Strategic hashtag usage for more reach

Hashtags are more than just decorative elements in your Instagram post. They are powerful tools for marketing and visibility. Below you will learn why you need hashtags and how to strategically use them to significantly increase your reach.

Key Insights

• Hashtags help make your content accessible to the right people.
• They increase the discoverability of your profile.
• By cleverly using locations and hashtags, you can tap into new target audiences.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Hashtags on Instagram

1. What are Hashtags?

A hashtag is a word or phrase marked with a hash sign (#). The hash sign serves as a marker that allows social media content to be categorized under a specific topic. For example, if you are active in the dog niche on Instagram, you could use hashtags like #Dogs or #Dog to make your posts visible to interested users.

2. Why are Hashtags Important?

Hashtags allow Instagram to categorize your posts under a specific topic. This increases the likelihood of your content being discovered by users interested in similar subjects. For example, if someone shares a post about dogs and uses the hashtag #Dogs, that post will appear in the relevant story and can thus reach a broader audience.

3. Increasing Reach

Reach is a crucial factor on Instagram. A post typically has visibility for about two days before getting lost in the flood of new content. However, with the right hashtags, you can significantly boost your reach. By using popular and relevant hashtags, you can stay visible in search results in the long term.

4. Gaining Followers

To gain new followers, it's important for them to find you through hashtags. This means you should include relevant terms in your profile name and bio. For instance, if you have an account named "doglover" and use "Dogs" in your bio, you'll rank higher in searches for dogs compared to users who don't use these terms in their profile.

5. Subscribing to Hashtags

Users can subscribe to hashtags and receive suggestions for content associated with those tags. This means that your post reaches not only people who already follow you, but also individuals who might be interested in your content because they follow the hashtag.

6. Story Ranking

By strategically using hashtags in your stories, you can also climb the ranks in the relevant topic stories. For example, if you post walking shots of you with a dog in Vienna and tag them with #Dogs and #Vienna, you have the chance for your story to appear in the Vienna story as well.

7. Optimizing Your Hashtags

The choice of hashtags is crucial. Use a mix of popular, less popular, and niche-specific hashtags. The more people search for a particular hashtag, the more competition there is. Make sure your hashtags are both highly searched and relevant to your post to achieve the best results.

8. Location Tagging

By adding your location to your posts, you increase the chances of appearing in regional stories. If you don't want others to know your exact location, you can use an overarching hashtag that covers your location, such as #Austria.

9. Boosting Engagement

Use the comment feature strategically to foster engagement. Comment on new posts tagged with your hashtag to increase your visibility and create interactions. The more active you are in the community, the more likely you are to gain new followers.

10. Harnessing the Power of Hashtags

You should leverage the full potential that hashtags offer. By regularly optimizing your hashtags and making adjustments, you can ensure a consistent visibility and engagement. Remember that continuously working on your hashtag strategy can secure you a competitive advantage in the long term.

Summary

With the knowledge of the correct usage of hashtags, you can significantly increase your visibility and reach on Instagram. Implement the learned strategies and observe how your engagement and followership develop.