Hashtags Aren’t Dead and Here’s Why

Do you use hashtags when making posts on Instagram? You may have heard not to worry about hashtags anymore. And perhaps you’ve even heard that hashtags are dead. But hashtags aren’t dead and here’s why! They are an amazing tool for helping new people find your account and start following you. You just need to know HOW to use them correctly. 

 

 

When hashtags first became a thing, people were using them in funny ways that might include an inside joke. And they are sometimes still used this way. While it does give a little laugh to someone reading it, it’s not doing a very good job of helping new people find your content. 

Having a hashtag strategy is another way you as a content creator can gain more followers and build that Instagram community you’re aiming for. If you’re wanting to use hashtags strategically, but aren’t really sure how to get started, I give you full permission to steal my hashtag strategy! 

 

Hashtags Aren’t Dead and Here’s Why

When using hashtags you want to make sure you are using some that will help categorize your content. This will make it easier for the Instagram algorithm to identify the type of content you are creating and know who to put your content in front of. 

There are 4 specific ways you can start being more strategic with your hashtags. But before I jump into those I want you to know that hashtags are not something to stress about. You should totally include hashtags as a part of your marketing strategy BUT do not spend too much time on this. Once you have your foundation set up for using them, it should be a quick add each time you make an Instagram post and nothing more. 

 

4 Ways to Improve Your Hashtag Strategy

 

 

Hashtag Strategy #1: Make a list of keywords.

What words or phrases is your audience using to search for your content? For example, my audience might search for things like reels tutorial, how to grow on Instagram, and what to post in stories. Make a list of these keywords and use them as a reference to create your hashtags.

 

Hashtag Strategy #2: Find hashtags using the keywords.

Using the keywords from the first hashtag strategy, type each one into the search bar on Instagram with a # at the beginning. This will bring up a list of suggestions with the number of uses for each one. 

I recommend using a variety of large and small hashtags. I typically use hashtags between 50k and 1 million uses, but that’s a flexible range. So do the research for each keyword you have on your list and come up with a variety of hashtags you could use for your Instagram posts. 

 

 

Hashtag Strategy #3: Add audience and product-related hashtags.

Hashtags that describe your audience and your products are also great to include. These types of hashtags help you niche down even more and will help Instagram know who to put your content in front of. For example, if I use the hashtag #smallbusinessowner, Instagram will know that my post is for small business owners. Think of what your audience member identifies as and see what hashtag you could create for it. 

 

Hashtag Strategy 4: Create a master list. 

Last but not least, compile the hashtags you’ve found to a master list on your phone, so you can easily reference it when you post. Instagram’s latest recommendation is to use 3-5 hashtags per post, but I actually use way more than that! 

If you decide to use more than 5 hashtags, just remember to not be excessive. At first, you may think the more the better because you are targeting more people to find your post. However, being specific and niching down will always be more effective for growing your Instagram account than being too broad on what your content is about. 

 

 

Hashtags Aren’t Dead and Here’s Why

And that is why hashtags aren’t dead! They can be another amazing resource for growing your Instagram account faster. I can’t wait to see you put your hashtag strategy together. If you run into any road bumps along the way, send me a dm over on Instagram! I’d love to help out. You can find me @iammichellegifford and make sure to give me a follow so you can keep getting the best tips and strategies on growing a biz online! 

 

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