Instagram has become an indispensable platform for businesses and individuals alike to showcase their brand, connect with their audience, and grow their following. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram offers immense potential for reaching new audiences and engaging with existing ones. One of the most powerful tools at your disposal for maximizing your Instagram presence is the strategic use of hashtags.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll take a deep dive into the world of Instagram hashtags, exploring their psychology, best practices, and actionable strategies to help you optimize your hashtag game in 2022. Whether you‘re a seasoned Instagram pro or just starting, this comprehensive resource will provide you with the insights and tools you need to succeed.
The Psychology Behind Instagram Hashtags
Hashtags are more than just a way to categorize your content – they tap into powerful psychological principles that drive user behavior and engagement on Instagram. By understanding the psychology behind hashtags, you can craft a more effective strategy that resonates with your target audience.
The Power of Social Proof
One of the primary reasons hashtags are so effective is that they leverage the concept of social proof. When users see a post with a high number of likes, comments, or shares associated with a particular hashtag, they are more likely to perceive that content as valuable and engage with it themselves. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle, where popular hashtags continue to gain traction and visibility.
The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
Hashtags also play into the fear of missing out (FOMO), a psychological phenomenon that drives users to stay constantly connected and engaged with social media. By using trending or popular hashtags, you can tap into the FOMO effect and make your content more discoverable to users who don‘t want to miss out on the latest trends or conversations.
The Sense of Community
Hashtags foster a sense of community and belonging on Instagram. By using niche or community-specific hashtags, you can connect with like-minded individuals who share your interests or values. This not only helps you build a more engaged and loyal following but also creates opportunities for collaboration and partnership with other users in your niche.
Hashtag Best Practices for Maximum Impact
To make the most of your Instagram hashtag strategy, it‘s essential to follow some key best practices. These guidelines will help you optimize your hashtag usage for maximum reach, engagement, and growth.
1. Research and Use Relevant Hashtags
One of the most crucial aspects of a successful hashtag strategy is using relevant and targeted hashtags. Before posting, take the time to research hashtags that are specific to your niche, industry, or target audience. Use a combination of popular, niche, and location-based hashtags to increase your chances of being discovered by the right users.
Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Hashtag Expert can help you identify relevant hashtags based on your keywords, competitors, or industry trends. A few key points to keep in mind:
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Don‘t use hashtags that have nothing to do with your content just because they‘re trending or popular. Only use hashtags that are genuinely relevant to your post.
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Use specialized hashtags related to your product/service. For example if you‘re selling custom made furniture, hashtags like #CustomFurniture #WoodworkingCraftsman #DesignerFurniture will target people specifically looking for that information.
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Location-based hashtags are especially important if your business has a physical presence or location. So #PortlandCoffeeShop will help you connect with local customers in Portland.
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Analyze the most commonly used hashtags in your niche. Looking at what hashtags your competitors and the top influencers in your space are using can help you identify key hashtags to include.
2. Optimize Your Hashtag Quantity
While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, throwing in irrelevant hashtags just to hit that number is not effective. So what‘s the magic number? The consensus is that about 11 hashtags is a good number to aim for.
However, the most effective number of hashtags depends on your specific account and industry. The key is to test and see how different hashtag quantities impact your reach and engagement. Start with around 11 and adjust up or down from there to find your sweet spot.
3. Create a Branded Hashtag
A branded hashtag is a hashtag that‘s unique to your business. It could be as simple as your company name, tagline, or the name of a specific campaign. A few key benefits of using a branded hashtag:
- It makes your content more discoverable.
- It allows you to drive the conversation around your brand.
- It helps you collect user-generated content.
- It helps create a community around your brand.
For example, the shoe company Toms uses the hashtag #WithoutShoes to raise awareness about their One for One campaign. Every time someone posts using this hashtag, it promotes their campaign and engages their audience.
4. Encourage User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to build trust and drive engagement. Hashtags can be a great way to encourage UGC. By creating a branded hashtag and encouraging your followers to post using it, you can collect UGC that you can then repost on your own feed (with credit to the original poster, of course).
For example, the clothing brand Aerie uses the hashtag #AerieREAL to encourage customers to post unretouched photos of themselves wearing Aerie clothing. They then feature select UGC on their own feed, which both engages their audience and promotes body positivity.
5. Participate in Trending Hashtags
Joining in on popular hashtags and trends can be a great way to increase your visibility and reach new audiences. Examples of popular hashtag trends include:
However, it‘s important to only participate in trending hashtags that are relevant to your brand and content. Don‘t just jump on a trend for the sake of it.
Measuring Your Hashtag Performance
Like with any aspect of your Instagram marketing, it‘s important to track and measure your hashtag performance. Key metrics to look at include:
- Reach: How many unique users saw your hashtagged post?
- Impressions: The total number of times your hashtagged post was seen.
- Engagement: How many likes, comments, saves, and shares did your hashtagged post receive?
Tools like Iconosquare, Sprout Social and Simply Measured can help you track these metrics and get insights into which hashtags are performing best. Based on this data, you can fine-tune your hashtag strategy, doubling down on hashtags that are working and retiring ones that aren‘t effective.
It‘s also a good idea to keep an eye on your competitor‘s hashtag strategy – see which hashtags they‘re using and which seem to be most effective for them. This can help inspire your own hashtag strategy while making sure you‘re staying competitive.
Hashtags Best Practices in 2022 & Beyond
As Instagram continues to evolve, so do the strategies for effective hashtag use. Here are some key trends and best practices to keep in mind for Instagram hashtags in 2022 and beyond:
Leverage Instagram‘s AI Hashtag Suggestions
In 2021, Instagram rolled out AI-powered hashtag suggestions, which recommend relevant hashtags based on the content of your post. While you shouldn‘t rely solely on these suggestions, they can be a helpful way to find new, relevant hashtags to include.
Include Hashtags in Your Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories have become an integral part of many brands‘ Instagram strategy. And yes, you can (and should) be using hashtags in your Stories too! You can use up to 10 hashtags in an Instagram Story. Hashtags in Stories are tappable, so viewers can click through to see other content using that hashtag.
Explore Hashtags in Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels, the platform‘s answer to TikTok, have taken center stage. And like with regular posts and Stories, using relevant hashtags in your Reels can help more people discover your content. You can include hashtags in your Reels caption or as a text overlay on the video itself.
Participate in Hashtag Challenges
Hashtag challenges are a popular way for brands to create viral content and engage their audience. Essentially, you challenge your followers to create content (usually a video) based around a specific theme and hashtag.
For example, Guess launched the #InMyDenim challenge, encouraging users to post videos of themselves in their Guess denim. The challenge resulted in over 5,000 user-generated videos and a significant boost in engagement and brand awareness for Guess.
Don‘t Neglect Niche and Community Hashtags
While it can be tempting to focus on the most popular hashtags, niche hashtags can actually be more effective for reaching your target audience. Niche hashtags are less competitive, so your content is more likely to stand out. Plus, users following niche hashtags are typically more engaged and interested in that specific topic.
For example, rather than just using #Travel (which has over 500 million posts), a boutique hotel might use niche hashtags like #BoutiqueHotel, #LuxuryTravel, or #ExploreTheWorld to reach a more targeted audience of travel enthusiasts.
Key Instagram Hashtag Statistics
Still not convinced about the power of Instagram hashtags? Let the numbers speak for themselves:
- Posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than posts with no hashtags. (Source: SproutSocial)
- Using 9-12 hashtags per post is the optimal number for maximum engagement. (Source: TrackMaven)
- 7 out of 10 hashtags on Instagram are branded. (Source: Mention)
- Tweets with hashtags get 2x more engagement than those without. (Source: Twitter)
- 70% of the most used hashtags on Instagram are branded. (Source: Sprout Social)
| Number of Hashtags | Average Engagement Rate |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1.73% |
| 1-3 | 2.58% |
| 4-6 | 2.97% |
| 7-9 | 3.26% |
| 10-12 | 3.41% |
| 13-15 | 3.33% |
| 16-18 | 3.01% |
| 19+ | 2.88% |
Source: SproutSocial
Conclusion: Crafting Your Winning Instagram Hashtag Strategy
Hashtags are a powerful tool for increasing your reach, engaging your audience, and growing your following on Instagram. But as with any tool, it‘s all about using them strategically.
As we‘ve covered in this guide, a winning Instagram hashtag strategy in 2022 involves:
- Researching and using relevant, targeted hashtags
- Optimizing your hashtag quantity
- Creating a branded hashtag
- Encouraging user-generated content
- Participating in trending hashtags and challenges
- Leveraging hashtags in Stories and Reels
- Focusing on niche and community hashtags
- Tracking your hashtag performance and adjusting accordingly
By implementing these best practices and staying on top of the latest Instagram trends, you can make hashtags a core part of your Instagram growth strategy. Remember, the key is to be strategic, consistent, and always provide value to your audience.
Happy hashtagging!
