Instagram likes, comments, and follower icons

Using the right hashtag strategies for Instagram is important if you want to increase your followers, engagement, and traffic. By using hashtags effectively, you can help even more users to check out your brand. The wrong hashtags can even get you penalized by the algorithm, so you have to be very conscious about the strategies you are employing. 

Importance of Instagram Hashtags 

Hashtags are crucial if you want to increase your audience on Instagram. When you are using hashtags, your Instagram posts will appear on the page for the hashtag. Using the hashtags in a story can also result in your post appearing on relevant hashtag stories. People who are following the hashtags will be able to see your posts. All this serves to help you build a community with people who will be more motivated to follow your brand. 

Hashtag Strategies for Instagram

• Using Insights to See What is Working

You will be able to see your Instagram insights through your creator or business profile. This can help you check which hashtags are working for you. Using this data, you can stop using certain hashtags that are hampering your post engagement or use the right hashtags to boost how many people see your posts.

• Use Hashtags in Instagram Stories 

If you are following a hashtag on Instagram, you will be able to check stories that have those particular hashtags in them from anyone with a public profile. One way to add the hashtag is to use the sticker that comes specifically for it. You can also use the simple text tool to write down hashtags. 

• Say No to Banned or Spam Hashtags 

Instagram tends to ban any spam or inappropriate hashtags, but that doesn’t mean you will be using them. It is important to check whether the hashtag is appropriate before using it because it will result in dropped engagement if you use it. Even hashtags that aren’t banned but only exist to solicit followers and likes should be avoided. Some examples of these are #like4like, #followme, #tagsforlikes, and similar hashtags. These are often used by spammers and bots that will not engage with your brand in any meaningful way, which can be your downfall. 

• Don’t Repeat or Use Irrelevant Hashtags

It can be easier to just copy and paste the same hashtags on every post, but this can actually get you penalized. Repetitive content and comments are penalized by Instagram, so you should only be using hashtags that make sense for the content. The thing is, you want your posts to be seen by the right people instead of getting viewed by a lot of users who may not offer you any value. As such, pick out hashtags individually for each post, preferably those that fit with the context of the post. 

Using hashtag strategies for Instagram just means that you need to use fresh and new hashtags. You should make sure to check every hashtag before you use them, too, as this will ensure that your engagement goes up and not down.