How to Use Hashtags on Instagram in 2024

Instagram hashtags are a powerful tool for standing out and reaching a wider audience. Businesses have discovered their value since their introduction.

Here’s a simple and effective way to enhance your Instagram presence and showcase your unique identity on social media.

However, it’s essential to consider certain factors when using hashtags. In the following sections, we’ll provide valuable tips for individuals and brands using Instagram hashtags for business promotion and beyond effectively.


Table of Contents

  1. Why Instagram Hashtags & What They Do
  2. Where Can I Use Instagram Hashtags
  3. How to Find the Best IG Hashtags for Your Account
  4. Banned Instagram Hashtags 2024 and Ways to Avoid Them
  5. Useful IG Hashtags Stats
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. The Final Word

Why Instagram Hashtags & What Do They Do?

Hashtags are crucial factors that support brands and topics on social sites. As a matter of fact, they have been known to deliver 12.6% more engagement to contents that make use of them. This alone is a great method for a person to promote their presence online and add social value to their marketing and media sales.

power-of-hashtags-ig-hashtags-blog

When knowing how to use hashtags on Instagram, it is very crucial to learn how to apply them evenly and without forcing them. Getting the hang of their preferred and what demographics would help them promote their brand can assist business owners to apply Instagram hashtags with ease. When it comes to using it in a post, just about anyone can increase the interaction levels that they have with those who follow them.

How Many Hashtags Should I Use on Instagram?

Those who feel the need to know how many hashtags to use on Instagram should always look into certain factors. According to studies, people tend to get 12.6% more engagement when a hashtag is used at least once in any of their contents. Apart from this, it is important that they get what it means to know how to apply them without causing too many bad effects on their post.

As mentioned before, they are not supposed to force its use, as this can make the entire concept they are trying to pass across look very unconventional. A usage of up to 30 is allowed. Although, it is better to make use of 5 or 6, in order to avoid the contents looking like spam.

In actual fact, using 0 hashtags means 18% more interaction per 1k followers, and using up to 11 means 79.5% more interaction per 1k followers. Although, the limit for Stories is 10.

Where Can I Use Instagram Hashtags?

They can be used almost anywhere on IG. This, of course, is due to their wide range of functionality. This allows them to be an ideal choice for comments, captions, and images, as well as posts.

However, when used on comments. They can be easily buried down once a few numbers of profiles begin to comment. Many are aware of this and simply adopt it or just like to apply other means of using hashtags on their account.

where-use-ig-hashtags-blog

Apart from the captions, comments, images, and posts where they can be used. It is also ideal for applying them in other places on the website that serve as good spots for their usage.

Here’s a List of the Top Places People Can Put Them:

  • Comments
  • Bios
  • Captions
  • Stories
  • Posts

The Different Types of Instagram Hashtags

There are different types of on the net; all of which have different functions. This makes it ideal for persons to give out various ideas and promote their brands in diverse methods. Not to mention, they are reliable methods for persons to carry out unique strategies. They consist of:

Branded Hashtags

Just as the name implies, these are mainly unique functions that have to do with brands and their names. They can guide Instagram profiles towards brands and have a lot to do with a brand’s identity.

Using one or creating one is a simple process. They usually contain the name, products, campaigns, or tagline of a brand. They are unique tools which can be used to promote a brand.

It is a common and unique technique that helps to improve reach and improve the audience level that a brand has. It can come in the form of names, product types, or short titles.

Category Hashtags

These can be generic tags. On a usual, they are used to show the categories a post fits into. They are used to show or depict a certain niche which content belongs in. Most times, users use them to provide better insights into what they are talking about.

Brand owners should always apply the ones favored by their target market. This allows them to increase focus in order to bring more engagement to their page. This would ensure efforts are put to better use.

Community Hashtags

These are meant to increase the reach of a user’s message. They are not aimed that just brand only, but can be widely used by profiles who have an interest in them. In fact, they are mainly used to connect the minds of users around a specific subject or content.

community-ig-hashtags-blog

Just as its name implies, this type is a unique style of reaching a wide unrelated audience. This means many can get a chance at providing content to many who share the same interests. It is best to look at it as a method of bringing like-minded profiles together with just a single click.

Campaign Hashtags

Known to be shorter-term, this type is mainly used for campaigns that do not last a long time. For example, persons who feel the need to host contests on Instagram can always make use of them. Quite often, they last for the period of a season or a year.

In order to increase activity on a new product or campaign, most business leaders will want to promote their brand in a unique way. This is when campaign hashtags come into the picture. They succeed in bringing better results because they are tied to specific campaigns.

Event Hashtags

They are mainly used to group contents or posts relating to a special event. When talking about the event, a profile can then use an event hashtag to refer to it simply. Such events could be sporting events, country events, or even famous shows that take place on TV.

How to Find the Best Instagram Hashtags for Your Account

A strategic plan or idea is the key to finding one. For brands to be able to make promote themselves better with this method, it is very crucial that they look into some certain factors. This would let them make the right decision when choosing the best one.

1. Learn How Your Target Market Use Instagram Hashtags

Owners of brands should research their audience and find out more about them. By so doing, they will be able to come up with some of the top ideas that can help them greatly increase their reach.

Sometimes, looking into the demographics of the target market is a great method to start. This would help avoid throwing contents with Instagram hashtags at random profiles. It is better to find out how they apply them and which ones are more likely to fit into each group of users.

2. Know What Hashtags are Working for Your Competitors

It is a great idea to always research competitors. This would support brands in finding out what could be going on behind their backs. This provides support which would make them figure out what their rivals are doing, and what they are not doing.

By checking on competitors, one can spot which hashtags they are using. Not just what they make use of, but also how they boost their marketing status with them.

3. Create Your Own Instagram Hashtags!

Brands can take the chance of making and working in their own hashtags in order to promote their accounts. Apart from the fact that this a very great style of showing how unique brands can be, it provides a chance for many to spot a brand with ease. Not to mention, many see this as a perfect method of standing out from rivals and other brands that share the same motives.

created-you-own-ig-hashtags-blog

4. Research And Know More About Industry Leaders

IG influencers sometimes share the same target market as a brand. Profiles can research influencers of certain brands to see how well they are able to perform.

In order to find the best hashtags to use, it is crucial that brands take a look at these spokesmen who share targets alike with them. This would help in getting them aware of certain strategies which might work quite well for them.

5. Find, Analyse, And Use Related Hashtags

Finding the ones that are related to theirs can always support brands effectively promote themselves on IG. They can choose from a long list of them to help support what they already have.

6. Choose Relevant Hashtags

Relevant ones have special benefits which can support brands and boost their marketing and social media sales online. Sometimes, it is never a good idea to go for large or highly-targeted ones mostly when smaller brands are involved. Relevant ones which offer more chances for smaller brands to trend can always be used. Rather than adding random ones to contents on IG, users should always be smart to choose the ones that are more crucial to their niche.

choose-relevant-ig-hashtags-blog

7. Keep an Eye on Hashtag Trends!

There are many hashtag trends that can be of great support when trying to promote social media presence on Instagram. When choosing the best, persons can always dive into these trends to significantly promote and improve their marketing sales and social media life on IG. By getting involved with such trends, users can drive in more traffic with ease. These trends may include special events, popular doings, fashion, and even technology.

8. Follow Instagram Hashtags

The site brought in a new feature which allows profiles to follow hashtags just the way they can follow accounts. This has made a big hit in the network by being a good technique used by many users to promote their profiles. When brands follow then, they can easily get a clear view and better insight into what may be going on in and around their niche.

9. Schedule Your Hashtags

Posts are very crucial features that can boost an online presence and make it popular. That being said, it is important that persons do not force them. Apart from forcing contents to their preferred market, brands should learn how to avoid rushing contents towards their clients.

They can do this by scheduling their posts. This would allow them to offer contents at certain times and schedule them without having to bombard the accounts on their follow list with hashtags and contents in just a short time.

real-ig-hashtags-blog

10. Figure Out Your Magic Number and How To Use it

When it is time for brands to figure out their magic number (best number of tags to use), they may find that the process comes as a fairly simple one. It takes a lot of testing to actually figure the numbers or amount of it to embed in their contents. With practice, they can always get the magic number that offers a better chance to reach, engage, and bring their audience closer.

11. Narrow Your Hashtags and Stop Using the Most Famous Hashtags

It is no surprise that smaller brands who apply popular ones sometimes do not get the kind of engagement they expect. This is because they find hardly focus on the less famous ones and always aim for the most famous ones.

In order to prevent their post from getting drowned in an endless sea of contents from larger brands, brand owners can choose to narrow their hashtags towards the less popular ones. It is okay to apply some of the famous ones to a post. Small brands can always apply about 1 to 2 of them in their contents. Most of which should be relevant ones.

12. Follow Your Own Hashtag

Brands can adopt the special feature in giving their users a chance to stay up to date with their contents simply by following their own hashtag. This way, users can get updates about brands once it is used anywhere on the app or site. With the many tools out there, persons can check out which of theirs perform better. This would allow them to engage with others who are talking about their brand and build better relationships with them.

Banned IG Hashtags 2024 & How to Avoid Them

There are large numbers of profiles them that have been banned. Many do not know that they are banned ones. Of course, the platform does not just ban them for random reasons. In fact, due to the fact that they are highly overrun by spammy contents, the platform takes it upon itself to hide a banned from the public. The above are the best methods to avoid them.

banned-hashtags-ig-hashtags-blog

There Are Many Ways to Avoid Them, and These Include:

  1. Avoid the usage of the most famous ones.
  2. The tool, Tailwind Hashtag Finder, helps to sort out banned ones by never including them during a search session
  3. Make a thorough research on the needed ones before any usage

How Can I Avoid Being Shadowbanned?

Shadowbanning is a way of telling users they are spamming on the platform. The website has a smart approach to fishing out accounts that apply banned ones. By so doing, they are able to limit or stop the contents containing banned hashtags from showing on the platform.

Usually, Persons Get Shadowbanned as a Result Of:

  • Adopting the usage of banned ones.
  • Repeating the usage of special hashtag groups within 24 hours

Can I Add Hashtags to Instagram a Post?

Yes, this can be done with ease. In the past, adding contents after posting would take a post to the top feed regardless of how long it had first been posted. Today, the platform enables persons to add contents to their old contents along with its original time.

Why Are My Instagram Hashtags Not Working?

This can be as a result of a shadowban. Many profiles have no idea when their account gets limited in such a way. There are several reasons why people can no longer use this feature. Most times, the problem could likely be from the search feature or as a result of a shadowban which stops certain other features from working. Users can get support by clicking on “Report a problem” under the “Support” feature.

Track The Success of Your Instagram Hashtags

With the help of some features, one can do more than just share content to groups of people. Instagram Business account allows just about any enterprise owner to keep track of how well their contents, including hashtags, perform. By so doing, they can figure out whether the ones they adopt usage of are really the right ones. By getting to know how their contents perform, they can spot areas that need to be improved.

This way, the optimization of contents can be achieved with ease. Known as Post Insights, the special feature provides key stats on the reach, impression, follows, and many other data on a post. This is a good method for marketing experts to improve their sales.


Useful Instagram Hashtags Stats

There are a lot of stats that can be found which relates to Instagram. Many of these are unique in such a way that several networks and brands adopt these stats when making strategic ideas and plans. Here’s a brief rundown of some of these stats. Some of which may appear surprising to many.

7 out of 10 Hashtags on Instagram Are Made By Brands

When it comes to content delivery, a hashtag is always ready to jump right into the picture. Brands around the world who are on several networks, search for great ways to effectively reach their preferred market. In actual fact, the network has made this possible by allowing them to create their own special tags through Branded Hashtags.

80% of Instagram Users Live Away From The United States

Of course, the rapid growth of the platform has led to many more opportunities for various persons around the world. With 80% of users living outside the U.S, brand owners can target various markets from different countries. This would make them plan their contents with much more ease. Speaking of planning, companies that adopt the usage in order to promote their products can get a better chance of aiming their target. By so doing, they would be able to come up with aiming special and preferred countries where they can find their target market.

Almost 71% of US Brands Use the Hashtag Feature

The fact of the matter is that this is a very surprising stats. Apart from that, this shows how well the competition level on the platform has risen. With studies laid out, people see that 30% of IG users have purchased a product which they had first discovered on the network.

59% of People Under The Age Group of 18-29 Use Instagram

Younger age groups are now making great usage of the app. This is due to the advanced set of technology that has giving reality a more modern life where even the young can take part in certain things. In this case, 59% of young adults adopt the usage of the network. This offers a chance for a person running an enterprise on the platform to provide contents based on age and other certain demographic factors.

70% of IG Posts Are Not Seen By The Public

It is easy for posts to get lost in the field of contents. This is due to the platform being overloaded by contents daily. According to research, over 95 million photos are shared across the platform on a daily basis. This makes it easy for profiles to have contents that are not seen by others. Of course, except for those who follow them.

Instagram Mobile Ad Revenue Boosts to About $7 Billion in 2023

Ad revenue has been researched to boost to about $7 billion in 2023. With the updates of the hashtag and many new features, the platform has been able to increase the value of ads across its several areas.

80% of Users Follow a Business on IG

Not to mention, the platform researched its users and has shown 80% of users say they follow at least one business on the platform. This gives anybody involved with market sales a chance to turn these fans to leads.

Instagram Photos Provide Over 36% More Engagement Than Videos

Since the update of videos on the network, consumption has increased by about 40%. Apart from this, research has shown that photos generate 36% more likes than videos.

About 65% of Top-performing Instagram Posts Have Been Known To Feature Products

It is no surprise that contents on the network are now used to promote products. In fact, about 65% of contents that perform best feature products.

Instagram Users Tend To Engage More During Weekdays

From Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 pm, users find it to be the best times to upload contents and engage followers. Sundays are seen to be the weakest days for that.

Instagram Ads Increased by 28% Halfway Through 2017

Placing ads on the platform has increased since the past years. This makes it a great idea for advertisers to start getting involved.

Posts Showing A Location Obtain About 79% More Engagement

With the platform’s update on geo-tagging, making posts with locations has never been easier. This also has ensured 79% more engagement for such contents.

About 80% of Influencers Prefer To Use Instagram for Brand Collaboration

Unlike other platforms, this special one provides an easy way for influencers to collaborate with brands. In actual fact, about 80% of them prefer to the platform for this.

Photos With Faces Get 38% More Likes

Clients tend to like a great number of photos which show products. However, studies have shown that photos with faces are seen to be genuine and can get 38% more likes than those without.

25% of Instagram Ads Are Single Videos

Videos are great tools that engage users. Case studies suggest that 25% of IG ads are single videos. This is because videos are perfect tools that keep users glued to contents, making sure they stick around and engage more.

50% of IG Captions & Comments Contain Emojis

Portrayed by many to be the fastest growing language in the UK, emojis are now becoming a major part of the platform. Today, 50% of captions and comments now contain emojis. This is as a result of the feature being a perfect way to express an idea or emotion in an easy and more visual manner.

The Most Used Instagram Filter Is Clarendon

With about 40 filters to choose from, profiles can adopt special ways to display photos to their fans. With the unique display and effects each filter offers, giving the best photo contents can be done with ease. From studies and filters stats, it has been made clear that Clarendon is the most used. This is due to its all-purpose function.

User-Generated Content Has a 4.5% Higher Conversion Rate

When a client comes a photo or content from a person, they have a 4.5% higher chance of conversion. With this, leaders can get a chance to promote their campaigns, products, and other products, simply by generating it through a user. This can be achieved with ease by getting the clients and customers involved in the process. This will support the boost the conversion rate by 9.6% if they interact with the photo or content.


FAQ Section

What is The Best Way to Use Hashtags For a Business?

There are many ways to do this. All of which offer better chances of helping a business boost its fame across the platform. However, when it comes to doing this, users can adopt special methods which provide better results.
An ideal approach to doing this is through a post. These are more likely to be viewed by followers. This makes it a perfect spot to adopt their usage as they can engage clients and bring better interactions towards a content.

How Do Hashtags Provide Greater Levels of Following on IG?

They are seen by many to be one of the best ways to get new fans. By adding them to contents, people can give others a chance to discover and engage with their content. By being able to do this, users can promote their social media life with ease. In turn, this would lead to better and greater levels of what almost every account craves – following.

Here’s a List of How It Does This:

  • Increase in reach.
  • Provides a means for identifying brands.
  • Drives in free traffic from random parts of the platform in a short time.

How Successful and Effective is an Instagram Hashtag For A Business?

They have been known to offer great effects that impact success to a business. In fact, contents with at least one have shown about 12.6% more engagement than contents without any.

Not to mention, enterprise leaders can adopt the usage of this powerful tool when they need to create their very own special tag. In actual fact, this drives in more followers than clients.

How Do Brands Make Good Use of IG Hashtags?

With a hashtag, anybody is free to improve the contents they share with their followers. With a good number of functions, they can deliver improved levels of traffic to a business.

Business owners find them to be a perfect tool. They apply them in the posts, comments, bios, usually to boost traffic to their profile and bring in potential clients and customers.


The Final Word

With the guide above, getting a better level of market sales can be done with fewer efforts. When it comes to how to use hashtags on Instagram to get more likes, this guide is the perfect source to gain knowledge on the way such can be done. Also, the stats above can come in really handy for companies that adopt usage of the platform, most times to market their products and service. They can simply gain knowledge of them, and then come up with special and unique ways that they can improve their business.

With the features provided, they can go the extra mile of checking to get their contents at all times. Not just checking them, but also be able to see how well their contents perform on the network.

When looking at the network, it is easy to tell that it is very different from other free networks. Networks like Facebook, Twitter, and many others. It consists of special and unique features that help reach unique levels of audience. This, of course, has led to a great number of brands adopting its usage. Due to the goal of meeting the market standards they have always wanted.

When did you learn about hashtags, and how easy was it to implement them in your social media strategy? Let us know in the comments below how you keep up with hashtag trends.

Published: March 13, 2024Updated: March 13, 2024

Megan Green

Megan Green

Megan is a writer who works at the junctures of science and stories. Previously, she has been the editor of a fashion magazine, an educator, mom, and a baker. She is keen on working with brands and lifestyle products, and outdoor tasks. Megan is outgoing, optimistic and has a great personality. She delivers top-notch content with a unique view on usual things.



Comments

Leave a comment