Trying to figure out how to use the hashtags on Instagram?
Here's all you need to know about it. 5 important points that I find very useful.
1) FOLLOW HASHTAGS relevant to your business on Instagram
You just start seeing the post that use the tag and therefore start commenting on those!
This enables you to see what other people in the industry are upto (keepin’ an eye). You can like their post as well as comment on ‘em to boost your presence.
2) STARBUCKS APPROACH (wondering what it is?)
You know when you go to Starbucks and there are those COFFEE CUPS in different sizes- short, tall, grande and venti!
Use the hashtags in same way (doesn’t mean I’m overly caffeinated). You should pick at least 4 hashtags that are-
a. Short- which means the hashtag has 25K posts or fewer
b. Tall- under 50K posts
c. Grande- under 100K posts
d. Venti- go apeshit on this one with 1 million or more
For example if you are a marketing agency based in Sydney, your hashtags would be as follows; short- #sydneymarketing (10.3K posts), tall- #digitalmarketers (47.2K posts), grande- #sydneybusiness (99K posts) and venti- #digitalmarketing (10.3M posts). You must try to include LOCATION SPECIFIC hashtags in the short and tall ones.
3) Choose RELEVANCE over POPULARITY on Instagram
The key to expand your followers is choosing relevancy over popularity on Instagram.
You want to ensure that the hashtags you use are a good match for both the style of your account and the purpose of your post.
One should know the art of choosing relevant hashtags and when to avoid trending yet generic tags. For example hashtags like #trending, #tbt, #instagood, #photooftheday must be very popular but won't help your brand grow.
4) The more you know, the less you need (don't worry we are talking about hashtags only)
Instagram allows you to put 30 hashtags per caption but there is no need to use it all. A study suggests that you should use not more than 11 hashtags in your caption.
Wondering why? Here's the breakdown
0 Hashtags – 18% interaction per 1k followers
1 Hashtag – 29% interaction per 1k followers
2 Hashtags – 41% interaction per 1k followers
3 Hashtags – 39% interaction per 1k followers
4 Hashtags – 31% interaction per 1k followers
5 Hashtags – 43% interaction per 1k followers
6 Hashtags – 33% interaction per 1k followers
7 Hashtags – 30% interaction per 1k followers
8 Hashtags – 39.5% interaction per 1k followers
9 Hashtags – 49.5% interaction per 1k followers
10 Hashtags – 22% interaction per 1k followers
11 Hashtags – 79.5% interaction per 1k followers
Another study states that you should include only 5 most relevant hashtags in your caption and the rest you can put it in the comment after you've posted the picture!
5) Create your own hashtag
Be creative and make your own hashtag so that people can search you or land on your profile based on the tag!
Initially it feels like you're talking to the walls but if you want to grow your account, trust me, it is very useful tip.
Keep it simple at the same time and relevant to your business or business name. You never know your hashtag could be the next trending one!
To conclude, you need to use all the 5 tips mentioned above to create a competitive advantage for yourself on Instagram. These tips will help your account grow but let me remind you to get the overnight success you need to work hard for it.
If you want expert help on social media, Contact us! We will look after your social media, create posts, write captions, engage audience, provide insights, design logo, and for more contact us! Drop an enquiry today if you found this article useful.
PRO TIP: Your hashtags will work better if you have great visuals, because people are scanning the feed, you need to stand out!