Here's the best non-paid Instagram boost I know: Use #hashtags. And not just one or two. Instagram will allow up to 30 hashtags, but that seems extreme, and it may disengage your followers and get you in trouble for spam. We are currently using from five to 10 hashtags with a post.
Use hashtags with intention, and you'll notice an uptick in your Likes and Followers:
-Can I use AI tools to generate hashtags? Sure! Gemini is now being rolled out as a regular part of the Chrome search experience. Type @Gemini into your search bar and start. ChatGPT and others can also suggest hashtags.
OUR HASHTAG "RECIPE" is about the MIX of hashtags:
- For the topics you promote most, look at accounts with similar content and an established following. Start clicking through the list of hashtags--are the hastags national in their scope? Regional? Local? For instance, #CLTFood focuses on Charlotte restaurants and food while #eeeeeats has a national following of restaurants, blogs and food lovers. Use a mix of both local and national hashtags.
- Explore hashtags with key words relevant to your main topics in instagram search. Scroll down the offerings to see what gets the most use. Choose the hashtags with high follower numbers. When I recently highlighted NC's Seagrove Pottery on a feed, I found the hashtags #potterywheel, #madebyhand, #potterystudio and#artistsoninstagram had hefty followings--and I ended up receiving comments from gallery owners and artisans all over the world. Not all of them followed me because my feed wasn't exclusively art, but some did--and I loved the comments and exchange. (Hint:#ChefsofInstagram is powerful, too!) I also use #seagrovepottery #SeagroveNC #SeagrovePotters with every post for that client.
- When researching hashtags in the Instagram search, observe whether the singular or plural term has the most following. For example, 47.5 million people have used #hotel while 7.6 million have used #hotels. We prefer to use the higher number, especially if the client is indeed a hotel.
-We like to ALSO mix in hashtags with followings in the tens of thousands to drill into the niche users you want to attract. For instance #NCEvents has more than 52K uses. We love that hashtag! #NCTravel has 25K uses while #VisitNC has more than 203K uses. We frequently use all of these to get that core traveler looking for information on North Carolina trips.
- You can no longer follow a hashtag. Instagram made that change that in fall, 2024. You can still SEARCH on a hashtag and get ideas about other types of content people will see if they search on the hashtags you use. Use that search bar in Instagram. You can search hashtag numbers in Chrome.
- Have you recently worked with writers, content creators or influencers? Follow them and comment, support them, even when you aren't working with them. Study the hashtags they use. You may notice that their hashtag selection changes, depending on the post content. Yours should, too. Consider using the hashtags for key media outlets or blogs as you announce news and events. If you use the exact same hashtags on every post, Instagram doesn't like it. In addition to your basics, add hashtags specific to the photo you are posting. For instance, if you have pimento cheese burgers in an image, also include #pimentocheese and #burger related hashtags specific to your image.
- What audience do you want to see your post? Find the hashtags people use in your key travel drive markets--and then write your post and perhaps mention how far your destination is from a key drive market such as #ATL, #CLT, #WashingtonDC, etc.
- Have a conference coming to town? Attending one? Start using the conference hashtag well in advance--attendees want the early scoop on where the best dinner reservations are and what you recommend. You will also connect EARLY with the savviest influencers or media.
- Pro tip: To save time, make a list of the hashtags you use frequently in a "Notes" app on your phone. Copy and paste your list into your instagram post as you create it. Remember, add to this list based on your image content.
- HOW DO I KNOW hashtags matter? A colleague quit using hashtags as an experiment, and her likes and interaction decreased by almost half. Why? People search on hashtags to find things they like--and other people who share those same interests. For example, military service members often search on #militarydiscount (lots more users there than at #militarydiscounts).
- See how your hashtags are working for you: In Instagram, click on "View insights" at the top of your post.
Scroll down to see the circle graphic with "Accounts reached"
Underneath that circle, you'll be able to see how many people saw you based on hashtags....both followers and nonfollowers. If you deliver content they like, consistently, nonfollowers may follow you. Hashtags help more with awareness than follower recruitment....launching consistent reels is still one of the best ways to get new followers. We include three or four hashtags on reels, too.
Hashtags can help on X (formerly Twitter) too, especially when you are announcing breaking news or you're following breaking news. Only use one or two at a time on this platform.
Hashtags can occasionally boost traction on Facebook. Their real strength is on Instagram. And make that commitment: Respond and comment to ALL of your feedback within 24 hours, when possible.
#SocialMediaMarketing is a hashtag I'm using to follow what other social media pros are saying.
Have fun playing with this. I'd love to hear your questions and what you learn or encounter. --Susan PS....If you'd like to get hints, tips and marketing-savvy information like this on a monthly basis, be sure to sign up for our monthly email.
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