Do you use hashtags when you publish your posts on Instagram? They can help a lot with your engagement! However, many Instagrammers feel a little bit confused when they have to caption their posts with hashtags. Can you relate? Would you like to learn the ultimate hashtag strategy for Instagram? Let me spill the tea!
30 hashtags… is it allowed?
Okay, let me tell you something. You can – and you SHOULD – use all 30 hashtags. I just can’t stand reading the opinions of people who advise against posting 30 hashtags. They have no idea what they are talking about!
First of all – there’s no possibility that Instagram will not punish you for that. I mean – what’s the point?! If admins allow posting 30 hashtags, why would they punish people who take this opportunity?!
Second of all, by using more hashtags, you’re multiplying your chances to be noticed! Imagine that someone offers you (for free!) 30 billboards to put your advertisement on them. Would it be wise to use only 5 or 7 of them?!
(That was a rhetorical question.)
What kind of hashtags should I use?
Hashtags need to be relevant. They need to fit your niche. The biggest mistake a lot of entrepreneurs make is prioritizing likes & comments over sales! I’ll tell you something – likes & comments can’t pay your bills!
If you’re trying to sell swimsuits on Instagram, there’s a small chance that #ThrowbackThursday will help you to gain new clients. But if you’ll use hashtags such as #beachbody, #endlesssummer or #aquaholic, you’ll probably reach the audience that will be interested in purchasing your products.
Okay… but what’s going on with this strength of hashtags?
Good question! Personally, I like to group hashtags into 4 categories. Let me show you the best hashtag strategy I use that helps me to gain a lot of engagement and – at the same time – reach my specific audience (women entrepreneurs who need some help with their social media strategy).
Viral Hashtags
There are millions of posts tagged with these hashtags. They’re usually very general. They guarantee me a few likes and comments right after I publish my post. However, there’s a lot of competition, so I don’t use too many of them. Examples: #bossbabe #socialmedia #create
Popular Hashtags
They have around a million posts and they are still a little bit too general. However, they will also get me a couple of likes and comments at the beginning. Yay! Examples: #calledtobecreative #mycreativebiz #communityovercompetition #beyourownboss #creativepreneur #milionairemindset #socialmediamarketing
Medium Hashtags
They have less than 1 million posts. The competition is smaller, so it’s easier for my post to be featured (and trend longer) in the Top9! These hashtags also define my niche and help me to find new followers.
Examples: #growyourbusiness #socialmediatips #instagramtips #beingboss #buildyourempire #dreamrsanddooers #lovemybiz #creativebiz #growthmindset #bossbabetribe #girlbossparty #solopreneur #theimperfectboss #societygal
Narrow Hashtags
They have less than 50,000 posts, sometimes even around 1,000 posts! They help me to build my tribe and create my own, small community!
Examples: #hellobosscreative #girlbossgang #justboss #creativefeed #mycreativecommunity #instagramexpert
Now, here’s the trick: I mix the hashtags with different strengths! Popular ones give me a couple of likes and comments at the beginning, while medium to very narrow hashtags give me more likes and comments in the long run! Look at the examples above – together they create a perfect mix of 30 hashtags!
But how can I check the strength of hashtags?
Well, you can do your own research and check every hashtag every time you post something on Instagram…
…or you can get my hashtag list & ask for a customized research for your niche!
The Ultimate Hashtag List is a Google Sheet that groups hashtags first – into different niches, then – into 4 categories of strength mentioned above. You just copy & paste the hashtags… and that’s it!
The list already contains over 40 niches and 2500+ hashtags – and it’s still growing! 🌈🦄🎠🎉🎊
Wanna grab your lifetime access & receive a customized research for your niche?
If you have any questions – just leave a comment or send me an email: lemonorangelimeblog@gmail.com
Also, make sure to visit my Instagram – I post there a lot of free Insta tips everyday!
Have any of these hashtags’ strengths surprised you? Have you thought that any of these hashtags were pretty narrow while they are actually quite popular? Tell me in the comments! 😄
xoxo
Sophia
I also think it’s important to make sure you are mixing up your hashtags and not always using the same thirty. I usually organize my hashtags in groups of five or ten, and then I can just grab a combine different groups together to get a nice mixture. Plus, I try to add in a few that are super specific to just that picture (like location).
Yes! Having your hashtag groups prepared helps to save a lot of time! Instagram claims that the shadowban is no longer a thing, but I would still recommend mixing things up – just to make more people see our posts! Thanks for your valuable comment, Jaclyn! 😀
Excellent advice!!
Thank you!!
You’re welcome! & thank you! 🙂
That was very helpful! I never go too deep into the #s I use and I know I should be doing more. Nevertheless, I am still a bit unsure as to how to find the most appropriate ones. I guess it is all a matter of observation 🙂 Thank you!