Hashtags and Instagram
Using hashtags is one of the effective ways to become more visible on Instagram. They are not only used to categorize things but they are also used to gain more followers. Increasing your followers will help you boost your business as well as become more discoverable on the social media platform.
Posts that use hashtags received more likes and comments in contrast to those without one. The right hashtag can put your posts on the right map. They can also reach more people who are interested in the same niche. Here are some ways to engage your followers with the use of hashtags.
The right hashtag
It is easy to add any hashtag to your post. However, not all hashtags are appropriate for your purpose. Researching for the right hashtag is crucial, especially if you want to boost the number of your followers. This will give you an idea of the relevant hashtags to use to reach a target audience.
You can research the current trends that are related to the niche of your posts. Instagram can also help you by tapping on the magnifying glass icon and selecting “tags” from the dropdown menu. You can see the top hashtags used that are related to the hashtag that you have typed on the search bar.
Know your audience
It will also be helpful to know your audience and see what hashtags they are currently using. You can add the hashtag to your posts and reach more audiences. Remember to include only the hashtags that are relevant to the content of your posts. This will also tap the audience who are interested in the same content.
Using the Instagram hashtag
Instagram hashtags are not just there to be placed as decors on your posts. They serve the specific purpose of reaching more followers and putting you on the map with other users. There is also a question as to the ideal number of hashtags to use in a post. The number actually depends but it ranges from 5 to a maximum of 30. Analysts, however, suggest that the optimum number is 11 hashtags in every post.
Hashtags in Stories
Another interesting way to engage your audience is by adding hashtags to Instagram stories. The hashtags can be added to the text, as a sticker, or as a location tag. In this way, the content of the story will be more appealing to the audience. This will also help target new audiences as well as keep the other loyal followers.
The use of niche and custom hashtags
There are different kinds of hashtags and each of them has its uses and target audience. If you are doing business, it is highly recommended to use hashtags that are associated and relevant to the niche where your business belongs. This will connect you with other brands and to the target audience.
There are also the branded hashtags that are unique to your brand on Instagram as well as to the other social media platforms. The use of this kind of hashtag will drive awareness of your brand. What are branded hashtags? They can be the name of your company, a tagline, or brand identity.
Write comments with hashtags
Many entrepreneurs include hashtags in the first comment of their posts. This is to target more audiences without crowding the hashtag in the caption. In fact, many brands include hashtags in the first comment.
Encouraging your followers to use your hashtags
Communicating with your followers is also one of the best ways to keep connected with them. Encourage them to use your hashtags especially if you are using a branded hashtag. It is also recommended to use the hashtag in other marketing means, in addition to using them in your bio. Include the hashtags in email or even in newsletters.
