#Do'sDo: Use them! Get this: a post with at least one hashtag averages 12.6% more engagement than a post without one. Hashtags can get incredible results on social media because they allow you to label and categorize your images. Allowing them to show up in searches and enabling you to connect with other businesses and potential customers within the same category. Makes sense, right? Do: Use specific tags The key is to use hashtags with intention. You want to shoot for quality over quantity and specific over generic. Only join in on conversations that matter to your business by using specific hashtags that are related to your industry, geographic location, and content. Engagement doesn’t really matter if it isn’t engagement from the right people. I mean numbers are great, but the main focus is in quality engagement from those who will truly be interested in your business, your products and services, and your content, instead of another bot or a random person across the globe who has no interest in you or your business. Do: Your research Don’t be ashamed to check out the business pages of those in your industry who are killing it with social media and engagement, and take a peek at how they tag their photos. Please don’t copy and paste what they are using — take note of what’s in alignment with your business goals and leave the rest behind. Do: Create branded hashtags Branded hash tags are useful as your business grows and your reach expands. I use branded hashtags all the time and I love seeing my clients community interact and use them, too. Branded hashtags are especially useful for a business where your customer is immersed in your experience or service, such as an AirBnb or spa. Do: Track your hashtags success If you have a Business Account on Instagram, you can see insights into activity on your page and your individual posts. Post insights will show you where the majority of your impressions originate from. An effective set of hashtags should receive a fair number of impressions. Unfortunately, this feature doesn’t break down which individual tags receive the most impressions but there are some third party apps you can use if you wish to see more information. #Don'tsDon’t: Use hashtags with over a million posts
If a hashtag has a few hundred thousand or more than a million posts already, like #business, then your content is just going to get buried instantly because of the sheer volume of people using that tag. You want to be incredibly selective in the hashtags you use and make sure that they relate to your ideal client. Who is it you’re trying to reach and what words, phrases, or locations would they be searching for that will help them find your business. Don’t: Use banned hashtags When you think of Instagram ‘banning’ something, you automatically assume it must promote hatred, human trafficking, or violence and there is simply no way any of our hashtags could fall into these categories. But in reality, the list of banned hashtags casts a much wider net than dangerous or offensive posts. The tag #happythanksgiving was banned because it was used so much in a short period of time that the algorithm classified it as spam. The actions and posts shared by the accounts using the tags can also cause the hashtag to be banned. Read more about banned hashtags here. Don’t: Use unnecessary hashtags Remember what I said about quality over quantity? Not only is using unnecessary hashtags not helping you, it may even be hurting you. Instagram knows what’s in your post; it knows when your hashtags are completely irrelevant and it will penalize you when it suspects you’re cheating. That being said, be selective with every hashtag you use and ask yourself, "What will I gain from this hashtag and does it work for this post?" And for the love of Mark Zuckerberg, #Please #Don’t #Hashtag #Every #Word! Don’t: Forget how smart Instagram is Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags per post. Many people (including myself, many years ago) make a list of 30 semi-relevant hashtags and slapped them on every post they share. But that simply isn’t going to cut it anymore. Instagram’s algorithm figured out our tricks because, spoiler alert, Mark Zuckerberg is a freakin’ genius. If you’re strapped for time and the thought of coming up with a whole set of hashtags for every single post is laughable to you, try sitting down and coming up with several lists of hashtags. If you know you normally post about hair, nails, and eyelash extension, then come up with a short list of relevant hashtags for each of those categories and use them when necessary. Revisit your lists every few months to make sure none of your tags have not been banned or no longer serve you.
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