I’m always encouraging clients to try and understand the importance of hashtags.
Hashtags are an integral part of Instagram. They can do everything from help you expand your reach and connect to new customers, to track user-generated content (UGC) or spark discussion. There’s a lot riding on using the right hashtag tactics to get more engagement and followers on the platform.
Instagram recently released a feature that allows users to follow hashtags in addition to other users. Users can now follow everything from #CheltenhamFestival to #sharpfoxsocial. And if you can crack the hashtags your target audience is most likely to follow, you have an instant way to get into the feeds of audience members who may not have heard about you yet.
Fairly generic hashtags are the ones most likely to be followed by users in large quantities, like #TGIF or #retailtherapy, so those are a good place to start.
Find a few really popular hashtags that apply to your business and start attaching them more frequently to your posts.
Subjects involving community of some sort may also have immense benefit, whether it’s local or niche interest such as Mad Men or Great British Bake Off. Own a bakery and have a butterbeer cupcake? Tag some popular Harry Potter hashtags.
I’m going to take you through three ways your business can use hashtags more effectively on Instagram.
1: Use Multiple Location Hashtags to Build on Local Awareness
This hashtag tactic can help you increase follower count more than any other. If you’re a local business (even if you’re heavily ecommerce), using location-based hashtags is an excellent way to connect with your community. People love supporting businesses in their area, and are likely to scout out local events and places on the platform. This can help put you on their radar even if you weren’t before.
SharpFox Tip : Try using at least three location-based hashtags on every post for your local business. By diversifying the hashtags you use, you’re more likely to reach different people in your target audience over time.
2: Use Fun Hashtags to Give Your Brand Some Personality
If it suits your brand, throw in a few fun or tongue-in-cheek hashtags. This is a great way to add personality to your profile to appeal to users and boost engagement. These are hashtags you may not expect a lot of people to search for, but they can add some extra oomph to your caption. This tactic can also give your brand a solid, distinct voice that people will want to follow.
In some cases, these might be the very first hashtags you use in the sequence because you want users to read them; the others may be there only for reach purposes. To illustrate, if you are a cupcake maker, you might experiment with sarcasm in the hashtag #eatingclean.
If you own a shop, try hashtag sequences like #whosaidshoppingcantfixeverything #theylied #yesitcan. It sounds a bit daft, but it can work, and you may find followers actually comment just on the hashtags on occasion.
3: Create Branded Hashtags to Encourage UGC Campaign Participation
Having your own hashtag can generate conversation while simultaneously making it easier to track the discussion, even if it happens off of your channel. It’s why all big-name brands have hashtags that often include their brand name (like #Boden) and maybe even seasonal or competition hashtags.
Having your own hashtag also gives you a distinct edge. A lot of brands struggle to get the user generated content (UGC) they want to help them promote their brand.
Most customers, however, are more than happy to create content; they’re just waiting for some instructions.
Give users ideas on what kind of content to create (like “Did you get #Marriedintherain? Let us know!”) to encourage sharing. And here’s the big bonus: When users attach the hashtag, they’re sharing content in a way that you can track and benefit from, all while their friends and followers are being exposed to your brand, too.
Research Hashtags for Popularity and Trending Potential
Most businesses and online marketers understand the importance of keyword research. Like keywords for your site, the right hashtags can help you show up in searches and allow your target audience to find you.
Because it’s good practice to put multiple hashtags on each post, this means you’ll want to do hashtag research upfront using a tool like www.hashtagify.me When you search for a hashtag, you’ll see the total and recent popularity for that hashtag, helping you sort out trending topics or event-related hashtags that are no longer relevant.
Hashtagify will also show you other hashtags related to the one you searched, giving you some new ideas for other terms and phrases that might appeal to your target audience. This will save you heaps of time in the long run.
Choosing the right hashtags can make a world of difference in both your engagement and reach on Instagram, so this isn’t an area you want to ignore. Take time to do your research, test different strategies, and track results to see which hashtags seem to work best for you over time. Particularly with the hashtag following feature on Instagram, this can pay off even more than it has historically.
Want more super hashtag tips? Download the hashtag resource e-book from our web shop!
