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Lots of marketers struggle with the use of Instagram hashtags. They either don’t know how to use them or fail to see their importance.
But hashtags are crucial, and their usage, especially on Instagram, could be the secret sauce you need to succeed.
Furthermore, it’s not enough to post regularly on Instagram and write engaging captions. You also need to implement growth hacking tactics in order to achieve the desired results.
And one of the best ways to do this – use hashtags.
What makes Instagram hashtags so important?
Let’s find out.
1. Hashtags Can Get Your Content Discovered
Hashtags help Instagram sort, categorize, and organize content on the platform. When a user searches for a particular hashtag, they get all of the content related to that hashtag.
If you add a hashtag to a photo or video post, it becomes visible on the corresponding hashtag feed.
I’ll explain this with an example:
Let’s say, you specialize in creating smoothie bowls. You should add hashtags such as “#supersmoothiebowl,” “#smoothieoftheday,” and “#smoothiebowl” to your posts related to smoothies.
Instagram will catalog your images so that users who love smoothie bowls can easily find them using any of these hashtags.
Using relevant hashtags can increase the chances of users finding your content and engaging with it.
And the best part?
Hashtags can help increase the visibility of your brand on Instagram. They can get you discovered by new audiences and help increase your follower count.
However, for this to happen, you need to create engaging content and graphics and use trending and relevant hashtags with it.
2. Hashtags Can Help You Discover Industry Trends
Want to learn about what’s hot in your industry?
Use trending hashtags.
They can help you learn about what’s buzzing with your target audience and fellow brands.
Following tags related to your industry can also help you keep a close eye on competitors and discover what your customers say about your brand.
And the best part?
You can use trending hashtags to join in on trending conversations and get more exposure for your brand. They can help put your brand in front of people who are not even following you.
However, there’s a catch:
This type of hashtags is fast-paced, unpredictable, and short-lived. You need to use the hashtag properly, considering why it is trending, and whether it is relevant to your business.
What’s the best way to discover trending hashtags?
Leverage analytic tools that can help you monitor the top trending hashtags in your industry. You can also track hashtags that your competitors use.
3. Hashtags Can Help You Promote Your Brand
You can use hashtags to increase brand awareness, drive conversions, and grow your business.
But how?
You can use various hashtag marketing tactics to achieve great results, which include:
Use Campaign-Specific Hashtags
You can create a short, consistent, and unique hashtag for a specific campaign such as product launch, brand building, or contest.
For example:
Lay’s hosted the “Do Us A Flavor” campaign while launching three new flavors.
They allowed consumers to vote for their favorite flavor using the #SweepstakesEntry hashtag paired with your choice of “#VoteEverythingBagel,” “#VoteFriedGreenTomato,” or “#VoteCrispyTaco” on Instagram and Twitter.
Use Content-Related Hashtags
Content-related hashtags are not unique to your brand. They do not have to be popular or trending. Instead, these hashtags can help get your content seen by people searching for specific phrases.
Using content-related hashtags is an effective Instagram growth hack and can help optimize your posts for better visibility and reach.
You can use hashtags related to your location, product, event, lifestyle, and so on. There are endless possibilities.
However, you should put yourself in your consumers’ shoes and think of words they’ll use to search for similar products, services, or content.
For example:
If you sell cold brew coffee, you can post mouth-watering images of coffee with the hashtag “#coldbrewcoffee.”
Hashtags like “#brewing,” “#coffee,” and “#coffeelover” can help increase engagement on your posts, make it easier for your content to reach your target audience, and lead to Instagram growth.
You can also use other powerful tools to boost your growth rate on Instagram. These include scheduling, content creation, and analytics tools.
4. Hashtags Can Help with Brand Building
Have you heard of branded hashtags?
These are unique to your business and either contain your brand name, company tagline, or one of your products’ names. These hashtags can set your brand apart from your competitors by adding humor, fit, or another specific personality trait to your brand.
How can using branded hashtags benefit your business?
These hashtags can help you spread the word about your business and what you have to offer. They can also help you build an engaged community around your brand, making it easier for consumers to recognize and remember you.
For example:
Benefit Cosmetics uses the hashtag, “#realsies,” to support their top-selling claim that they’re real! mascara and build an engaged social community.
How can you come up with a branded hashtag?
You should start by identifying a goal that aligns with your brand, such as increasing reach, visibility, traffic, etc.
Then, you should brainstorm and come up with hashtag ideas that are:
- Short
- Easy to remember
- Unique to your brand
- Focused on promoting a specific message
- Consistent with your brand’s ideology
- Simple but actionable
To make this easier, you can use tools that can generate hashtags. These tools can make it easier for you to find hashtags that align with your brand’s messaging.
Once you find a good one, you should promote it on your feed, bio, and Stories. You should also encourage customers to share images or videos of themselves using your products along with your branded hashtag. You can feature the best user-generated content (UGC) on your feed.
The more you promote it, the more you can encourage people to use your branded hashtag.
Are You Ready to Start Using Instagram Hashtags?
The proper use of Instagram hashtags can help you grow your audience, widen your reach, and boost user engagement. It can also make it easier for those who are interested in your products to find you.
It is, therefore, time to reconsider your stance on Instagram hashtags and start using them more effectively to grow your brand.
Do you need help to find the right hashtags for your campaigns? Leave a comment below and I will get back to you with effective tips and solutions.
