If you are even a little familiar with a social network like Instagram (sure you are), you should know about hashtags. These are clickable labels that start with a # sign. Perhaps you even subscribe to some hashtags and regularly read fresh posts, for example, on the topic #sport, #news, #recipes. It is very convenient, you do not need to search for something in the search bar every time. You’re probably wondering: How to make hashtags work for you? Let’s take a look at how to correctly use these tags when promoting a business on Instagram in 2022.
In This Article
How Instagram hashtags work
So, if you publish a post where you did 20 push-ups in your backyard, and insert a hashtag into it (for example, #homeworkout), then it will be displayed in the feed of those users who are interested in home workouts. Even if these users were not subscribed to you previously. This is very interesting if you have a business account on Instagram. For example, you can sell cakes in your city. By posting a photo of attractive sweets with the name of your city and the # sign, you could theoretically become more popular with sweets nearby. This is the major reason to use Instagram hashtags for likes and new subscribers.
In 2021-2022, you no longer need to manually select hashtags yourself, re-reading hundreds of posts of your competitors. They can be generated automatically using free online services. The most accessible and simple service today is the Inflact Instagram tag maker. You just need to enter the keyword or topic of your post, and the program will select the most relevant and relevant hashtags by itself. And then you just need to copy and paste it into your post. Usually, hashtags are inserted at the end of a post. But if you have reached the 2200 character limit set by Instagram, you can put hashtags in the first comment below the post.
So, hashtags on Instagram perform important functions. They increase reach and engagement on Instagram, bring new subscribers or customers, remind old customers of you and structure the content. To test how hashtags work, do an experiment. Publish one post without hashtags, and select 20-30 hashtags of different frequencies for the second. The first results will be visible within 24 hours. But usually, hashtags provide a long-term gain in reach. If you compare in a week or a month, the result will be even more impressive – the coverage on posts with hashtags will be several tens of times higher.
How to use different types of hashtags
Remember the first rule – hashtags only work with open accounts. There is no point in using them if your page is private. Want hashtags to help you gain popularity? Open an account! The second rule is that they can be used not only in posts but also in Stories. True, you won’t be able to use more than 10 hashtags in a Story, while in a post you can add up to 30.
Hashtags on Instagram are branded, navigational, and geolocation.
- Branded are your personal copyright tags. They can contain the brand name, your first or last name. They will help users to find your unique content.
- Navigational hashtags help subscribers navigate your account and categorize the content. This is sort of a heading or table of contents for your blog or Instagram store.
- Geolocation helps to get followers among people nearby. This type of hashtags works especially well for local businesses and specialty services.
There are also hashtags that are born as a result of some trend or socio-cultural phenomenon (for example, #covid19). But do not use them if your post is not relevant to this topic. Users can report irrelevant content and your account may be in shadowban.
There are also hashtags for likes and followings. Previously, they were heavily used to get other users to like your posts. But this method has outlived its usefulness, as it usually attracts a non-target audience. Today this is no longer relevant, so it is better to refrain from hashtags such as #instalike or #mutualsubscription.
Conclusion: Next year, the use of hashtags on Instagram will continue to be relevant. However, today they require a more intelligent approach. You should not copy everything or paste the same hashtags into every single post. If you want them to really work for you and bring new followers, choose your hashtags carefully using online search tools.
To increase engagement on Instagram, it is not the quantity that matters, but the quality of hashtags. Don’t be a spammer, don’t carefully analyze every hashtag under your posts. Use only relevant hashtags and track statistics. Remember that hashtags don’t give lightning-speed results, but they will work for you for years. Therefore, the time spent looking for hashtags will definitely pay off.
