The most common element about Instagram since its inception in 2010 is the #hashtag. They are still (and probably will always be) an effective way to get more views and better engagement on Instagram content. A post that has at least one hashtag increases its engagement by 12.6%. Hence, it’s important to have a hashtag strategy for all your posts and stories on Instagram. When used correctly, they lead people organically to your content.
There are different types of hashtags including community hashtags, campaign-only hashtags and branded hashtags. These are hashtags that are unique to your business. Each needs strategic attention when considering the type of return that you hope to achieve on your posts. Similarly, instead of using the most trending hashtags on Instagram, such as #love or #instagood, you could create ones that are niche to your brand, therefore, engaging with audiences relevant to your industry. To sit favourably with the Instagram Algorithm, you must change your sets of hashtags across your content sharing.
Having a strategy that best fits your brand and is relevant to a chosen audience will not only help your content receive more engagement, but you will gain new followers too. If your strategy is consistent with your target market, hashtags can translate to new customers for your business. Users of Instagram use hashtags to discover content, so applying them to your Instagram strategy can help break through the traffic of the Instagram world and the Explore page.
Lastly, Instagram allows a maximum of 30 hashtags per post and a maximum of 10 hashtags on Instagram Stories. Choosing how many to use needs to be part of your strategy as well. Bear in mind that some hashtags have also been stereotyped as spam content by “bots”. The success they can bring will only be possible if you carefully consider their importance and potential impact on your business and brand.
