Instagram rules always seem to be changing, and we know it’s tough to keep up as a business owner. From following hashtags to adding them to your stories, there are a lot of new tools when it comes to using hashtags for your business.
Here are some of the things you need to know about using hashtags to promote your business on Instagram:
Be Clear About Your Goal
OK, so this isn’t hashtag specific, but you want to start with a clear goal in mind. Are you looking for increased engagement? Increased sales? Brand awareness? Website clicks? Or are you just looking to build an awesome community around your business? Plan your content based around your goals.
Following Hashtags
Instagram recently rolled out the ability to follow hashtags. This means that instead of users having to search hashtags, users can follow a hashtag to see posts. So, your posts can now show up automatically in people’s feeds if they are following a hashtag you use. This is a great opportunity to reach a bigger audience. Try to target niche hashtags so your post has a higher-likelihood of being seen.
Just be sure that your hashtag is relevant to your content. People can choose to not see your post under a hashtag again if they feel it’s not relevant. The Instagram algorithm will take this into account when showing other people your content.
You can also use the “Follow Hashtag” tool to do some research. When you follow hashtags related to your field, Instagram will automatically suggest other popular hashtags related to the ones you follow. This may give you some new ideas for your content and show you which hashtags are trending in your field.
Use Hashtags in Your Stories
Using hashtags in your Instagram stories can help your content get discovered by a new audience. Most Instagram hashtags and geo-locations have their own stories. When people are searching your location and hashtags you’ve used, your content can show up in those stories. So, next time you add to your story, be sure to use some relevant hashtags and tag your location.
How Many Hashtags?
The are some conflicting opinions on this matter. But, most Instagram experts will tell you to use the maximum amount allowed, which is 30. This will give your content the best opportunity to be discovered. Just make sure that they are all relevant to your content. Try to create a few different hashtag lists so you aren’t using the same ones every time. Your content can be labeled as “spammy” if you are just copying and pasting the same 30 hashtags every time.
Track Your Hashtag Success
Business profiles have the ability to track the success of hashtags using post insights. Analyzing these insights can help you to continually optimize your hashtag strategy.
To access this information, you can select the “view insights” button underneath one of your posts. This will show you all the data on a specific image, including how the people who viewed your post found your content. By being strategic with your hashtag use, and analyzing your post data, you can begin to narrow down which hashtags are most effective for your business.
There may have been a lot of changes to Instagram lately, but the one thing that remains the same is that hashtags work. They are still on of the best ways to grow your audience organically and connect with new customers.
Contact The Light Digital for help creating a social media marketing strategy for your business.
