1. Remember the Importance of Relevant Hashtags
Contrary to popular belief, the right hashtag can still be very effective in getting more followers or increasing engagement. However, the old ways of using hashtags really aren’t working as well as they used to.
Instagram recently introduced a new feature that allows people to follow certain hashtags instead of manually searching through a long feed of posts. This means that your post could potentially land on someone’s feed automatically if they follow a hashtag that you use. This new feature could be very useful or detrimental depending on how you hashtag.
2. Avoid Spamming or Repetition
Lately, Instagram has been cracking down on accounts that show “spammy” behavior with their hashtags. Spammy behavior includes using too many hashtags, using oversaturated hashtags, and using the same hashtags over and over again.
The most hashtags you can use on a post is 30, but studies show that the most effective number of hashtags is 10-15. Using too many hashtags can be a red flag to users and Instagram’s algorithm.
The quality of the hashtags matters as much as the quantity. Using gimmicky tags such as #likeforlike or #photooftheday may give you a few more likes per post, but won’t increase your engagement in the long run because of how broad and overused they are. Sticking to hashtags that are a better representative of your company and that have been used less than a million times is beneficial in reaching your target audience and not getting lost in the crowd.
Also, it’s not a good idea to just copy and paste the same hashtags on every single post. This can be seen as spam by Instagram’s algorithm and affect your posts’ visibility. Because of this, switching up your hashtags for each post is a good idea. It can also be helpful in figuring out which hashtags perform best.
3. Finding the Right Hashtag for you
As mentioned before, it’s important to use the right hashtags to target the desired audience and brand image. So how do you find good hashtags?
One way is looking to see what similar (and successful) brand accounts are doing.
Look at a few recent posts of similar companies and take note of the different hashtags they’re using.
Instagram also provides a handy list of similar hashtags for each hashtag. Find this list by tapping on a hashtag you like and looking underneath the follow button at the “Related” section.
Another way is looking to see which hashtags your desired audience is following. Find accounts that best resemble the type of person you want buying your product, then, check to see what hashtags they’re following by tapping on “Following” and then “Hashtags”.
It’s also great to have a brand-specific hashtag. Make up something catchy, like a short slogan that can represent your brand or a campaign.
4. Track Hashtag Success with Instagram Insights
If you haven’t switched over to a Business Profile, definitely do so! It’s an extremely useful tool if you want to see how your content is doing.
You can gauge the success of your hashtags by going to your Insights and scrolling down to “Discovery”. There you can see how many people saw your post from the hashtags you used! Keep track of which hashtags get you the most visibility.
As with most things on social media, success through hashtags will take time and research. Need more help? Hiring a marketing agency to do the research for you would save a lot of time and the headache. Marketing agencies like Mad Mind Studios would strategize, create, and schedule posts for your business!