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A post with at least one Instagram hashtag averages 12.6% more engagement than posts without a hashtag.
To find the best hashtags for your business do your research by looking at what influencers and your competitors are using, use Instagram’s search tool to see which ones get the most engagement and opt for ones that are more specific and have between 50k - 2M posts associated with them.
March & April New Instagram Features & Developments including titles for Live videos and a new look for IGTV that’s focused on search functionality.
Do you want to get more eyes and engagement on your Instagram Content? Hashtags, hashtags, hashtags! A post with at least one Instagram hashtag averages 12.6% more engagement than posts without a hashtag. Hashtags make your content discoverable and put you in front of users you may have never successfully targeted. Creating a hashtag strategy will grow your following tremendously in 2019 and beyond!
Why you should use Instagram hashtags
Instagram hashtags have a lot of purposes for brands and consumers alike. Using relevant, targeted hashtags on your posts and stories is still one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram. And this can translate into more engagement, more followers, and more customers for your business.
Building followers works best when you use hashtags your target audience is already familiar with and actively following. While a clever or fun hashtag (example: #gridingallmylife) could get attention if there are only a few posts associated with it the chances of getting any results from it are extremely low. Having a ton of users involved in the hashtags you are using is important if your goals are to get more eyes on your content.
Every post you create can be accompanied by an Instagram caption and a few hashtags (up to 30), and these hashtags help in the process of content discovery.
For example, a real estate agent from Los Angeles may post a video of a listing and then use hashtags like #MillionDollarListing, #LosAngelesHomes #LALife, #LosAngelesGrammers or #LARealtor.
By using these three hashtags, the image is cataloged so other Instagram users who enjoy real estate and LA lifestyle posts can easily find it. While it’s a relatively simple concept, hashtags can really get your posts off the ground and in front of the right audience. Some good news is that Instagram is continuously making improvements on how and where we can use hashtags in our posts and stories.
In a big update from 2018, Instagram added the ability to “follow” hashtags, meaning you can now stay up-to-date on various topics or communities by following a hashtag related to your interests.
Following a hashtag works just like following a user’s profile. When you find a hashtag you’d like to follow you simply open the hashtag page and tap on the follow button.
This means that your content could appear twice in a follower’s feed — once as they follow your profile, and once again as they follow the hashtag. Doubling your chances of engagement.
Instagram also added the ability to add hashtags to your Instagram Stories, giving users yet another way to get their content discovered. If you want to include hashtags in your Instagram Stories, you can either type your hashtags out with the text tool or you can use the hashtag sticker.
What’s so great about this feature is that, like regular posts, when you add a hashtag to an Instagram story, it becomes searchable on the Search & Explore page. Meaning that anyone who searches for that hashtag in Instagram will be able to see your story!
How to find the best Insta Hashtags for your account
When used correctly, Instagram hashtags can help you grow your reach, get more engagement, and attract more followers.
But in order to be successful with hashtags, you need to be strategic about what hashtags you use and when you use them.
While the most popular hashtags on Instagram have been used millions of times, that doesn’t mean you’re going to get a ton of likes and comments. Instead of using the most popular Instagram hashtags, it’s better to find and use hashtags that are smaller (less than 2 million posts), more of a distinct segment of a market, and have a truly engaged audience that’s relevant to your industry.
The best way is to look and see what Instagram hashtags your audience, competitors, and industry leaders are already using. The more direct the topic, the more conversations users are having around it. And you’d be surprised by how direct hashtags can get!
For example, instead of just using #Motivation, which has about 187 M posts, think about also tagging #SuccessMindset (about 1.9 M posts), and #BuildYourEmpire (about 1.2 M posts) to reach a more targeted audience of people who are really trying to stay motivated and grow their business. This is the best way to get a lot of targeted engagement on your posts!
Another great way to find hashtags you should be using is to follow Instagram influencers that have the same (or similar) target audience as you. Social influencers act as spokespersons for an industry or sector on Instagram, for example, fashion, travel, business, tech. They’re usually held in high regard with their audiences and tend to shape hashtag trends.
March & April Instagram updates - 2019
1. New Native Insta-Checkout
Instagram’s Shopping posts have been a huge asset to businesses, allowing them to tag products in their pictures, which can then send users to the product’s page on their website to purchase. Users can now check out right from Instagram without ever leaving the app to a web browser.
2. Expansion to Influencer Campaigns
There are reports that Instagram is working hard to improve their campaign options for influencers and the brands they work with, and there’s now news from AdAge that Instagram is working on developing “Branded content ads.” These ads will allow brands to sponsor posts that are created by celebrities and partnerships, then promoting them as they would their own posts or ads.
3. Other Updates:
Advertisers can now add the popular polling option to their Instagram Story ads.
New layout for IGTV with increased search functionality.
New title option for Instagram Live videos Instagram is currently testing a new feature that will allow users to add titles to their live videos.
Instagram continues to grow each year and while Facebook engagement between consumers and brands may be cooling, the opposite is true of Instagram! It’s a great option for businesses who want to build a meaningful social media strategy this year. I’d love to hear in the comments below if you’re using hashtags? And if so, are you being strategic with the ones you’re using? As always, our team is here to help you navigate the ever-changing waters of the social media world!
XO
Hello!
I’m Kat
My job is to help busy entrepreneurs share their personality, creativity and big ideas with the world.