Social media is a complex industry. While they all have similar elements, each social media site differs wildly from one another. Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are three extremely popular platforms that have separate marketing strategies, and knowing which ones to use can determine the level of your success. One social media platform in particular has a very unique set of rules: Instagram. This platform works with its own symbols. And there you have a new challenge: popular Instagram hashtags.
Because descriptions have a near endless character limit, hashtags can be so plentiful that it could be considered an abuse of the system. When your business is running an Instagram account, you’re going to want to use popular Instagram hashtags to draw the most attention.
What Are Hashtags?
There are over 70 million photos shared every day on Instagram. With such an incredibly large number, organizing these photos by subject matter is a vital step. Otherwise, you’d be browsing through a mishmash of content. Adding popular Instagram hashtags to your post makes it far easier for viewers to find, like, and comment on your Instagram posts. The more your post is seen, the more followers you’ll have, which increases your social media standing.
Hashtags can be clicked upon to see all the posts under that specific word. For example, if you tag a post with #sunset, clicking on that tag would show you every post tagged as a sunset. The more popular your post is, the higher it’s going to show on Instagram’s listing.
Who Uses Instagram Hashtags?
Instagram is often seen as a platform used by younger generations, and can frequently be overlooked by brands looking to market themselves. However, the case is quite the opposite. Around 86% of the Interbrand 100 list has an Instagram account. Engagement with brands has increased dramatically over the years, and only shows continual improvement. This level of success is the result of popular Instagram hashtags.
Engagement is the top priority on Instagram, due to the fact that the platform lists posts based on popularity. With the right hashtags, your post will reach far and wide, increasing engagement. Brands can very well join in on the fun when hashtags are properly used. #Summer is currently in the Top 30 hashtags on Instagram. A business selling soft drinks, for example, could use this to their advantage.
How Can You Benefit From the Use of Hashtags?
More engagement means more customers and clients. Spending your time finding the perfect hashtag to include in your post is well worth the effort. However, there is an art to including popular Instagram hashtags in your posts, including just how many you should add. The sweet spot regarding the number of tags is about 1-7. The limit for each post is 30 tags total. If you feel as though you can add more relevant tags to a post, go right ahead. But be aware of this ceiling.
Likewise, tagging your location may help with engagement. Some users are going to search local areas for posts. This helps tremendously if your business is local. The difference might not be staggering, but it is something to consider. Considering it only takes a few seconds to tag a location, it’s always worth it to try.
Hashtags also show that your brand knows what it’s doing when it comes to social media. When appealing to an audience, the ability to be tech savvy is how you’re going to look like a proper brand. Keeping those tags relevant and interesting is also important, as it shows you aren’t just adding them to spam unrelated tags.
4 Basic Steps to Choose the Perfect Hashtags
- Tagging websites: One of the easiest ways to find the right hashtag for your post is to use an online website that will tell you the most recent popular tags. TagBlender is a great place to start. It’s easy to use, and lists the most popular Instagram hashtags for you. It even allows you to choose a topic of interest. Clicking one of the buttons will give you relevant hashtags, so you can add them to your post and make the most of it.
- Location, location, location! Consider combining location along with the service you’re providing. Are you an HVAC repair business located in New York? Perhaps you could tag your post with, #NYC or #NewYorkSummer. This way, your post will show up for anyone searching through posts about summer in New York. People may realize they need HVAC repair before fall, gaining you business.
- The @ button is free: Using the @ symbol before typing the name of an account will notify that account of your post. This can be used in a variety of ways that would benefit you. Tagging specific and noteworthy clients, for example, could lend you an endorsement. Be creative and experiment.
- Go long: Length of an Instagram post doesn’t usually affect its ranking or engagement. Because of this, you might want to add as many popular Instagram hashtags as you can. You’ll show up in many different searches, and visibility will drastically increase. Be as abstract or direct as you would like, so long as the hashtag relates to your post and a popular Instagram hashtag in some way.
Going Popular
The world of Instagram is vast and perfect for exploring! Businesses can benefit greatly from the proper use of this social media platform, making it one of the most relevant in today’s branding world. It’s more beneficial than ever to get involved with Instagram as a brand and provides an excellent marketing strategy.
If you’re looking to expand your horizons and you wish to broaden your client base, Instagram is a great way to do that. What are you waiting for? Now is the time to get started on your social media presence!
The images are from depositphotos.com.