{"id":27620,"date":"2020-10-06T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/honeybook.site.strattic.io\/?p=27620"},"modified":"2023-09-13T09:47:38","modified_gmt":"2023-09-13T16:47:38","slug":"the-exact-hashtag-strategy-you-need-for-instagram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/the-exact-hashtag-strategy-you-need-for-instagram","title":{"rendered":"The exact hashtag strategy you need for Instagram"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a creative entrepreneur, you know you should be using hashtags, but more often than not, you can\u2019t figure out the \u201cright\u201d hashtags to use in your posts. The result is an endless cycle of hashtags that don\u2019t get you any closer to increasing your influence, income or impact.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what <\/span>exactly<\/span><\/i> is the perfect mix of hashtags to hit that sweet spot of strategic and relevant so it helps your business grow? This answer may frustrate you, but from one creative professional to another\u2014<\/span>it depends<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s walk through the fundamentals of an effective Instagram hashtag strategy for social media marketing, and keep in mind that many of these tips can be applied to other social platforms as well.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tCapture leads quickly<\/span>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Use HoneyBook to capture leads and book instantly in a single step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet started<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

The fundamentals of an effective hashtag strategy for social media marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I like to think of hashtags in two ways. First, they help you get discovered by people who are searching for content like yours. Second, they help you stay connected with your online community.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have shown that using a single hashtag in your post can increase engagement by 12%. To put this in perspective, Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post, so even if you only use the recommended number of hashtags (8 to 14 per post), that\u2019s a lot of opportunity for increased engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond boosting post engagement, hashtags can help you increase brand awareness, connect with your ideal audience and engage with niche communities. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, it\u2019s important to understand that certain hashtags work better to help you achieve certain goals.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you were trying to connect with your ideal audience, you might use more hashtags about your audience\u2019s lifestyle, aspirations or challenges. If boosting post engagement is your goal, you might opt for hashtags that tap into holidays, trends or other timely events. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of posts using a specific hashtag also play a role in the success of your hashtag strategy. On Instagram, search results are displayed under two categories: top posts and recent posts, which means there are two ways for your post to be discovered under a hashtag.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you know, top posts are unique to each user, and this view shows the user popular content they\u2019re most likely to engage with. Recent posts are displayed based on the time of posting. However, if there are a lot of posts using that hashtag, your post may still be pushed too far down the search results for people to find it via hashtags. Because of this, you want to pay attention to the volume of content being shared under a hashtag so your post doesn\u2019t get lost.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A hashtag with between 5K and 20K usage will be far less competitive than a hashtag with five million uses, however, if the hashtag has less than 5K posts, it may be so niche that only the people using it know about it. Or, to put it in other words, your ideal customer may not be searching for it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

12 common hashtag categories for Instagram marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are about 12 categories of hashtags you can use on Instagram, and the key to optimal results is using a balanced mix of hashtags from different categories.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Hashtags that specify a location<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Hashtags about your product or service i.e. #greenskincare<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Hashtags about your profession i.e. #coachforwomen, #lifeofablogger<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Hashtags about the audience you serve i.e. #plantlady, #yyjwomen<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Hashtags for lifestyle choices i.e. #feedyourbody, #purposedrivenlife<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Hashtags about your niche or industry i.e. #personalfinance<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Hashtags for niche\/industry communities i.e. #femalepodcasters<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Hashtags for Instagram communities i.e. #momsofinsta, #puppiesofinstagram<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Hashtags for holidays, seasons or daily happenings i.e. #itsfallyall, #thursdaythoughts<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Hashtags with acronyms i.e. #qotd, #icymi<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Hashtags with emojis i.e. #girlboss\ud83d\udc51<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Branded hashtags you create for your business or community i.e. #contentplanningcompany<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Two categories of Instagram hashtags you should use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The following hashtag categories should be top-of-mind when you\u2019re aiming for<\/span> relevance<\/b>:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n