By : You might be wondering why your hashtags are not getting the expected growth and engagement, even though your business is active on Instagram. The incorrect use of hashtags might be one of the reasons for it. Using hashtags is one of the best ways on the platform to gain new followers and to expand your reach. But, a lot of business owners fail to understand how to use hashtags appropriately. Not using them at all or using them incorrectly can stunt your Instagram growth.
Let’s take a look at how to utilize hashtags and expand your presence on Instagram
1.Don’t Use Too Many Or Irrelevant Hashtags
Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post. But if you sneak a popular hashtag in your post that is not related to your content, then it could be considered as spam. It is acceptable even if you are using a dozen hashtags on your post. But, the important point is that all of them should align with your content. After all, if you are using hashtags that are related to your content, it showcases proper etiquette. Think about searching for a particular content and finding a bunch of unrelated posts. You don’t want that to happen.
2.Use Specific Or Niche Hashtags
The more specific the hashtag you use, the more targeted your audience will be. The targeted audience always offers a better chance of getting quality engagement for your posts. For example – If you are someone who loves soda, the hashtags #coke or #drpepper might get you more desired and targeted followers than a generic hashtag like #soda.
3.Don’t Forget About Popular Hashtags
As long as a hashtag is relevant to your post, there is no harm in using it sparingly. Popular hashtags can broaden your reach, and if relevant to your content, you won’t look like you are desperate for engagement.
4.Make Sure That The Hashtag Means What You Think It Means
It is possible that you might associate your brand inadvertently with a campaign which is nefarious or raunchy. That is, when you spell two or three words together, it might end up spelling the opposite of what you meant. So, before using a hashtag, browse to ensure that the content associated with it is the same niche as yours.
Keep Your Brand Hashtags Short, Simple, And Easy To Spell
If a hashtag is brief and straightforward, your customers and fans can remember it easily. You have to be precise and short. If your hashtag contains too many characters, then it won’t be catchy. For example -#LACarLovers might work better than #LosAngelesLuxuryCarEnthusiasts for a high-end car show.
Other Tips
- It is important to do research; You can find successful Instagram accounts which belong to the same niche and take a look at the kinds of hashtag they incorporate in their posts. It is important to understand that some hashtags have a broader reach than others. The chances are higher that successful accounts will be using more lucrative hashtags.
- If you feel that you don’t want to clutter your caption, you can hide some hashtags in the comments. Once few comments are posted, it might not be viewable unless ‘see all” option is selected. You can also use line breaks or dots to bury these hashtags.
- Creating a hashtag that is custom can be an incredible tool for helping your potential customers get more content related to your business. It can also be used as a means to increase brand awareness.
- No matter how popular hashtags like #followme, #like4like, #follow4follow, etc. are, using them will only attract spammers and bots. This will reduce your brand’s overall value, and users might not have much intention of engaging with your content. Consider buying Instagram likes if you want to expand your follower base in very limited time.
- If your content is generic, then there are some popular hashtags that you can incorporate into your posts. Hashtags like #ThrowbackThursday, #FlashbackFriday, #ManicMonday, #instagood, #photooftheday, #instagrammers, #regram, etc. might be able to get you quality engagement if they are related to your content.
- Instagram has rolled out emoji hashtags. While it doesn’t look professional, if you have a personal account, it’s worth a try. If you are sharing a picture of one of your painting or drawing, using the corresponding emojis might get you some desired engagement.
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If your goal on the platform is to expand the brand awareness and reach, hashtags are a must. Making use of relevant hashtags will help you grow your Instagram account and also reach your target audience. Adhering to the tips listed above can contribute to maximizing the impact of hashtags and make you a pro in using the same. #HappyInstagramming.
