you discover trending hashtags in your niche.
- I can save time by scheduling content across platforms in advance and view a preview of my feed before hitting publish.
I mentioned earlier you should stay away from spammy hashtags, but what hashtags should you use on Instagram? There is no set of hashtags that will work for every profile and every post. If anyone tells you otherwise I am willing to bet they are trying to sell you something.
In my humble opinion you the more specific the hashtag the better usually. For example let’s pretend you post a photo wearing a blue dress while standing outside of a local restaurant. I would not recommend using hashtags like #dress, #food, #girl. Instead you are more likely to improve your reach by using #bluedress, #RestaurantName, and the brand hashtag for the business you’re in front of or wearing in the photo. Be sure you are only using hashtags relevant to your content. If someone searches #makeupforblueeyes your content should not be under that hashtag if you have brown eyes. This is pretty general example, but using irrelevant hashtags period isn’t great for your account.
When it comes to Instagram a good note to remember is quality beats quantity every time. If you aren’t putting out quality content then it won’t matter how often you engage with hashtags or if you post every single day. I would recommend finding hashtags in your niche and leaving thoughtful comments under posts every day.
You can spend around 15-30 minutes a day doing this to ideally increase your followers and engagement for your own profile. However, I also recommend spending the same amount of time engaging with accounts that already follow you as well. This may sound obvious, but you should be using your social media to be social.
Instagram also allows accounts to use hashtags on Instagram stories. You can find similar accounts in your niche this way as well. Try replying to stories to build relationships and engagement with your followers. If you repost someone’s content to your story; try tagging them for a chance of a repost. This can increase your profile views, build new relationships, and if enough curious eyes are interested it will increase your engagement. If you’re a creator be sure you are actually following the brand’s you want to work with and currently work with. You can comment on their posts to increase their awareness of your account which can land to future campaigns.
Hopefully this article answered most of your questions about how to use hashtags on Instagram. If you still have questions feel free to comment them below and I will try my best to update the article frequently to keep it relevant. Share and pin this article if you found it helpful to support a local taco loving blogger.
