Not sure about the use of hashtags in your Instagram photo?
We feel you.
I was once stuck choosing which Instagram hashtags to use but now it gets easier.
We’ve simplified the concept and process for you to help you frame your content better and understand how helpful and beneficial Instagram hashtags can be.
Let’s dive right in.
What is an Instagram Hashtag?
An Instagram hashtag is a word or group of words that are put together without any spaces in between, preceded by the symbol # (i.e. #photography, #photooftheday, #instaphoto).
A hashtag is primarily used to organize content and make it easy for users to discover or search for photos. When included in the description of a photo, it is clickable. Once clicked, the user is redirected to a landing page that reveals all the photos using the same hashtag.
How Do You Choose Which Hashtags to Use for Your Photo?
Social media and marketing experts do not advise that you choose or use hashtags indiscriminately. You also need to be strategic and mindful that it aligns with the values that your brand represents.
When choosing hashtags to include in your photo, consider the following:
- Use descriptive hashtags to identify the main topic of the content.
- Try daily hashtags to showcase a theme such as #ThrowbackThursday.
- Include branded hashtags that are related to the kind of business you maintain.
- Consider community hashtags that reveal information and highlight opinions.
- Use location hashtags to reveal your location.
- Attach event hashtags to push activities and happenings.
- Try using campaign hashtags that are distinct and associated with marketing initiatives.
- Include a phrase hashtag containing famous quotes or quips.
How many hashtags do you put in a single post?
Instagram will allow you to add a maximum of 30 hashtags per post. In your IG stories, you can include a maximum of ten. While you have the freedom to determine how many you would like to include, going as high as 20 or 30 is not advised by experts.
You can experiment as much as you like, but it would be best to consider a smaller number only. Some experts even recommend that content creators use three to five hashtags only.
There is no hard and fast rule regarding the use of Instagram hashtags but you can always try what works best for you. Don’t be wary about making your experiments to see how your target audience will respond.
Read more: Best Time to Post on Instagram? A Full Guide
Top Instagram Hashtags of 2022
Hashtags are not just effective in getting more people to see your post. They are also a great way to immortalize moments, experiences, and feelings of people. We looked at some of the top hashtags of 2022 to give you a clear picture of what users normally post or like to look at.
1. #Instagood
This hashtag is commonly used to showcase someone’s best photo. It can also be used for a photo that the user is very proud of.
2. #Picoftheday
This hashtag can be used for any kind of content, from group photos to pets, flowers, sunsets, funny moments, rare captures, or simple celebrations. Some users also tend to use the hashtag to emphasize the rarity of a photo.
3. #OOTD (Outfit of the Day)
A lot of Instagram users like to flaunt their outfits to express their fashion taste. This hashtag is undeniably a crowd favorite and can also be used to look for outfit ideas for specific events.
4. #Instalike
People normally use this to promote or showcase a happy or light moment worth sharing with the rest of the world. If you’re looking for some good vibes, you may want to check out this hashtag or use it yourself to send some positivity to others.
5. #Friends
When you’re proud of your friends, or the fact that you have some, this is an apt hashtag to use. And remember, your content does not necessarily have to involve people.
4 Primary Ways IG Hashtags Help Marketers Fulfill Their Jobs
Marketers have one main job – to draw attention to a brand.
It’s for this reason that they are constantly finding new ways to promote a brand, get it noticed, create awareness, and position it in the market. Whatever they come up with will determine the success, or failure, of any product or service.
This is where creativity comes in. Along with it comes thorough research and an understanding of trends in the market today.
You need to also study how other brands are doing it, especially the ones that are going viral or are constantly trending.
Creating content is now an art form and necessitates planning and proper execution in order to succeed.
Without a doubt, Instagram hashtags are an effective tool in helping marketers get their job done excellently. Here are four primary ways they help marketers fulfill their jobs:
1. It promotes social media campaigns effectively.
Using the right hashtags can promote a brand strategically. That is why it is important to know what are the popular hashtags on Instagram today that you can relate to or connect with the brand you are promoting.
Apart from being able to push your brand effectively, using the right set of hashtags will also allow you to monitor what other kinds of content are using them.
2. It improves the discovery of a brand.
The likelihood that multiple Instagram users will see your content by clicking one of the hashtags you are using is quite high.
If you are using top hashtags, people will most likely scan the photos belonging to specific categories. It is vital that you identify hashtags that either complement or align with your brand. Using the wrong hashtag can give your brand backlash.
3. It gives the brand a wider reach.
As can be expected, marketers would want more and more people to see their promotional content.
The right hashtag will increase your brand’s chances of appearing in the newsfeed of multiple Instagram users, especially those who do not follow your brand’s account yet.
You can never go wrong with hashtags if you want to reach more people outside of your brand’s sphere of influence.
4. It allows a brand to give context
A lot of Instagram users use hashtags randomly and sometimes carelessly. It does not matter to them that the hashtag has no connection whatsoever with their content, but because it is popular it will highly likely draw attention to the new content.
Contextualizing your content will give your target audience an idea of what your brand represents or promotes. Thanks to Instagram hashtags, people can easily search and understand your brand better.
Takeaways with IG Hashtags
Instagram hashtags are designed to make the lives of content creators easier and not toxic. They were created to create order within the social media platform and offer ease to users.
Check out what your competitors are doing and see how people react to their content. Most importantly, check out the different kinds of hashtags they use and how they connect with the brand.
This does not automatically mean you copy their hashtags.
You simply want to get ideas.
Once you’ve discovered the formula that works best for your kind of content, marketing initiatives, and campaigns, feel free you do it over and over again until it needs to be improved again.
