Using hashtags effectively

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More outreach, more likes, more comments – with the right hashtags, you can improve the performance of your posts in the long term. However, there is no singular golden hashtag strategy. Depending on the size of your channel, your topics and the current trends, one hashtag sometimes performs better than the other. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can utilize to effectively use hashtags and personally tailor them to your content.

Interesting facts about hashtags

What are hashtags?

Hashtags are keywords. With them, feelings, hobbies, situations, and products can be briefly and concisely put into words and described. At the same time, contributions can be assigned to specific topics, communities, or brands.

Originally, Twitter users in particular used the short keywords, but they can now be found on almost all social networks. But now, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok have recognized the benefits and charm that hashtags bring. Even in everyday life, you encounter them more and more. For example, on posters, in films, in advertisements, as well as in songs.

For you as a content creator, hashtags are primarily a great way to generate greater outreach, likes, and comments. In fact, you can get up to 70 percent more engagement from your posts thanks to these keywords.

Types of hashtags

Depending on what you want to express with your posts, other hashtags can be used. There are different types of hashtags that you can use for your account. Most often you will encounter:

  • Location-based hashtags like #paris, #london, #berlin. These are perfect for sharing your favourite sightseeing and travel pics.
  • Use descriptive hashtags to delve deeper into your content. Some examples include, #shopping, #writing, #crocheting, #handmade or #beautytips.
  • Community hashtags bring you and your community closer together. These include, for example, #workingmoms, #curvyinfluencer or #coffeelover.
  • Branded hashtags are ideal for posts that are closely related to a business. Product names, slogans or company names are typical branded keywords.
  • Campaign hashtags are usually only used for a short time, usually as part of a special campaign, such as for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or a competition.

In addition, there are of course numerous other keywords that you can use. Trending hashtags, in particular, can propel your posts to the top if you use them correctly.

The right hashtags for your account

You’ve planned a nice post, written the perfect caption and now you want to push your post with the right hashtags. Instead of randomly using the first few keywords that come to mind, make the effort to create a collection of hashtags for your channel before posting. The better the keywords match your content, the better your posts will perform. This requires thorough research.

Research is the be-all and end-all

The easiest way to find the right hashtags is to use the Instagram search feature. Type a # plus the first letters of your topic in the search bar, and keywords will be suggested to you. Make a note of the variants that best match your content. Check out the Explore section for more inspiration. Look for posts that catch your eye. It is also worth taking a look at the accounts of other content creators. What terms do other influencers use in their posts and stories?

Alternatively, some tools suggest (related) hashtags. Do you know, for example, TagsFinder or the Keyword Tool?

Check all the results that apply to you:

  • In which context are they used?
  • Who uses them?
  • How often are they used?
  • Do they fit your target audience?

Having these questions in mind helps avoid confusion and can prevent you from using a hashtag that may address the wrong community or has been blocked by Instagram. This could otherwise have a negative impact on the reach of your channel.

Short and precise

First and foremost, look for short hashtags that are easy to read. The longer the word, the more difficult it is to decipher and the more likely it is that you make typing errors. In addition, the keywords should optimally describe the content of your account. If your channel is all about beauty tips, your keywords should be aligned with that topic. Likewise, your hashtags should be suitable if you’re posting primarily about fitness, nutrition, or fashion.

The right amount

On Instagram, you have the option of posting up to 30 hashtags per post. For micro-influencers in particular, it can be worthwhile to fully exploit this number in order to achieve more reach. Some marketing experts recommend using no more than 10+ hashtags per post. Instagram itself has announced that using three to five keywords per post is optimal. Whether your posts are seen well ultimately depends more on a good selection than on a large number of tags. Typically, the more followers you have, the fewer tags you need to receive engagement.

It’s the mix that counts

A good mix of small, medium and large hashtags is often the key to an effective hashtag strategy. Numerous terms are exceedingly popular. For example, the hashtag #love is used in over 2 billion posts. However, the more popular (and therefore more general) a hashtag is, the less likely it is that your post will end up in the top posts. You should therefore combine large hashtags with medium-sized (50,000 to 200,000 posts) and small (10,000 to 50,000) posts, for example in a ratio of 10-10-10.

Caption or comment?

Instagram also offers you the option of placing your hashtags directly in your caption or including them as a comment. What you choose makes no difference and is entirely up to you. For some content creators, however, many tags in the caption seem confusing, so they prefer to hide them in the first comment.

Embrace trends

In addition to particularly popular hashtags, there are keywords that pick up on a trend. Most of the time, these relate to a current topic or a challenge that is currently circulating. If you’re among the first to post on this trend, there’s a good chance you’ll reach a lot of people and be featured in the top posts. So, keep your eyes open!

Create a hashtag collection

Have you found hashtags that best suit your channel? Then create a hashtag collection. Divide your results by topic, reach, and timeliness. An organizer tool can help you create your collection. Ideally, you should create several collections at the same time so that you always have the right keywords at hand. One tip is to never use the same hashtag combinations. This increases your chances of being found by different people in your community.

Use synonyms and create your own hashtags

The same hashtags every time? Synonyms provide variety. An alternative to the huge hashtag #paris (134,675,323) is #jetaimeparis (158,051 posts). Also, think about your own hashtags: If a topic is important to you, you can set trends with terms you have created yourself or attract a lot of attention as part of a campaign for a company.

Regular evaluation

You should take your time and regularly review your strategy. To do this, call up the insights of your posts and compare how many impressions come from hashtags. If you’ve chosen the right keywords, this number should increase over time.

Ready? #Letsdothis

If you want to use hashtags effectively, you first have to do extensive research. But the time invested will definitely pay off – the more thoroughly you search, select and collect, the better your strategy will work. It is important that you regularly check the performance of your posts and adjust them if necessary. Over time, you will certainly develop a sense of which keywords fit your account and your topics.

 

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About the Author

Büsra Cavundur

Büşra is the country manager for the UK and Ireland market at stylink.