Instagram Hashtags: Art or Science?
Instagram hashtags - art or science? What are they? Are you taking advantage of them? If you are, how effective is your strategy? If you aren’t, it’s time to start! Read on!
What are hashtags and why are they useful when promoting your business?
Hashtags have the ability to be the driving force that promotes your business. An Instagram user may not know of you directly, but if they are searching for a topic that is relevant to your niche, the right hashtags will lead them to your page. The idea is that hashtags categorize your posts and make them more discoverable. They draw people into your posts even if they don’t follow you. Using a hashtag on a public Instagram will make your post visible on the corresponding hashtags page. The difference between a post that utilizes hashtags and a post that doesn’t is that when you use a hashtag you make yourself available to those you have not connected with. A useful hashtag can improve engagement, get you more followers, and pull in more customers for your business.
Are you strategizing your hashtags in accordance with your target audience?
In order for hashtags to work in your favor, they must be strategic. Hashtags work similarly to an internet search in that they are the most effective when you use the right keywords. They should be developed to resonate with your target audience. When brainstorming potential hashtags to use, think about your audience. What are they searching for? What are their interests or questions? Are they looking for a specific place or area? If your hashtags are not proving to be beneficial to your target audience, they are ineffective.
Research the hashtags used in your industry
Before choosing your hashtags, you may want to do some research. Many industries have popular tags which typically means that they reach a lot of people. Note that you are allowed up to thirty hashtags per post so you may want to use a combination of those that have a large number of posts and those that are not as popular. Using well-known tags puts your post in front of a lot of people but also puts you into a little fish big pond scenario. Hashtags that don’t have as many posts can help you avoid the risk of being overlooked. Each has its perks which is why when used together they can give you the outcome you hope for.
Use a variety of different hashtags
Once you are committed to using a hashtag start with deciding on a few general tags to use for every post. Having multiple posts appear on the same hashtag page can make it easier for users to recognize you and your brand. After the general tags, you can include specific ones for each post. Generating a variety of hashtags may just lead you to a follower that didn’t even know they were looking for you! You might also want to consider creating your own tag that is exclusively for your business. This will make it easier for people to find you as your brand grows.
Research hashtags to follow up on the current industry trends
While research can help you find the right hashtags for your posts, it can also assist you in keeping up with your industry trends. Industries are constantly changing and evolving which is why you want to consistently follow up on your general tags. In doing this you can see what other pages similar to you are doing and what is working for others. You can also look into what people are saying about your business and get some insight on what is working for you as well as some areas you may need to improve.
Remember that hashtags are made to promote your posts. Use this resource strategically to capture new leads and build your brand awareness. Now that you know what hashtags are, why they are important and how to use them it’s time to apply them. Get to work and watch your social media presence soar to new heights!
