I really hope you’re adding hashtags to each post you do on Instagram! Hashtags can really help you grow your community, attract ideal followers and clients and can be used as a way to discover content/accounts. With only minutes of planning and research, you can really increase the reach your post gets by using hashtags strategically. With some thought, you can utilize hashtags to tap into an audience that your content is really speaking to. You don’t need to use a ton in fact – less is more and quality is certainly better than quantity in this case.
Location-inspired hashtags
These are hashtags that are location inspired, based on where you are from or who you are speaking to. These hashtags can be really big or more specific. Think #Toronto – which has been used over 4.2 million times vs. #TorontoBusiness which has been used 119,000 times.
Using a hashtag that has been used millions of times isn’t the best strategy. Chances are your post will be bumped quickly as other’s post with the same hashtag. Try to localize with hashtags, this will help you hit your local market!
Branded hashtags
Trying to build a community? Throw in your own, branded hashtag. For me, I use #boywhoblogs. This helps to give anyone who clicks through to that hashtag to get a general idea of what sort of content I’m creating.
Use other branded hashtags to find a community that makes sense. For example, at work, we use #brandambition. This allows me to find posts from people who have worked with us or who have attended one of our workshops. It’s a great way to connect with an audience of people who could be interested in what you have to offer. Using branded hashtags will allow you to organize aspects of your biz into a category for both you and your followers. This makes it easy to interact and engage with one another.
Intentional, relevant hashtags
Don’t piss off the algorithm, okay!? If you’re using #foodie and there is no meal in your photo – your not getting the most out of using that hashtag. Not only is that a huge, overused hashtag – it’s not allowing anyone viewing content with that hashtag to see what they want to see – food!
Instagram is smart. They’re using image recognition software so if they notice that your image has nothing to do with the hashtag in use, they’re going to suppress the reach. Remember, the algorithm is in place to try and keep users on the app for as long as possible. This allows them to serve more ads, make more money and to create an enjoyable experience for users. They’re curating what you see and if your hashtags are not relevant – they’re not going to favour your content!
