Responsible for improving engagement by an average of 12.6%, the best hashtags for Instagram are the driving force behind many influencers’ and brands’ popularity on Instagram. The most iconic hashtags can make a campaign go viral or turn a startup into a household name. These powerful keywords are a brand’s superpower– when used correctly.
The Power of Hashtags on Instagram
Hashtags are a powerful tool on Instagram, serving as a bridge to connect your content with a wider audience.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to find the best hashtags to maximize your Instagram strategy and reach your goals.
Why Hashtags Matter for Engagement
Hashtags help people find your posts by grouping them with similar content. When you use popular and relevant hashtags, more people will see and interact with your posts.
Hashtags also make your posts show up in search results. This helps more people who are interested in your topic find your content, leading to more likes, comments, and shares.
How Hashtags Can Boost Brand Visibility
By using unique hashtags or ones related to your topic, you can reach the right audience.
If you use the right hashtags often, people will start to see your brand as an expert in your area, and you’ll attract followers who like what you share.
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Understanding How Hashtags For Instagram Work
Simply defined, hashtags are labels for content on social media. On Instagram, hashtags categorize video and photo content, allowing other users to “discover” new posts and accounts by searching for or following specific hashtags.
Strategic hashtag use is essential for any Instagrammer hoping to grow their audience and improve their content discovery.
While any word or set of words can essentially be used as a hashtag, certain hashtags work better than others.
“Hashtags can be classified by location, niche, and popularity”
- Location hashtags feature a city, state, or the name of a store or brand in a specific location, like “#humansofnewyork” or “#californiagirls”
- Niche hashtags speak to the specific audience or industry that you are hoping to reach, like “#fitinspiration” or #blackgirlblogger”
- Popular hashtags are any hashtags that are trending or have gone viral, like “tbt” on Thursdays or #mondaymotivation at the start of each week.
Other Instagrammers will be able to discover new content through these hashtags by searching for them or following that hashtag.
Brands can use hashtags by posting them alongside a video or photo that they’ve shared, including a few hashtags inside their Instagram story, or sharing one or two as part of their Instagram bio.
Defining Hashtags
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the “#” symbol.
By adding hashtags to your posts, you make them searchable, allowing users who are interested in that topic to find your content easily.
For example, #fitness or #travel can help connect your content to people searching for posts related to those themes.
The Role of Hashtags in Content Discovery
Hashtags serve as a powerful discovery tool on Instagram. When you use a hashtag, your post appears in the feed for that hashtag, which is accessible to anyone who searches for or follows that tag.
Popular and trending hashtags are especially effective for increasing visibility and attracting new audiences.
How Hashtags Categorize Content
Hashtags work by grouping similar content and creating specific categories or themes on the platform.
By categorizing your content with the right hashtags, you ensure that your post shows up in relevant searches, helping users who are interested in your topic find your content.
This is why choosing precise, targeted hashtags that align with your niche is crucial for maximizing engagement.
How To Find Hashtags
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for finding trending hashtags for Instagram. Each brand has to find a set of hashtags that works for them.
The hashtags you should use are the ones that attract other like-minded individuals, influencers, and brands.
Many brands start their hashtag search by using certain hashtag generator tools, by searching Instagram, or by looking at the hashtags of competitors.
Methods for Finding Good Hashtags For Instagram Growth:
Using Tools to Find Hashtags
Certain apps and software find and analyze the best hashtags for Instagram for specific niches. A hashtag generator tool will update users with the most popular hashtags and an analysis of their effectiveness. There are a lot of hashtags for Instagram reels or hashtags for Instagram posts, you just have to find the right one.
Searching Instagram for Hashtags
Using Instagram for hashtag research is one of the most effective ways to find new hashtags.
As you search for a word or niche, Instagram will display related hashtags. For example, When searching for “food”, Instagram will display “#foodporn”, “#food”, #foodphotography”, etc.
As you search these hashtags, Instagram displays the number of posts that have been tagged with that hashtag. To see other popular hashtags within the same niche, select a popular hashtag and swipe through the related hashtags displayed under the search bar. Tip: look through the “top posts” section to find what other related tags people are using!
Use Competitor’s Hashtags
Hashtags begin trending as more Instagrammers start using them. If you see another brand or influencer using a trending hashtag that is perfect for your audience, add it to your list.
To illustrate, a home and lifestyle blogger looking to attract like-minded Instagrammers may want to start using the hashtag “#HearthAndHand” after seeing Target use it.
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Create Brand-Specific Hashtags
Brand-specific hashtags will allow other users to easily search through posts by the brand, as well as user-generated content that other users have tagged with that brand-specific hashtag.
A search for the hashtag “#nikewomen” shows users showing off their fitness routines, workout gear, and similar “fitspo” content.
Be sure to make saving and storing your hashtags part of your hashtag research process. Save your hashtags in a note on your phone to make it readily accessible whenever you make your next Instagram post. When actually posting the hashtags, add it in the first comment instead of the caption, as this looks cleaner.
Choosing the Best Hashtags for Instagram
To find the right hashtag, you need to know what works and what doesn’t.
While a popular hashtag may seem like the right choice, if it is used too frequently by other users, it will likely be far too populated for you to boost your Instagram reach from it.
The perfect hashtag choice is something specific that can be used strategically.
The following examples show how brands and influencers can pick the best hashtags for Instagram:
Example 1. The Instagram Hair and Beauty Micro-influencer
Kaya is a micro-influencer on Instagram who promotes beauty and hair brands on her YouTube account. She hopes to grow her following of 2500 and boost her engagement.
Kaya’s followers are mostly friends and family that that know her in real life, as well as new followers that she’s gained through YouTube and Instagram. Most of her posts feature hashtags like “#happy” and “#love”.
While Kaya shares strong content, she can significantly step up her use of hashtags. Instead of using those overpopulated hashtags, Kaya should start using a mix of brand-specific, long-tail, and popular hashtags.
For the audience she has, Kaya’s best hashtags for Instagram would be the following:
- Brand-specific and longtail hashtags: #HairCarewithKaya, #makeuplovershoutouts
- Trending hair and beauty hashtags: #coloredhairgoals, #makeuptransformation #makeupideas
- Beauty product hashtags: #Maccosmetics, #NYXprofessionalmakeup, #Smashbox
While these are just a few of the most popular Instagram hashtags Kaya might use to attract new followers, it’s a good idea for her to keep looking for new hashtags.
Different hashtags start trending every day, so it’s important to never get too comfortable with the hashtags that you use.
Example 2: The Small Business
Bark It Up, a Brooklyn-based dog salon and daycare has a loyal and supportive clientele within their community.
With a following on Instagram of 800 users, Bark It Up should tap into the incredibly popular Instagram dog niche to attract new followers.
The following hashtags would best reach out to dog lovers and dog owners within their community:
- Brand-specific and long-tail hashtags: #Letsbarkitup, #doggosdoingthings
- Trending and local hashtags: #dogspa, #brooklyndogs, #newyorkdogs
- Industry hashtags: #rescuesaveslives #adoptnotshop
As a small business, Bark It Up needs to make reaching out to its local audience a priority. With the local hashtags, they will be able to catch the attention of dog lovers living in New York, as well as other Instagrammers who just love dogs.
How Location Hashtags Attracted Customers
Location hashtags are a powerful tool for attracting local customers, especially for businesses looking to expand their reach within a specific area.
By using location-based hashtags like #NYC or #ChicagoEats, businesses can ensure their posts appear in searches for those areas, making it easier for potential customers nearby to discover them.
This strategy works particularly well for small businesses, restaurants, and event venues that rely on local clientele. For example, a coffee shop in New York City could use #NYCCoffee or #NYCEats to tap into the city’s massive food culture, driving foot traffic and increasing brand awareness among locals.
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Best Practices for Hashtag Implementation
Hashtags are more than just an afterthought—they are an essential part of your Instagram strategy. Implementing them correctly can make all the difference in engagement and visibility.
Hashtags: Caption vs. First Comment – Pros & Cons
When it comes to hashtag placement, there are two main options: placing them in the caption or in the first comment.
- In the Caption: Placing hashtags directly in your caption ensures that they are immediately visible to your audience, helping to make the content discoverable. However, it can clutter the caption and disrupt the flow of your message.
- In the First Comment: Many users prefer placing hashtags in the first comment, keeping the caption clean while still improving discoverability. The downside is that they aren’t immediately visible, and some believe this can reduce engagement if followers don’t bother to look at the comments.
Frequency and Variation of Hashtags
Using the same hashtags over and over can make your posts less visible and less interesting. It’s important to change your hashtags so your content doesn’t look the same every time.
Try to update your hashtags every few weeks based on trends, events, or new topics. Changing your hashtags also lets you test which ones work best!
Monitoring Hashtag Performance Tools and Methods for Tracking Effectiveness
Monitoring the effectiveness of your hashtags is essential for understanding what works and what doesn’t. Tools like Hashtagify, Sprout Social, and Instagram Insights allow you to track the performance of your posts, identify top-performing hashtags, and gain insights into engagement.
Regularly reviewing hashtag performance will help you refine your strategy and adjust to shifting trends.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Hashtags
Hashtags are a valuable tool, but using them incorrectly can hurt your Instagram growth. Here are some common mistakes to avoid.
Overusing Popular Hashtags
While popular hashtags can help increase visibility, overusing them can result in your content getting lost in a sea of posts.
Popular hashtags, like #Love or #InstaGood, are highly competitive, and unless you’re a major influencer or brand, it’s unlikely that your post will stand out.
Instead, mix popular hashtags with more targeted, niche hashtags to increase the chances of your content being discovered.
Ignoring Niche Hashtags
Focusing only on broad, high-traffic hashtags can be a mistake. Niche hashtags cater to specific audiences who are more likely to engage with your content.
These hashtags may have less volume but can bring in more targeted, loyal followers. If you’re a fitness coach, for example, using hashtags like #FitLife or #YogaTips can connect you with people who have a genuine interest in your expertise.
Failing to Update Hashtags Regularly
Hashtags evolve, and failing to update them can mean missed opportunities. Popular hashtags change frequently, and trends can shift fast, so it’s crucial to stay up to date on what’s relevant.
Regularly updating your hashtags ensures you stay connected to your audience and keep your content fresh.
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The Future of Hashtags: Trends and Predictions
Hashtags have been a staple of Instagram for years, but as the platform evolves, so too will the role of hashtags. Here are some trends and predictions for the future.
Emerging Trends in Hashtag Usage
In the future, hashtag strategies will get smarter. As Instagram’s algorithm improves, hashtags will become more personal and focused on specific topics.
Brands may start using custom hashtags for special campaigns or events. Interactive hashtags that ask users to join in might also become more common, as Instagram focuses on engagement and building a community.
How Algorithm Changes May Affect Hashtags
Instagram’s algorithm is always changing, which could affect how hashtags are seen.
Right now, hashtags are important for discovering content, but future updates might focus more on user preferences instead.
Even with these changes, hashtags will likely still be useful for reaching the right audience, especially if they are relevant to the content.
Conclusion
Hashtags are a great way to grow your Instagram. By using the right ones, following good practices, and keeping up with trends, you can get more people to see your posts and interact with your content.
Now you know trending hashtags on Instagram and you can maintain the best-looking feed.
Stay focused—pick the right hashtags, check how they’re doing, and keep improving your strategy. This will help you have a strong and successful Instagram!
