Instagram is a platform where hashtags have a special place. They are quite important on Instagram. Hashtags make your posts stand out, that is why Instagram users are asking ‘how many hashtags should I use on Instagram?’
Using hashtags when posting a photo or a video improves your chances to get discovered. To do that you must have a Public profile. Otherwise, your posts will not be seen on the Discovery page even if you use hashtags.
By using hashtags, your content on Instagram will be visible to users that do not follow you. Users can even follow hashtags now, that is why it is important to use relevant hashtags only. If you use irrelevant hashtags, your content will be seen by users who are not interested in your topic. However, this results in a bad manner.
Users also have the ability to ban hashtags. They can do this by tapping on ‘Don’t Show for This Hashtag.’ If you keep using irrelevant hashtags a lot, your posts can get flagged.
If you mean business, then using hashtags is crucial for you. Because marketing on Instagram has developed so well in recent years. Nowadays almost every brand is on Instagram and they sell their products through it as well.
Let’s take a look at how to use hashtags on Instagram.
How to Use Instagram Hashtags
Using hashtags is crucial, especially on Instagram marketing. Know what hashtags to use and you will be successful on Instagram with this. Find the top hashtags to use on your posts and stories. Let’s take a look at how hashtags work to do things for your interest.
Only Use Relevant Hashtags.
As we have mentioned before, if you do not want your Instagram posts to be flagged, only use relevant hashtags. Even if your post does not get banned, don’t do it. There is no reason for it. When people are looking at the Explore page, they will not be tapping on photos that they are not interested in.
You should also take notice of your followers. Use your hashtags efficiently and strategically to give your audience what they need. With irrelevant hashtags, your users might be annoyed. No one likes to read too many hashtags, especially when they are not about the topic.
Use specific hashtags to narrow down your topic. The more niche hashtags they are, the more engagement you get from your target audience.
Use Hashtags According to Your Audience Size
Always keep track of your audience size. According to a research, the engagement rate per post differs according to the audience size.
For accounts that have less than 5.000 followers, the highest engagement rate is 5 hashtags in the caption and 9 in the first comment.
Between 5.000 and 10.000 followers, 5 hashtags in the caption and 13 in the first comment.
For accounts that have between 10.000 and 50.000 followers, 2 hashtags in the caption and 11 in the first comment.
Accounts that have 50.000 and 100.000 followers, 8 hashtags in the caption and 20 in the first comment.
For more than 100.000 followers, 6 hashtags both in the caption and the first comment.
Use Popular Hashtags
If your content is suitable for a popular hashtag, use it definitely. Trending hashtags increase your engagement dramatically. You can use branded hashtags to increase awareness of your brand. Remember to use them in the caption.
You can find a list of hashtags that are popular on Instagram from here: https://www.famety.com/blog/100-top-instagram-hashtags
Top hashtags are the lead to the place where many users gather around.
Place Your Hashtags Correctly
Use your hashtags correctly in the caption and the first comment. The effectiveness of the hashtags differ and Business accounts can see it from View Insights tab. Take a look at the ‘Impressions from Hashtags’ metrics.
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You can choose to hide the hashtags in the caption as well. This feature works perfectly, however, it is only possible in the caption. You cannot hide hashtags in the first comment.
Use Hashtags on Instagram Stories
We have mentioned that users can now follow hashtags. These hashtags can even have Stories. You might get your Story into a hashtag’s Story.
When people search through hashtags, if the hashtag is popular enough, they can see the Stories of the hashtag including yours. You can add 10 hashtags to a Story at most.
What Major Brands Do?
Major brands tend to keep their hashtag use at minimum. They do not use lots of hashtags, instead, they only use hashtags narrowed down to their niche or their products.
For example, major brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Dolce & Gabbana, Tiffany & Co., Philips use 5 hashtags at most. All of them have more than 100.000 followers. BMW has 25.8 million followers, it is the most followed account among the examples.
Conclusion
We have covered the question ‘how many hashtags should I use on Instagram?’ In conclusion, although numbers may differ, using as many hashtags as possible is never a good idea. Using the right relevant hashtags can get your account somewhere in a good manner.
If you want to learn more about the use of hashtags, you might like our Ultimate Hashtag Guide. To learn more about Instagram, please check our latest articles about it.
1 Comment
Hashtags on Instagram have been the single most important set of tools to improve my Instagram traffic. I recommend everyone to apply these techniques as well.