Why Hashtags Matter
Hashtags allow users to categorize their posts and connect them with relevant audiences. They can increase the visibility of your post by making it more discoverable to those who are not following you yet, but who are interested in the specific hashtags you’ve used. Therefore, incorporating them into your Instagram strategy can be a great way to grow your following organically.
Research and Pick Relevant Hashtags
The first step in effective hashtagging is research. Start by identifying the ten most popular hashtags related to your niche. For instance, if you’re into fitness, you can research and pick up hashtags such as #fitnessmotivation, #fitfam, or #workoutroutine. Follow this by looking at other hashtags used by the most popular accounts within your niche. Use these hashtags to find even more relevant ones.
Make Use of Instagram Features
Instagram has built-in hashtag features that can help you maximize your reach. Features such as ‘Explore Tab’ and ‘Hashtag following’ allow users to find new hashtags, niche accounts, and content. You can add up to 30 hashtags per post, which can be tedious and time-consuming to add manually. Thus, be sure to utilize the ‘auto-suggest’ feature when typing in hashtags and ‘copy and paste’ feature to save your go-to hashtags in a note section on your smartphone for future use.
Create Your Own Branded Hashtag
A branded hashtag is solely unique to your account or brand. Through consistent use, it can become a symbol of your brand philosophy and values. You can use it while posting new content related to your brand, events, or contest announcements. Therefore, encourage your audience and those in your niche to take part by using the branded hashtag in their posts, thus amplifying your reach beyond your audience. For instance, Coca-Cola has used the hashtag #ShareACoke to encourage its customers to share photos of themselves enjoying their drinks, resulting in millions of social media impressions.
Avoid Overused Hashtags
While it might be tempting to use the most popular hashtags to increase visibility, overusing them will lead Instagram to flag your account as spam and restrict your reach. For instance, hashtags like #love, #food, or #fashion have millions of posts, making it hard for a new account to break through, especially since larger accounts with a higher engagement rate usually dominate them. Therefore, go for a mixture of more specific and long-tail hashtags that can keep your post on the top of the Instagram feed for a more extended period.
Track Analytics and Measure Progress
Finally, always monitor the engagement on your posts and identify which hashtags are generating the most impressions, likes, and comments. Always focus on these hashtags that have given you the most significant impact in the past while discovering new ones and improving your current content for better results.
Conclusion
Hashtagging is a valuable Instagram tool that can help you grow your following organically by making your brand more discoverable. Invest your time and thought in selecting relevant hashtags that align with your brand, the message you want to convey, and the audience you are targeting. Stay aware of your analytics, update your strategy, and continue creating more engaging content. Dive deeper into the topic and discover new viewpoints with this specially selected external content. Delve into this valuable research!
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