{"id":3524,"date":"2019-09-02T06:00:34","date_gmt":"2019-09-02T06:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/?p=3524"},"modified":"2019-09-03T22:04:15","modified_gmt":"2019-09-03T22:04:15","slug":"instagram-hashtag-best-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-hashtag-best-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"Hashtags 101: Instagram Hashtag Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s no secret that Instagram thrives\u00a0on the use of hashtags.<\/p>\n

In fact, often times people and businesses don’t even add a caption; they just list out a series of hashtags instead. We’ve put together Instagram hashtag best practices and tips as a follow-up to the posts on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> hashtag best practices.<\/p>\n

As with any social network, there is a right way and wrong way to use hashtags on Instagram. With the Instagram hashtag max limit set to 30, let’s find out how exactly you can make the most of them.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for a more strategic way to use hashtags, you can discover all your competitors’ tactics\u00a0using our new hashtag analysis tools<\/a>. Uncover\u00a0the hashtags you are, are not, and should be using!<\/p>\n

\"Instagram<\/a>

Chanel decided to use no words, only hashtags when posting this video. However, Chanel failed to use proper capitalization which makes the hashtags intimidating.<\/p><\/div>\n

Instagram Hashtag Best Practice #1: Use multiple\u00a0#hashtags, but under 10 is best!<\/h2>\n

According to our 2018 Social Media Industry Benchmark report<\/a>, 75.1% of posts on Instagram contain hashtags, which means it’s important for you to get in the game and stay there with hashtag use.<\/p>\n

If you’re still establishing your brand on Instagram, use as many relevant hashtags as possible in your posts. If you don’t have many followers on Instagram, try driving traffic towards your Instagram account from your other social media platforms. According to research done by\u00a0SocialFresh<\/a>, it’s best to limit to 10 Instagram hashtags per post to deter the perception that your post could be spam. After researching the habits of various brands on Instagram, the optimum number of hashtags for likes is seven hashtags before they negatively affect engagement.<\/p>\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/p>\n

On Instagram, people often search for specific hashtags and scroll through the image feed. If they like what you posted, they will actually click “like.”\u00a0 If\u00a0they like what they see, they might also click\u00a0on your username to check out your feed\u00a0and\u00a0follow you. As in this case, hashtags help you reach a broader audience and gain followers.<\/p>\n

\"Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Not sure whether to post your hashtags directly in your post copy or save them for the first comment? Take a look at this informal study on Instagram hashtag placement from Agorapulse<\/a> that concludes that there isn’t a huge difference between the two. You can tuck your hashtags away in the first comment for a cleaner aesthetic, or include them in your post for extra insurance.<\/p>\n

Instagram Hashtag Best Practice #2: Use your SEO keywords<\/h2>\n

A great place to start when deciding which hashtags to use is your SEO keywords. Search your keywords on Instagram and see what others are posting. If the majority of content is relevant to your post, and it is\u00a0an active hashtag,\u00a0use it! Just remember, research is key\u2013don’t use hashtags that\u00a0aren’t active or relevant.<\/p>\n

(Need a primer on sprucing up your SEO? We covered optimizing your SEO to maximize traffic here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\"Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram Hashtag Best Practice #3: Create custom hashtags<\/h2>\n

If your brand is already established on Instagram, it is time to consider custom hashtags. Make sure any custom hashtag you create is\u00a0unique, memorable, and speaks to your brand. Most brands create custom hashtags that are a play on their name, e.g.\u00a0#ArtoftheTrench (Burberry),\u00a0#InstaKors (Michael Kors) or\u00a0#ATiffanyHoliday\u00a0(Tiffany & Co.).<\/p>\n

Oh and don’t forget, like Twitter and Facebook, make sure your hashtag is easy to spell, and use capitalization for readability.<\/p>\n

\"Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram Hashtag Best Practice #4: Create an Instagram campaign using hashtags<\/h2>\n

Hashtags are a great way to prompt your followers to get involved with your brand.\u00a0By doing so, not only are you helping your brand reach your follower’s followers, but you’re also developing a relationship with loyalists by inviting them to feel like they are a part of your brand. Starbucks does a great job of this.<\/p>\n

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Instagram Hashtag Best Practice #5: Don’t forget about the classics<\/h2>\n

There are a few incredibly popular hashtags on Instagram. If executed properly, they can really help your brand engage with existing followers and attract new ones.<\/p>\n