Greetings, and welcome to another another installment of our Expert Series! Our intention in doing these interviews is to provide you with the most cutting-edge advice and strategies for expanding your Instagram following from the most knowledgeable experts in the field.
Simply Put: Instagram
Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has been rapidly rising in the ranks of social media networks. Its growth in popularity has put it ahead of Twitter and Snapchat and second only to Facebook, its parent corporation.
Forbes claims that Instagram’s “visual nature, mobile functionality, simplicity of interaction,” and the effectiveness of influencer marketing are the driving forces behind the platform’s meteoric rise in popularity.
Hashtags, however, have played a vital role in facilitating the constant discovery of new information and profiles for its users.
An Explanation of Instagram Hashtags
To help users find your material, you may include hashtags (which function like search terms) in the description or comments of your Instagram posts. When you apply the correct Instagram hashtag approach, it also provides context for your content. Using a hashtag in front of a public post makes it accessible to everyone looking for that term.
I’ll let our expert explain the difference between the two primary categories of Instagram hashtags using the Instagram hashtag strategy guide below.
Branded hashtags
Using branded hashtags to collect user-generated content for resharing on Instagram is a fantastic method to manage many campaigns at once.
A branded hashtag is one that is specifically associated with your company. Your company’s name, slogan, or the name of one of your products or campaigns can all suffice. Alternatively it may be a hashtag that has nothing to do with your brand’s name but represents it well.
Community hashtags
One of the finest hashtag techniques for 2023 is the usage of community hashtags, like as #dogsofinstagram or #dailycortado, which bring together people who have a same interest in a certain issue. A “wonderful method to engage with people, enhance the SEO of your posts, get followers, and create your own community” is to incorporate them into your postings. (Later)
Branded hashtags, on the other hand, are made to link topics for you and your audience, while community hashtags are made to help spread your message farther. In addition to promoting campaigns, they may also be used to collect UGC.
If you want to increase your Instagram following, why not use a hashtag?
Seventy percent of Instagram postings never ever get seen. To quote Smart Insights:
It’s been more difficult for photos to get viewed organically on Instagram since the platform implemented a new algorithm driven feed in 2016.
If you use the proper hashtags, you may reach people who are both related to your business and perhaps interested in what you have to offer. In addition, postings with at least one hashtag on Instagram receive 12.6% more likes and comments than those that do not.
Taylor claims that using hashtags is a top strategy for expanding your Instagram following. In order to reach both broad and specific audiences on Instagram, it’s important to use the appropriate hashtags (or combinations of hashtags) in your posts.
In reality, using hashtags greatly improves your ability to gain more followers, gain more likes, and boost engagement.
The quick response? Positivity in the form of Instagram hashtags. Possibilities for improvement are increased by using a fresh Instagram hashtag approach.
Guidelines for Selecting Successful Instagram Hashtags
But, while it may appear that everyone has an opinion on hashtags — some of us adore them, while others never use them at all — here are a few tried and true strategies.
Prioritize Importance above Fad Appeal
While using the hashtags #love, #happy, and #dog on Instagram may increase your likes count, it won’t help your account develop in the long term.
Choose the top Instagram hashtags that have an active community behind them and are relevant to your target audience rather than the most popular Instagram hashtags. As a result, you’ll be able to optimise your Instagram page using the most effective hashtags.
Promote Your Content With Trending Hashtags
Find out what hashtags your target market is using and evaluate whether or not they’re appropriate for the type of material you’re about to release. Hashtags are only useful if they include terms that people are actively looking for.
Make Use of Popular Hashtags Used by Your Rivals
It’s a good idea to spy on the hashtags your rivals are using. With this method, you may find out which hashtags are the most popular.
And even if you don’t set out to compete on those hashtags, you could learn a thing or two about your target audience and the topics they’re discussing by paying attention to the hashtags they’re using. Maybe you’ll even learn some new hashtags to incorporate into your social media posts!
Promoting UGC with Hashtags
The ideal method to utilise hashtags, in my opinion, is for user-generated content on Instagram. The power of Instagram lies in its ability to encourage user participation in marketing efforts by accepting user-generated material for free reposting.