Instagram Hashtags Strategy: 9 Ways to Increase Engagement on Instagram

Though Twitter was the pioneer in hashtags, Instagram has given them a sense of recognition by putting them on the map.

19:45 21 May 2021

Hashtags offer infinite advantages including categorization of your content and making it discoverable. Hashtags can be your perfect marketing companion as they let you gain more followers, increase engagement and expand brand awareness. We have come up with 9 ways that will effectively increase engagement on Instagram. These techniques will give you an edge over other users and enable you to target untapped markets for getting more followers on instagram. This article comprises 9 tips that will allow you to get a wider reach on Instagram and reach the cornerstone. 

 

• Laser Focus Your Research 

Well, in the initial stage, you would need to research trending and relevant hashtags. Using the right hashtags helps you easily reach a target audience. We have broken down this approach broadly into some techniques. 

 

• Relevant Topics

As the name suggests, this section deals with finding out hashtags related to your line of business.

 

• Research Target audience

Observe the actions of your followers to determine which hashtags they use. Use such hashtags for reaching people with similar interests. 

 

• Research Industry Leaders 

Well, the final method involves following Instagram influencers and businesses that have similar goals as you. You can then decide on what hashtags to use.

• The correct way to use hashtags

Well, digital marketers have spent hours contemplating the ideal number of hashtag usage ranges. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about this fact. Just go with the usual range between 5-30. According to research, using 11 hashtags will give a wider reach on Instagram. Always remain strategic in this approach to buy more real Instagram likes. 

 

• Hide hashtags

Sounds pretty strange, isn’t it? But, this tip will let your readers focus on your engaging captions. You can hide your Instagram hashtags in captions or comments. There are different ways to do that but each requires pre-posting of your content. 

 

• Use hashtags in Instagram Stories

Who doesn’t love the Instagram Stories feature? Here’s something that will add a cherry to the cake. Start adding hashtags to stories. You can do this in different ways including placing them in the text, a sticker, or a location tag. Although hashtag aggregation heavily relies on quality content, it still has the potential to reach thousands of Instagrammers. Nevertheless, this method will result in a wider reach on Instagram.

 

• Niche and Custom Hashtags 

Just like every business, your niche is unique and requires recognition. This aspect is already triggered by high-quality and customized content. But, hashtags give an additional boost. Custom tags are highly effective for getting a wider reach on Instagram and a fair number of followers. 

 

• Niche Hashtags

Such tags connect your brand to a specific target audience. 

 

• Branded Hashtags

These are used for brand or product recognition and promotion. 

 

• Event Hashtags

As the name suggests, such hashtags are useful for those who intend to promote some events and attract visitors. 

 

• Use Topic Channel Hashtags 

This section deals with ultra-niche hashtags that are ideal for targeting a focused, active, or micro-community. If you want to boost your brand’s visibility and engagement, give this a shot today. Get ready to build a lasting relationship with your Instagram followers by using community-oriented hashtags. Use the hashtags most popular among your fanbase to get better responses from them. 

 

• Instagram Profile Bio Hashtags 

This out-of-the-box strategy goes a long way to impress your customers. By default, Instagram bios only allow one standard hyperlink. You can add a hashtag to your bio to keep the conversations going and share experiences. Further, it will increase your chances of getting instant Instagram followers. This is perhaps a great way to build a rapport with your audience and gain a wider reach on Instagram.

 

• Avoid Banned Hashtags

Avoiding banned hashtags is the most subtle thing you can do. Every social media platform expects its users to comply with its terms of use, and Instagram is no exception. Instagram bans violent, offensive, pornographic, illicit drug-related, or similar types of hashtags. Hence, you must be very cautious while using the right tag and possibly publish harmless posts. To find out if a hashtag is banned, search for it on the explore page. You will not be able to view such a tag implying it is banned. However, such tags may still appear in search results. Besides this, you must stay away from shadowban. 

 

• Monitor Hashtag Performance

Finally, we have reached the end of our hashtag journey. In this stage, we have to track our progress and measure the results. If you operate an Instagram business profile, you will be able to understand the level of engagement. This includes likes, comments, views, and shares. Needless to say that you need to keep a check on your Instagram followers and account growth. To track hashtag performance, simply tap View Insights after reaching a post. Instagram Insights limits your metrics to 7 and 14 days for regular posts and stories respectively. Hence, you may need to use some third-party apps. 

 

We hope you enjoyed reading this Instagram hashtag guide. For best results, research a lot about your brand and develop a hashtag strategy. This will enable you to analyze what strategy might work better for your business. Start your hustle today and feature on the top of the Instagram news feed.