How to use hashtags on Instagram? I’ve just reached 121k followers on Instagram and a lot of them are asking me how they can increase their followers and engagement. After the Instagram algorithm changed, it is so important to use the right hashtags to attract the right people.
In this year I have focused my attention on Instagram, because, as you know, Instagram is the first place where brands connect with influencers and they ask for a collaboration. Therefore it is very important to have quality followers. Danielle, the writer of We wore what, explains what she can earn from a single post. To a business it is important to attract the right costumers.
Using hashtags will get you more likes and more followers and will increase your engagement.
How to use hashtags on Instagram
Hashtags categorize your photographs so they are grouped together. If you’re a fashion blogger and you want to connect with and find other fashion bloggers you want to try to use these hashtags: #fashionblogger #ootd
By tagging your photographs with these hashtags anyone searching these tags will then see your photo. If you don’t use hashtags, then the only people that can see your photos will be your followers. If you want to grow your blog/brand, using hashtags will help your photographs be seen by more people.
For this reason, it is very important to find the right hashtags.
How many hashtags do I use?
You can use a maximum of 30 hashtags per post. Hashtags are so important because they are used for SEO purposes. I use a minimal number of hashtags in my captions, then I post my hashtags in the comments so I leave a nice caption and my picture will not look spammy.
I paste my hashtags in a note app (I have different files so I can copy the right hashtags for the right pictures) and when I need them, I just copy and add them in the comments of the picture.
What hashtags do I use?
- New users tend to use irrelevant hashtags, such as #love #Throwback. These hashtags are too popular and generic and don’t describe a niche or a business, so it is better to avoid them. In this post, you will find all the hashtags that have been banned by Instagram.
- If you are a blogger look up your favorite bloggers and see what hashtags they are using. When searching a hashtag check how many times it has been used.
- Find smaller hashtags, if you use larger hashtags with over 1 million posts associated with it, it’s very difficult that people will see your post because it will move very quickly to the bottom. Instead, if you use smaller hashtags (with fewer competitions), you are more likely to be featured as a “top post” when using them. I suggest you to use a balance of large and smaller hashtags.
- Add trending niche hashtags on your caption. If you are not going to use trending hashtags you can lose the possibility to appear in the search results for those hashtags. Tip: add 30 hashtags in the comments, then edit your caption and add some more trending hashtags, this will help you boost your picture engagement.
Use 25 hashtags with 7000 to 400.000 associated posts + 5 trending hashtags 1.000.000 associated posts
Want to learn more?
If you want to learn more about Instagram hashtags, or need help with the actual research process, sign up for my free Instagram course.
What hashtags do you use when posting on Instagram? If you’re on Instagram come by and say hello (@ericatironi) I love making new friends there!
Post Related: The Ultimate Guide on How to Start a Fashion Blog
This was helpful to me, as I am quite new ☺
I’m glad ? that was helpful!
That is so true:) Very important to do a research connected to what hashtags relate to your niche. I find helpful creating groups per topic so you avoid using the same group of hashtags. (for ootd, for flowers etc.)
xoxo Sharka
http://www.thechicvibe.com
Yes is very important ?
Really helpful, will be implementing them into my insta posts
This was helpful, thank you!
ritetag is a great resource for hashtag popularity. It recommends whether you should use a hashtag or not depending on its usage! Great post- thanks for sharing 🙂
Still trying to understand hashtags, thanks for the post.
I’m currently trying to build my instagram so, thanks for the tips 🙂
Great post! Very informative! I’m definitely going to follow your advice on hashtags. I think I’ve been using irrelevant hashtags instead of the right ones; I need to improve that ASAP. Thanks for sharing?
Hi Erica! Thank you so much for this informative post! I am inspired to take a little bit more time than I am already doing to strategically identify the best hashtags for my posts!
xo Debbie | http://www.tothineownstylebetrue.com
this is such a good resource love!
wow – great going! Good luck with all of your instagram adventures!
http://sweetcleanliving.com
thanks for sharing. pleasure to read
Thank you so much for sharing this. I actually thought hashtags can be used anyhowly. I have been struggling with my instagram account. These tips will surely be of help
great analysis… very useful
..I just got to know after reading this.thx
Thanks for all the info.
Much needed
Thanks so much for the tips
Thank you for sharing your tips, Erica! I will definitely remember how to use hashtags properly!
X
Miri
http://currentlywearing.com
Thanks for the tips. I’m newer to Instagram. It is slow going to build it.
Thanks for the Great tips! I never thought about using too popular of a hashtag as making it more difficult to be a top post! But duh, that makes sense! 😉
Very practical, always wondered how to subtly use hashtags instead of making it seem like I’m spamming 🙂
Great post, always wondered how to subtly use hashtags, without making it look like spamming 😀
Simple yet great tips! Thank you!
Such great tips! Thank you so much. I put most of my hashtags in the comments just to make it look nicer. Glad to see this is something others do too!
This is so helpful! Thank you!
Thank you Erica, it helps me a lot!!
Awesome tips! Thanks for sharing!
Buenos consejos.
https://simplysory.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/argyle-sweater/
Awesome tips! I really need to write all of my favourite hashtags into my phones notes so I can easily copy and paste. I keep putting it off!
Mil gracias por tus consejos 🙂
http://www.elblogdesilvia.com/2017/02/streetstyle-nyfw-red-coat-zara-fashion-show-blogger-influencer.html
Besos
Over 100K is huge! Thanks for sharing these tips. I’ll definitely download your checklist and check this out. Amazing post!
Xo,
Miki
http://mikialamode.com
Great tips! I never thought about using too popular of a hashtag as making it more difficult to be a top post! But that makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing
Great tips! I was totally using hashtags that were too popular. I will try using more specific ones. Thanks!
This is really helpful. I never really k ow what hash tags to use so I think I will follow your advice and see what similar bloggers are using then compile a list in Notes to copy and paste from. Thank you!
You have definitely done such a great job with your instagram Erica! And definitely deserve all the success. So agree that the right hashtags make the biggest difference. I am still trying to figure out the whole instagram game but reading posts like these are super helpful. Thank you so much for sharing love <3 Have a great day!
Monika | http://www.palateforstyle.com
What a great post! I’m really focusing on my Instagram this year and hoping to utilize it correctly. I’ve always wondered about the 1 million + hashtags. Have signed up for the Instagram course too !
This will be so helpful to many. I’m really trying to up my insta game at the moment!
Awesome as always! Thanks – now I know how to use instagram!
http://sweetcleanliving.com
Great info. Thanks.
Interesting, but a bit above my current level of expertise. I just don’t “get” IG
Thank you so much! I have to be smarter about these things 🙂 This really helped a lot!
Needed this thank you!
I totally agree, hashtags are so important! I use these strategies too, and have great success with it! I feel like it takes a while in the beginning, but after hitting 10k it gets easier! Thanks for sharing <3
-Laurelle
http://www.bellebylaurelle.com
Wow this is great advice. I’ve never really understood hashtags. Lol
Xojohnnielynn
http://xojohnnielynn.com/product-review-live-clean-review/
So keen to start using your instagram guide!
Kelly // Velvet and Vibranium
Super informative post, great tips!
http://stylesprinter.com/
I always knew I should keep hashtags under the 1million mark, but 300,000? I might have to try that next! Thanks for the tips!
xx, Tomi
http://goodtomicha.com
Thanks for sharing these great tips and congratulations! I’m a big Instagram user,so I will definitely take these tips on board.
http://www.lennaesworld.com
Wow, interesting post, especially for me. I’m trying to get followers as fast as possible, because I want to built my bussiness about it. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing tips! Thank you for sharing it 🙂
that has been so useful! ive been struggling with the hashtags and didnt feel like theyre beneficial but i’ll try these tips! thanks x
THE FASHION MATTERS- Travel & Fashion blog
Great post,i really enjoyed reading it
very good information shared.Thanks a lot
Super helpful! I’m always guilty of using tags that are too popular and it really doesn’t help me!
Interesting post. Thanks!
I’m going to follow the advice of the hashtags recommendations…thank you!
I am quite clueless about Instagram and have been wondering how to use the right hashtag. Thanks for a great post.
Such an informative post! I think this will help a ton of people wondering about hashtags!
Always looking to learn more about instagram and you have cleared up the hashtag issue and how to use them.
I have noticed bloggers putting more hash tags in the comment section. It does look better when you do it that way.
This is so helpful!!! Not many people know the power of hashtags!! Great post on this I’m signing up because I love what you do! Keep up the great work!
Jasmine 🙂
colorubold.com
Thanks for sharing all this information.It really helps a lot. I didn’t know the power of hashtags.
Good point about using hashtags that are popular. I usually try to use the less popular ones. Who knew I was doing the right thing! Great article.
Thank you for the tips! I normally use fashion, mystyle or fashiongram but I never been in the top pictures 😉 so I will try other ones!
A great post. I still do not have instagram, so I shared your post on my twitter to remember that I have to run instagram 😉
Great post, so helpful!
xo
Catherine | Beauty by Catherine
Love your article! I agree with everything you said. 🙂
loves this post! thanks for the tips i use my instagram account to kind of promote my full time job and i was wondering how to use the hashtags for it
Do you have an instagram for noobs guide as well?
Yes sure if you subscribe to my free Instagram course, I explain the basics ? so you can set up your Instagram correctly!
I can’t believe I once used no hashtags at all, they really are a great help! It’s not always easy to find good ones though..
AWESOME post! I was just using some hashtags in an Insta post and was debating which ones to use! Thanks for sharing.
http://www.girlnextscore.com
Girl, this post is amazing! Love all of your tips.
Rachel / http://www.helloher.co
I won’t lie, Instagram is the one social media platform I don’t really understand. Considering a lot of my audience are teens/young adults, this is definitely something I’ve been looking on improving. Thanks for these tips surrounding Hashtags; it’s definitely something I’m going to look into now I know what to do!
Great post. Very good information shared. Thanks a lot
I would sure love to have 116k followers. This is great information to help me get there. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for this post!
Very useful information! Thank you! (https://www.fijord.com)
Wow that was very helpful! Thanks for sharing:)
oh wow! I am quite new to instagram and I learnt a lot reading your post!!! thank you for taking your time and sharing your knowledge with me!
Great post, very useful and informative.
http://www.stylequest.se/
Nice piece of information! When using hashtags on Instagram, it also helps if you increase the number of your hashtags, say 11-20. Compared to other social media platforms, Instagram posts work better if there are more hashtags. We used to only include 2-3 hashtags per post, but when we increased it, our posts gained more visibility.
Thanks for sharing love! I’ll have to implement these. Sophisticaition.com
Those are some really valuable tips. I realize my mistakes now of putting in some generic hashtags that define my photo. Thanks a lot for sharing these really important suggestions
Thank you for these tips! Its so true, you really have to use hashtags wisely! Love it, beautiful images too.
Xx, Caroline
https://www.foreverdolledup.net/blogs/news
nice post!
Interesting post. It’s a good idea indeed to check at the number of times each hashtag is used.
So glad to find this post! I’ve been searching for this very thing for a couple of days now, thank you!
Thanks for this post! I will keep this in mind as I am trying to grow my blog’s audience =)
Excellent tips! I never really thought of tags as the SEO of Instagram, but that makes a lot of sense. Now if I can just manage to get myself actually posting stuff.
I’ve been meaning to get my Instagram up and running for months now but I’m just dragging on the photos. I’ve challenged myself to work on it this month though.
This is a very useful post, thanks for share it with us <3
Great post, thank you. I love IG
Great tips, I’ve been looking for some tips for that ?
Thanks for this post! I have yet to venture into the land of Instagram, so I signed up for your free course!
I’m looking forward to it.
Great tips! I need to create a hashtag library. Xoxo
Very helpful post Erica! I often found myself confused on which hashtag I’m supposed to use since there are a lot out there and yet I’m not sure if they could be really effective in getting seen and followed. Thanks for the share. xx
http://www.prettyweirdbombshell.com/modern-girl-must-reads/
Congrats on hitting over 100K! I love changing up my hashtags! This post was super helpful!
I get being buried by the feed. I really need to rethink how I do the hashtags. I didn’t think about going below a million on purpose though. That’s an interesting thought. Will try some of the tips you suggested as my Instagram is growing but just slowly.
Very helpful for a New blogger trying to grow their circle such as myself
Honestly, I was not aware using hastags properly… Now I learned a lot from your post. thanks
Used your tips for increasing my traffic. It really works. Thanks
great post, as a new blogger with few insta followers I really need any advice I can get. Would love to try your course!
I didn’t realize how important hashtags are! I’ll definitely use these tips next time I post something on Instagram.
Loved the tips! Very usefull for me 🙂 thanks for this
Thanks for sharing. I’ve been using hashtag too xx
great post.I really enjoyed reading this post.
Great post! I found this very helpful especially researching hashtags and not using ones that are too popular
Tasha x
http://itsatashathing.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/march-2017-lush-giveaway.html
Nice tips, thank you! 🙂
xx Alex
These are very helpful tips Erica! I am so much into instagram than other social media since I have a lifestyle blog. Thanks for the share. xx
http://www.prettyweirdbombshell.com/date-night-trump-champagne-lounge/
This was certainly helpful to read! Thanks!
This is really helpful. I also tag the most followed post but I did not know that it is not always the best!
Great post! I just started really taking my Instagram account seriously to promote my blog and this was very helpful =)
I love this post mainly because it tells the truth. I done so much research I realize it’s better to use the ones that have less because more people will see your post. Great tips, really informative.
Joy
Insta @jseivad
http://www.jseivad.com
What great tips! I’m always looking for the “right” hashtags. Thanks!
laceedoeslife.com
That was really helpful! I’m definitely going to look into not only minimizing my use of hashtags but being more strategic about it and see how it works. Thanks!
Amazing round up!
These are great tips. I am working on creating lists of hashtags for various types of pictures that I can copy and paste.
This article is so useful I wish that this kind of post I run it to earlier because I really had a trouble bit it in the beginning.
Thank you for sharing! I don’t think everyone knows the benefits to hashtags!
Thank you for this. It is so helpful. It is true that the too popular one are pretty much useless. Gonna pin this 😀 Thank you
This is a great article. I just started using instagram and hashtags. But, this is still a little foreign to me,
wow!!! your followers are large! thanks for the tips will certainly take the addvice seeing as you seem to know what you are doing.
Thanks for this really interesting insights using hashtags on Instagram. Best regards from Berlin, Germany.
This was so useful! I have been trying to build my Instagram recently – will try some of these tips!
Emma
http://www.emma-jayne.co.uk
Once again a really nice post! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
https://tinkaragolob.wordpress.com
Great content and awesome tops
Lovely post….and well put together…it’s relatable too
Great tips, will use them on our blog
This is a really useful post I did not know that you can add additional hashtags in the comments section I thought all had to go in the actual post. I have learn’t something new.Thanks
Nice information, I’ve been working with hashtags and it is tough.
https://travel.andrewandfillia.com
Thanks for sharing! I’m new to the blogging world so I’m always looking for advice.
thanks for sharing.
Great post.
Good info. Thanks for sharing.
Though am not really very active on instagram. These tips will definitely help me.
Very useful and helpful information written in an interesting way
Love this advice! Extremely useful 🙂
Thanks for the clear explanation
I always need more info on hashtags. Especially which ones to use! Thanks!
http://laceedoeslife.com
Just starting out on Instagram and I signed up for your course! =]
Really handy tips! I used to use oversaturated hashtags but now I’ve become a lot smarter and using them so that I’m actually targeting the right audience. Just out of curiosity – are you aware of the hashtag reach issue that has been happening on Instagram over the last few weeks? I noticed a massive drop in engagement.
Some awesome tips here, I’m still getting to grips with Instagram
great tips. Thank you
I am terrible at Insta. These tips make so much sense! I’d been using hashtags the wrong way. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing these post.Thanks for the tips too
nice! i needed that info for my new insta account.. thank you so much erica <3
Such great tips here and I do love my Instagram. thanks for sharing.
This was helpful, thanks for sharing!
Great! I’ll put it to good use
Great tips ? You can get more than 30 hashtags on your post- if you add your first 30 in your first comment, then edit your original post to add in additional tags… shhhhh
Thank you for this post! I have been looking for a long time . bookmarking it
Good stuff, signed up for the course 🙂
A really informative post. One really need to do a lot of research before using hashtags. I liked your suggestion of not using very high volume searched #s. I need to follow this to increase my followers. Thanks for sharing this.
Such helpful tips! I’ve always used hashtags but never had a real strategy. These tips should help me create one! Thanks for sharing!!
What a great article! I think I’m using too much those popular ones. Next time I’ll pay more attention on hashtags! 🙂
Great tips!