Instagram hashtags are one of the most effective methods to get more eyes (and more engagement!) for your Instagram posts in 2022.
But how do you use hashtags on Instagram? How do you choose the most relevant hashtags for you Instagram blog? Which hashtags are trending right today? Do you want to include them into your caption or the comments?
We're answering these questions, and many more in our complete tutorial on Instagram hashtags on the Stack-writer.
Instagram hashtags are fundamentally a method of categorizing and labelling your content. They then aid in helping Instagram serve your posts to users who are relevant.
In their simplest form the hashtags you select fuel the search results on the Explore page of Instagram:
However, it doesn't stop there. Hashtags also serve as reference points to the Instagram algorithm, meaning it can categorize your posts and suggest that it be shown to users it believes are likely to have an interest.
Then... Do Hashtags Still Work on Instagram until 2022?
Hashtags have always been at the center of debate, especially following Instagram's recent suggestion to utilize 3-5 hashtags (more on this later).
As Instagram gradually shifts to an algorithmic keyword searching, it will open up the possibility of a whole new world in the search engine's ability to find content - meaning that the words in your captions, or the subjects of your videos will be searchable too.
In spite of these massive technological advancements, hashtags still work on Instagram. Paired with a strong content strategy, they can result in incredible results.
Are you ready to download the complete download on Instagram hashtags? Take a look at our YouTube video guide now:
It's the Top 50 Most Popular Instagram Hashtags in 2022
Using ultra-popular hashtags isn't always the best way to garner more attention for your stories and posts because they're less likely to be seen.
As we've discussed, Instagram recently suggested that creators should include between three to five hashtags for their posts, while allowing as much as 30 hashtags per post.
This goes against the information we've heard previously about how hashtags function on Instagram However, given their recent focus on SEO and keywords the idea does (kind sort of) seem to make sense.
Instagram is introducing additional "suggested" content feeds, such as those on the Instagram Reels tab for instance. In order to deliver suggested content that truly is an "good match," Instagram needs to be able to identify it with precision. it. The idea behind it? Fewer hashtags = more reliable self categorization.
To test this hypothesis, Later looked at 18M+ Instagram feed posts - comparing the number of hashtags per post to average reach rates.
You can clearly see that using more hashtags = greater results. The rate of reach increases by 11% (from 24 35% to 24) when the number of hashtags rises from one to 30.
To put it in perspective If you take a account that has 20K followers it's an additional 2.2K accounts being reached per post.
We even looked at whether the trend had changed compared to 2020, but the results were fairly consistent.
So what hashtags should you use on Instagram? For now, using more hashtags is still the best strategy for increasing your reach and engagement for Instagram post feeds. But, as Instagram launches more "suggested" content feeds, focusing on fewer, relevant hashtags might be an option worth experimenting with.
#TalkDataToMe: Download the complete data report today to learn the ideal number of hashtags for reach and engagement.
What are the various types of Instagram Hashtags?
Before choosing hashtags to use for your posts, it's a good idea to look at the different kinds of hashtags you could use.
This will allow you to ensure you're covering all bases in your hashtag strategy.
* Location-based hashtags, like #BryantPark , or #LowerEastSide.
* Branded hashtags used to promote special events or campaigns, for example #Later and #LaterCon.
* Industry hashtags that identify your specialization, such as #SocialMediaManagers and #WeddingPlanners.
#Community-focused hashtags that bring your community together, like #VanLifeLiving or #IAmASweatyBetty
* Descriptive hashtags that describe the content of your actual post, such as #WoodwickCandles or #SheaButterProducts
There's no exact formula to the number hashtag you should include however keeping the various categories in mind can give useful ideas and guide your plan of action.
What are the advantages of Using Hashtags for Instagram
Utilizing relevant, specific hashtags on your posts as well as stories is among the most effective ways to be noticed by new viewers on Instagram.
Using one of the "right" hashtags can put you in front of your target group, even if they've never connected with you before.
This could lead to more participation, followers, and more customers for your brand or business!
But this isn't all. Hashtags also have many uses beyond improving your discoverability. They can be used for creating a community, sourcing content from users (UGC) or running campaigns, researching your target audience, and much more.
It's important to have a clear and well-designed hashtag strategywithout one you may miss out on opportunities to improve your Instagram account and boost engagement.
For example, look over Later's Instagram post about our new Linkin.bio modification:
We make use of hyper-relevant hashtags like #linkinbio, #smallbiztools, and #linkinbiotool within the captions so that visitors can easily locate our content when they're on the lookout for a hyperlink in bio tool.
Hashtags allow people to discover your content, increasing the likelihood of likes or comments, shares and also saves!
How to Find Instagram Hashtags that are Trending to use in your Content Strategy
Later's data report shows that using 20-30 hashtags in Instagram posts Instagram content is the best method to increase your reach and engagement rates.
But how do you discover this many relevant hashtags for every post? Here are 3 different tactics that you can employ:
Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool like Later
The tool for generating hashtag suggestions from Later is an easy method to locate hashtags that are based on the content of your post and similar hashtags in your field.
To make use of it, simply type a hashtag into the tool's search barand then hit "Suggest," and it'll immediately create new hashtags. sorting them by relevance
Tip #2: Conduct Research through the Instagram Explore Page
Its Instagram Explore page is a great source of inspiration for you to develop your Instagram hashtag plan.
To get the most effective results, you should search for keywords that relate to your business or your content and also check the "Top" result.
The posts appear to be doing well in the Instagram algorithm, so take note of the various hashtags and consider whether they could work for your posts.
Tactic #3: Evaluate Instagram Hashtag Volume Using Twitter's Tag Search Tool
When it comes to finding the most popular hashtags, posting volume is a crucial measure.
If a hashtag has been used on hundreds of thousands of social media posts the odds are that your post will get lost in the crowd.
On the other hand in the event that a hashtag has a handful of posts, it's likely that no one is searching in Instagram's Instagram Explore pages. For a safe middle-ground try to find hashtags with between 10K-200K posts.
To verify a hashtag's posts volume, go to Instagram's tag search feature on the Explore Page.
This is a great opportunity to look over your hashtags and also give you ideas. For example, you might find a more niche hashtag that begins with the same word, but has a much healthier volume of posts.
Should You Use Hashtags on Instagram in the Caption or Comment Section?
Instagram has confirmed that hashtags are effective in both your post caption and the comments section therefore it's up to you where you'd like to put them.
It is worth considering timeliness even so. When you manually post hashtags in the comments section, it's best to do this as soon as your post is published.
TIP: If you are using Later's Instagram calendaring tools, you can plan a First Comment to go live at the same with your posting.
This is a great way to keep your caption's visual clean, while still benefiting from the extra exposure benefits of a good hashtag strategy.
The Later's First Comment tool lets you set up a comment that goes live at the exact time as your post - available on every paid plan.
What Can Hashtags Do to Increase Likes On Instagram
With the right Instagram hashtag strategy you won't just reach more people -but you'll also reach the right audience for your brand or company.
Learn about people who are likely to interact with your content.
Utilizing 20-30 relevant hashtags can make your posts appear in more search results on the app, increasing the chance of likes and comments.
Take Sweaty Betty, an empowering fitness brand whose consumers are women who are passionate for fitness.
The account employs the search-driven hashtag #GlobalRunningDay, to create followers and also a hashtag that is branded for #iamasweatybetty that promotes an understanding of community as well as togetherness:
The site has more than 2.5K likes (and a pretty chatty comments section! ) These specific hashtags are ideal for building a community of like-minded runner aficionados and encouraging users to take a deep breath!
Be careful and make sure you use hashtags that your public is actively searching to increase your reach and likes number. It's a win-win.
How to Make Time Your Instagram Hashtag Strategies
Finding 20-30 new hashtags for each post you publish is extremely time-consuming - But there are methods to make it more efficient.
One method is to compile lists of 20-30 hashtags that align with your core content themes and then edit and incorporate into each blog post.
With Later's no-cost Instagram scheduler, you are able to create "Saved Captions" that contain your carefully curated lists of hashtags.
You can add them to a post caption (and modify them) in just two taps!
How to Create an Effective Instagram Hashtag Strategy With Analytics
The best method to create an effective hashtag plan?
Starting from a solid base. Once you've found the hashtags you want to use, you should begin testing them and then digging into your analytics.
Analyzing the performance on your social media hashtags are the ideal way to monitor the success of your experiment, and allows you to fine tune your strategy over time.
By using Later's Analytics tools, you can get the most relevant information on your hashtags. This includes an analysis of which hashtags have the most influence on the number of likes and comments, as well as saves and reach on your Instagram posts.
It instantly compares the hashtags you use with the performance of your posts over time, providing you with an overview of what's working and what's notworking for your account.
Hashtags can be a great method to connect with new audiences and expand your reach, but it takes the time and effort required to see huge results.
No matter how many hashtags you use, be it 10 or 30, a consistent hashtag strategy is still one of the most efficient methods for growth on Instagram.
But how do you use hashtags on Instagram? How do you choose the most relevant hashtags for you Instagram blog? Which hashtags are trending right today? Do you want to include them into your caption or the comments?
We're answering these questions, and many more in our complete tutorial on Instagram hashtags on the Stack-writer.
How do Instagram Hashtags Are Working?
Instagram hashtags are fundamentally a method of categorizing and labelling your content. They then aid in helping Instagram serve your posts to users who are relevant.
In their simplest form the hashtags you select fuel the search results on the Explore page of Instagram:
However, it doesn't stop there. Hashtags also serve as reference points to the Instagram algorithm, meaning it can categorize your posts and suggest that it be shown to users it believes are likely to have an interest.
Then... Do Hashtags Still Work on Instagram until 2022?
Hashtags have always been at the center of debate, especially following Instagram's recent suggestion to utilize 3-5 hashtags (more on this later).
As Instagram gradually shifts to an algorithmic keyword searching, it will open up the possibility of a whole new world in the search engine's ability to find content - meaning that the words in your captions, or the subjects of your videos will be searchable too.
In spite of these massive technological advancements, hashtags still work on Instagram. Paired with a strong content strategy, they can result in incredible results.
Are you ready to download the complete download on Instagram hashtags? Take a look at our YouTube video guide now:
It's the Top 50 Most Popular Instagram Hashtags in 2022
Using ultra-popular hashtags isn't always the best way to garner more attention for your stories and posts because they're less likely to be seen.
How Many Instagram Hashtags Should You Include On Your Posts?
As we've discussed, Instagram recently suggested that creators should include between three to five hashtags for their posts, while allowing as much as 30 hashtags per post.
This goes against the information we've heard previously about how hashtags function on Instagram However, given their recent focus on SEO and keywords the idea does (kind sort of) seem to make sense.
Instagram is introducing additional "suggested" content feeds, such as those on the Instagram Reels tab for instance. In order to deliver suggested content that truly is an "good match," Instagram needs to be able to identify it with precision. it. The idea behind it? Fewer hashtags = more reliable self categorization.
To test this hypothesis, Later looked at 18M+ Instagram feed posts - comparing the number of hashtags per post to average reach rates.
You can clearly see that using more hashtags = greater results. The rate of reach increases by 11% (from 24 35% to 24) when the number of hashtags rises from one to 30.
To put it in perspective If you take a account that has 20K followers it's an additional 2.2K accounts being reached per post.
We even looked at whether the trend had changed compared to 2020, but the results were fairly consistent.
So what hashtags should you use on Instagram? For now, using more hashtags is still the best strategy for increasing your reach and engagement for Instagram post feeds. But, as Instagram launches more "suggested" content feeds, focusing on fewer, relevant hashtags might be an option worth experimenting with.
#TalkDataToMe: Download the complete data report today to learn the ideal number of hashtags for reach and engagement.
What are the various types of Instagram Hashtags?
Before choosing hashtags to use for your posts, it's a good idea to look at the different kinds of hashtags you could use.
This will allow you to ensure you're covering all bases in your hashtag strategy.
There are five primary kinds of hashtags to be considered:
* Location-based hashtags, like #BryantPark , or #LowerEastSide.
* Branded hashtags used to promote special events or campaigns, for example #Later and #LaterCon.
* Industry hashtags that identify your specialization, such as #SocialMediaManagers and #WeddingPlanners.
#Community-focused hashtags that bring your community together, like #VanLifeLiving or #IAmASweatyBetty
* Descriptive hashtags that describe the content of your actual post, such as #WoodwickCandles or #SheaButterProducts
There's no exact formula to the number hashtag you should include however keeping the various categories in mind can give useful ideas and guide your plan of action.
What are the advantages of Using Hashtags for Instagram
Utilizing relevant, specific hashtags on your posts as well as stories is among the most effective ways to be noticed by new viewers on Instagram.
Using one of the "right" hashtags can put you in front of your target group, even if they've never connected with you before.
This could lead to more participation, followers, and more customers for your brand or business!
But this isn't all. Hashtags also have many uses beyond improving your discoverability. They can be used for creating a community, sourcing content from users (UGC) or running campaigns, researching your target audience, and much more.
It's important to have a clear and well-designed hashtag strategywithout one you may miss out on opportunities to improve your Instagram account and boost engagement.
For example, look over Later's Instagram post about our new Linkin.bio modification:
We make use of hyper-relevant hashtags like #linkinbio, #smallbiztools, and #linkinbiotool within the captions so that visitors can easily locate our content when they're on the lookout for a hyperlink in bio tool.
Hashtags allow people to discover your content, increasing the likelihood of likes or comments, shares and also saves!
How to Find Instagram Hashtags that are Trending to use in your Content Strategy
Later's data report shows that using 20-30 hashtags in Instagram posts Instagram content is the best method to increase your reach and engagement rates.
But how do you discover this many relevant hashtags for every post? Here are 3 different tactics that you can employ:
Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool like Later
The tool for generating hashtag suggestions from Later is an easy method to locate hashtags that are based on the content of your post and similar hashtags in your field.
To make use of it, simply type a hashtag into the tool's search barand then hit "Suggest," and it'll immediately create new hashtags. sorting them by relevance
Tip #2: Conduct Research through the Instagram Explore Page
Its Instagram Explore page is a great source of inspiration for you to develop your Instagram hashtag plan.
To get the most effective results, you should search for keywords that relate to your business or your content and also check the "Top" result.
The posts appear to be doing well in the Instagram algorithm, so take note of the various hashtags and consider whether they could work for your posts.
Tactic #3: Evaluate Instagram Hashtag Volume Using Twitter's Tag Search Tool
When it comes to finding the most popular hashtags, posting volume is a crucial measure.
If a hashtag has been used on hundreds of thousands of social media posts the odds are that your post will get lost in the crowd.
On the other hand in the event that a hashtag has a handful of posts, it's likely that no one is searching in Instagram's Instagram Explore pages. For a safe middle-ground try to find hashtags with between 10K-200K posts.
To verify a hashtag's posts volume, go to Instagram's tag search feature on the Explore Page.
This is a great opportunity to look over your hashtags and also give you ideas. For example, you might find a more niche hashtag that begins with the same word, but has a much healthier volume of posts.
Should You Use Hashtags on Instagram in the Caption or Comment Section?
Instagram has confirmed that hashtags are effective in both your post caption and the comments section therefore it's up to you where you'd like to put them.
It is worth considering timeliness even so. When you manually post hashtags in the comments section, it's best to do this as soon as your post is published.
TIP: If you are using Later's Instagram calendaring tools, you can plan a First Comment to go live at the same with your posting.
This is a great way to keep your caption's visual clean, while still benefiting from the extra exposure benefits of a good hashtag strategy.
The Later's First Comment tool lets you set up a comment that goes live at the exact time as your post - available on every paid plan.
What Can Hashtags Do to Increase Likes On Instagram
With the right Instagram hashtag strategy you won't just reach more people -but you'll also reach the right audience for your brand or company.
Learn about people who are likely to interact with your content.
Utilizing 20-30 relevant hashtags can make your posts appear in more search results on the app, increasing the chance of likes and comments.
Take Sweaty Betty, an empowering fitness brand whose consumers are women who are passionate for fitness.
The account employs the search-driven hashtag #GlobalRunningDay, to create followers and also a hashtag that is branded for #iamasweatybetty that promotes an understanding of community as well as togetherness:
The site has more than 2.5K likes (and a pretty chatty comments section! ) These specific hashtags are ideal for building a community of like-minded runner aficionados and encouraging users to take a deep breath!
Be careful and make sure you use hashtags that your public is actively searching to increase your reach and likes number. It's a win-win.
How to Make Time Your Instagram Hashtag Strategies
Finding 20-30 new hashtags for each post you publish is extremely time-consuming - But there are methods to make it more efficient.
One method is to compile lists of 20-30 hashtags that align with your core content themes and then edit and incorporate into each blog post.
With Later's no-cost Instagram scheduler, you are able to create "Saved Captions" that contain your carefully curated lists of hashtags.
You can add them to a post caption (and modify them) in just two taps!
How to Create an Effective Instagram Hashtag Strategy With Analytics
The best method to create an effective hashtag plan?
Starting from a solid base. Once you've found the hashtags you want to use, you should begin testing them and then digging into your analytics.
Analyzing the performance on your social media hashtags are the ideal way to monitor the success of your experiment, and allows you to fine tune your strategy over time.
By using Later's Analytics tools, you can get the most relevant information on your hashtags. This includes an analysis of which hashtags have the most influence on the number of likes and comments, as well as saves and reach on your Instagram posts.
It instantly compares the hashtags you use with the performance of your posts over time, providing you with an overview of what's working and what's notworking for your account.
Hashtags can be a great method to connect with new audiences and expand your reach, but it takes the time and effort required to see huge results.
No matter how many hashtags you use, be it 10 or 30, a consistent hashtag strategy is still one of the most efficient methods for growth on Instagram.