Are You Using Hashtags Strategically?
There are a lot of questions about how to use hashtags in 2023 - and a whole lot of different answers.
Before you jump on the latest hashtag trend, remember: people can go viral saying anything! Just because a hashtag tip is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
As your friendly neighbourhood social media strategist (and hashtag lover 🫶) I’m here to tell you what you need to know about using hashtags in 2023 as a small business trying to make connections and grow your business on Instagram.
We’re going to talk about
➡️ What hashtags are and how they work
➡️ How to use hashtags strategically
➡️ Where to find the right hashtags for your business, and
➡️ How many hashtags is *the right* number
Ready?
Grab your smoothie, water bottle or cup of coffee (or, if you’re like me, all three 🤯) and let’s dive right in.
What Are Hashtags And How Do They Work?
A hashtag is a word (or phrase) preceded by the pound symbol. Like this 👉🏻 #HashtagBasics.
Hashtags are Instagram’s way of organizing content so that people can find it more easily.
“Including hashtags in your posts means taking part in a conversation happening on that social media platform. And most importantly, it makes your posts visible in that conversation. This can lead to greater engagement, boosting your brand’s social media engagement through likes, shares, comments, and new followers.” - Hootsuite
Including hashtags in your posts also makes them more searchable!
You can think of hashtags as keywords for Instagram. They tell Instagram what your post is about so it can be delivered to the right people as a suggested post when they use Instagram search to find content.
FAQ: Where should I put my hashtags? In the captions or in the first comment?
A: In the caption! When you include hashtags in your captions you are providing Instagram with searchable keywords. This makes it more likely that your post will be included in search results for related topics.
Now that you know what they are, let’s talk about how to use hashtags to grow your business on Instagram.
How To Use Hashtags Strategically For Your Small Business
When you don’t have an Instagram hashtag strategy, things can get messy.
You’ll either find yourself choosing hashtags on the fly (🙅♀️ not effective) or forgetting to use hashtags altogether (missed opportunity 😢).
So, let’s get strategic!
Here are 4 tips to help you build a strong hashtag strategy for social media.
#1 Know Your Audience.
Before you look for the right hashtags for your business, ask yourself this very important question: Who do I want to find my content?
Get specific! Focus on your ideal clients and customers.
📍 Where do they live?
🛍️ Where do they shop?
🤔 What are they interested in?
🔍 What are they searching for?
Think intentionally about who you want to see your posts and let that guide your choices.
#2 Gather Hashtags From These 4 Categories.
Because you can use up to 30 hashtags per post, you have a lot of room to play with different category combinations.
Here are the 4 categories I focus on for myself and my clients.👇🏻
Location: Look for hashtags associated with the cities, towns and regions where your clients live, work and shop. (❇️ Hint: Do any of these places have nicknames? Look for those, too!)
Audience: Experiment with hashtags that your ideal clients love, use and follow.
Industry: What words or hashtags are your audience using when they search for content about the products and services you offer? (🔥Tip! Look at the hashtags local competitors and industry leaders are using for inspiration!)
Topical: Have some fun with this category! Use hashtags that are hyper-specific to your post and try out some trending hashtags if they make sense.
If you want to learn more about the 4 types of hashtags I think you need in your hashtag bank, visit the blog and read 4 Types of Hashtags You Need To Connect With More People On Social Today. It’s loaded with tips and insights to get you started!
#3 Build Hashtag Sets.
Once you have a list of hashtags from all 4 categories, you can combine them into hashtag sets.
Think of it like building an ice cream sundae!
🍨 Audience and Industry hashtags will be your ice cream.
✨ Location-specific hashtags are the sauce and sprinkles.
🍒 And, topical tags are the cherry on top!
Mix and match to create your perfect combo!
I recommend building 2 or 3 sets of 20-30 hashtags. That way you can alternate between them to keep things fresh. This prevents Instagram from thinking your content is spammy and helps you reach more people!
TIP: Keep your hashtag sets handy!
Once you dig in and collect a selection of hashtags from each category, save them in a spreadsheet or a notepad on your phone for easy access. This way you can just cut and paste to add your hashtags to a post or Reel in seconds. (Don’t forget to add those post-specific hashtags before publishing!)
#4 Keep Your Hashtag Sets Fresh With Regular Updates.
An important part of every strategy is *drum roll* 🥁 being consistent.
Schedule some time every quarter to review your analytics and see which hashtags are working for you and which ones need a refresh.
Updating your hashtag bank regularly helps to keep your content current in search results.
Where To Find The Right Hashtags For Your Business.
Before you can build your hashtag sets, you have to find hashtags from the 4 categories we talked about above. ☝🏻 (Did you skim ahead? I’ve got you! Take a quick peek, catch up and meet me back here!)
Here are some tips to help you be a super-sleuth hashtag detective. 🕵️
➡️ Search keywords related to your business and see what comes up under “Tags”. Go through the search results and see if your content would “fit” with the other posts shared with that hashtag. Yes? Add it to the list! No? Try another.
➡️ Explore the hashtags being used by accounts for people in your industry who create content you love. You’re sure to find some good industry-related hashtags.
➡️ Take a look at other local businesses for location hashtag inspiration.
➡️ Take a look through some of your followers' accounts to see what hashtags they are using. Go a step further by checking out posts that they have liked or engaged with and see what hashtags you can find there, too!
➡️ Look at your Insights analytics to see what hashtags you used in your top-performing posts. Then…use them again!
TIP: Avoid overused hashtags by niching down.
Sometimes less is more. Avoid overused hashtags and tap into your niche with these tips.
- Avoid hashtags with multiple millions of uses. You’ll risk getting lost in the crowd!
- Combine location hashtags with industry hashtags to create a more targeted hashtag set. For example, instead of #Bakery try #PeterboroughBakery or — even more specific — #DowntownPeterboroughBakery
- Add a descriptive word to your tag to niche down. Instead of just #Yoga try #YogaTeacher or #YogaPlay
Niching down is part of a solid hashtag strategy. By using more niche hashtags, you can get your content in front of the right people and build the engagement and connections your business needs to thrive on social!
How Many Hashtags Is *The Right* Number?
This might be the MOST asked question about how to use Instagram hashtags. And people get HEATED about it. 🔥
Some people say 3 hashtags is the magic number.
Others say 10.
I say 30. And, here’s why. 👇🏻
Every hashtag you use is a chance to reach people by showing up under that hashtag AND increase discoverability in search thanks to keywords.
So, if you are allowed to use 30 hashtags, then I say use them all!
I even did a little social media experiment to prove my point. 🤓
I posted a few posts using only 5 to 8 hashtags. Then, I posted others using a full 30 hashtags.
The results? The posts with up to 30 hashtags had more than 4 times as many impressions from hashtags. That’s 4 times as many people who laid eyes on my content because of the hashtags I used.
The numbers don’t lie! #CaseClosed
(Don’t believe it? You can see the results from my Instagram hashtag experiment here in this REEL. )
⚠️ That being said, I don’t recommend using 30 hashtags just for the sake of using them.
The important thing is that each hashtag you use is targeted and adds value to your content! If you have 26 strategically selected hashtags in a set –don’t add in 4 more random tags just to hit 30! They won’t help you connect with the right people, anyways.
Learning How To Use Hashtags Strategically Helps You Grow Your Business.
Hashtags aren’t magic –but they are a powerful tool.
By doing some detective work and building carefully curated hashtag sets you have a much better chance of getting your content in front of the right people more often.
Remember, every hashtag is an opportunity to connect with a potential client or customer.
Be strategic, have some fun and use all 30 hashtags whenever you can!
Do you need help creating a hashtag strategy for your small business? Book a Power Hour and let’s get strategic. 🥳