Do I Really Need Hashtags?

by Kelsi Roth, Designer

If you’re dedicating time to creating a presence for your business on Instagram, you’ve likely reached a point where you wonder, “I have no idea what hashtags to use, why do I even bother with them?” It sounds unlikely that anyone would be searching for a #SuperSpecificThing, right? Well, according to recent Instagram statistics, hashtags really do matter – posts with at least 1 hashtag get higher engagement than those with none, and hashtags are the fastest way to grow your following with a relevant audience. Here are a few tips for thinking outside the box when it comes to your hashtags.

Think About Each Customer:

Are you advertising a bohemian necklace? Classic diamond studs? A watercolor-inspired cuff? Take a minute to think about what each of these purchasers might also be interested in. It could be #LiveFree for our boho girls, #Fashion for classic style, and #art (a top 100 tag) for the shopper looking for something unique.

Look Closer at Your Image:

Look at the props, clothing, setting, and accessories included in the image you’re sharing. Is it on a beach? #Beach and #BeachNails are both popular tags that could be relevant to your photo. Is your model holding a mug or travel coffee? #Coffee is a tag that is known for its high engagement. 

Think About Trends: 

Music festival attendance is on the rise and so are the associated hashtags. #MusicFestivals2019 has thousands of results, and if you can connect it to a specific event in your area, that’s even better. Healthy living is trending as well, with tags like #HealthyLife and #Fitness getting high views and engagement.

Get Local:

Are there sayings or slogans specific to your area that you can leverage? For example, Fruchtman Marketing is based out of Toledo where #YouWillDoBetterinToledo garners new views every day. 

Mix It Up:

Don’t use the same hashtags on every single photo. Instagram’s algorithm discourages this practice by prioritizing users that vary the usage of popular hashtags. If you use #love (the number one most popular hashtag) on every image, Instagram will stop showing your images in the explore feed. 

Use a Tool:

There are many tools on the market that help you find popular and relevant hashtags, and evaluate your performance based on hashtags, many of which are free to use. 

A Few to Try:

TagBlender https://www.tagblender.net/

AllHasthag https://www.all-hashtag.com/index.php

SeekMetrics https://seekmetrics.com/ 

 

Sources

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/

https://www.oberlo.com/blog/best-instagram-hashtags-for-likes