Do Hashtags Actually Matter?
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In so many conversations with clients, one topic that comes up again and again is hashtags. Do they actually matter? How many are you supposed to use? Where do you put them? What’s the point? Over the years, the way we’ve used hashtags on Instagram has changed significantly, and so has how Instagram treats them in the algorithm. Ultimately, the goal with hashtags is to be intentional rather than spammy. It can be difficult figuring out how to do that well! That’s why today on the blog, I’m sharing my tips for making the most of hashtags.
Why use hashtags?
Hashtags are a way to help your profile get discovered by people who may not have heard of your brand before. A study from Later showed that using just one hashtag averages a 12.6% increase in engagement. That’s pretty amazing!
The tricky part is you have to use the right hashtags. Some of the largest hashtags out there, like #love, have been used over 2 BILLION times! When using larger hashtags, it’s pretty unlikely your content is going to rise to the top. Getting more specific can help your content get discovered by exactly the kinds of people you’re hoping will see it.
How do I get started with hashtags?
One of the best ways to get started in developing a hashtag strategy is taking a look at the landscape in your industry. What hashtags are your peers using? And what kinds of hashtags does your target audience use on Instagram? Examining what’s working for others is a great way to get started experimenting with your own set of hashtags.
Consider launching a branded hashtag specific to your company, too. Include this in your bio and all your posts to build consistency. For example, I use #SMTSdigital on posts about my business and #SMTSblog for posts about my blog. This makes it easy for people to find all my blog content on Instagram through one hashtag. The examples below show how ThirdLove and Procreate are always consistent in including their brand hashtag.
How many hashtags should I use?
Typically, the advice I’ve heard is that you only need to use 10-12 hashtags, no more than 15 per post. That may be surprising since Instagram allows you to use up to 30! There’s no need to use all 30, though. It’s more likely that you’ll be flagged for being spammy if you do.
When writing these blog posts, I often learn something new in my research, and that was the case in taking a closer look at hashtags today. Some experts recommend that if your account has 5,000 followers or less, you only need 6 hashtags total. Most of my clients are in that range, so I’ll be decreasing the number of hashtags we use ASAP! Another expert recommended using only 3 good, relevant hashtags per post. Using fewer hashtags, if they’re strong and specific, can be more impactful than using more giant, less specific hashtags.
It’s also important to remember that hashtags won’t make or break your Instagram game. Plenty of accounts thrive without using any hashtags at all--whether you’re an international pop star like Dua Lipa or a beloved local coffee shop like Ugly Duck.
Where do I put hashtags?
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about where hashtags belong. Should you hide them in the caption after several line breaks? Should you put them in the first comment? Studies have shown that posts perform better when you put hashtags below the caption after several line breaks, rather than putting them in a separate comment.
Another place hashtags shouldn’t go? In the copy of your caption. When we all first started using Instagram, that was much more common. For example, “Having a #delicious #latte from @uglyduckcoffee.” You don’t see that as much anymore! If you include hashtags in the middle of your caption copy, it gives you away quickly as being out of touch.
What should I never do with hashtags?
Be sure to avoid banned hashtags. Instagram periodically bans certain hashtags because they generate so much spam, or can be harmful to users. For example, some hashtags promoting eating disorders have been banned. The most up to date list I could find was from 2019, but take a peek as some of them may surprise you.
What other tips do you have for me?
Depending on what type of business you run, location-specific hashtags can be useful. For example, if you’re a restaurant in Rochester, hashtags like #rochesterny or #rochestereats can help your content be seen by folks in your area.
Try using campaign-specific hashtags for certain campaigns or seasons. This can help you track all social content for that campaign. One example of this is the #Heelerween campaign by children’s TV show Bluey this spooky season.
Bluey only uses two hashtags per post, both are brand-specific and one is campaign-specific
Most scheduling tools have a hashtag manager feature where you can save specific hashtag groups so you can add them easily when scheduling posts.
I’m sure you’ve seen common weekly hashtags like #MondayMotivation or #ThrowbackThursday. Try putting your own unique spin on it that suits your niche! For example, plant lovers often use #MonsteraMonday and it has a vibrant community that’s grown up around it.
Be sure to check your Insights regularly. On each post, you can see how many people arrived at that post through hashtags. If you see that number soar when you’ve used a certain group of hashtags, you’ll know you’re on to something!
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