Hashtag is one of the tools that is used to classify topics in different social networks. Instagram, as one of the most widely used social networks, especially in the field of business, has used the benefits of hashtags and simplified the search for its users to find their intended content on Instagram. However, it is very important that you use hashtags correctly and professionally on Instagram. In this article, in addition to the benefits of hashtags, we introduce you the tips that will help you to use hashtags efficiently on Instagram.

The Benefits of Hashtags on Instagram

Proper use of hashtags will greatly promote your Instagram page. In the following, we will discuss the most important benefits of hashtags on Instagram.

Being Seen by More People

You would surely know that Instagram users can follow hashtags in addition to Instagram pages to view all the posts that have the specific hashtag in their “Feed”. So, in addition to your page followers, your hashtag posts can have other audiences, too.

Attracting Followers for Free

Using the hashtags, you will appear in the hashtag section of users. Many of these people will follow you if your content is attractive and related to that hashtag.

Increase the Page Engagement Rate

When a user clicks on a hashtag on Instagram, he or she can see the posts of other pages that have used the hashtag. If the content of your post is appealing enough, the users may also click on your post. Even if they do not like and save your post, this will still increase your post engagement rate because it is viewed by more people.

To see the other ways to increase the engagement rate, refer to the article on ways to

Free Advertising & Brand Promotion

If you use hashtags that combine the name of your product and brand under your posts, your audience will eventually recognize that product and your business by that brand. In this way, you will be advertised for free with this particular kind of hashtag.

Launch an Advertising Campaign

Advertising campaigns encourage the audience to do something or support an action. Among the campaign hashtags that have been seen recently, we can mention #metoo. You can also launch campaigns specific to your business by inviting your audience to participate in it.

Techniques to Use Hashtags professionally

In the following we will introduce you some of the best techniques that will help you use hashtags professionally.

Use Meaningful Hashtags

People usually search for hashtags that are meaningful and include common words and phrases. The more commonly used hashtags you use, the more likely you are to appear in Instagram users' hashtag search feeds. Hashtags that do not have a specific meaning and concept, do not get much attention from users. For example, if you are introducing a book, #book, #good_book, #reading, #read_good_book, #bookworm are meaningful and common hashtags. #readish or #Booki are not very suitable in this case.

Combine Popular and Special Hashtags

Widely used hashtags are specific to each field of activity, but if you want to increase your traffic and get quality followers, use more specific hashtags. For example, if you are a blogger, you can create a hashtag of your travel destination with the name of the hotel. Popular or trendy hashtags can be useful in the first moment of posting, but their useful life is short and they will be removed from the list of recent hashtags very soon; So to stay longer in the list of recent hashtags, combine popular hashtags with specific hashtags.

Do Not Use Too Many Hashtags on Each Post

Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags on each post and 10 hashtags per story. Although this number of hashtags is allowed, we do recommend that you do not use all the capacity. Using too many hashtags causes you some troubles. Firstly, due to the congestion under the post, it declines the appearance of that post and makes it difficult to read the text. On the other hand, it shows that you are trying to promote and develop your page extensively and aggressively. In additionn, it can lead to spamming or making your Instagram account shadow banned.

To find more information about getting shadowbanned on Instagram, read the article below:

Most Instagram users have found that between 8 and 11 hashtags is the best number for hashtags; So be careful to choose the best hashtags that are related to your post. It is not necessary to use the same amount of hashtags in all your posts. Make changes in this process and try different number of hashtags in your posts to find the best and most appropriate number of hashtags for your posts . Overusing hashtags or repeating hashtags in all your posts can remove you from the hashtag results. So consider diversity as well.

Use Short Hashtags

The benefit of using short one-word or two-word hashtags is that it increases the chance of your page showing up in the Instagram Explore. Most users, when searching for a hashtag, use one word or optimistically two word and they rarely search for long hashtags. Try to choose the words related to your post carefully and introduce your product or brand in short hashtags to increase your engagement rate. For example, #how_to_make_strawberry_jam, although it is indicating and clear, is not welcomed due to its length. #Strawberry_ jam is a better option. The simpler and shorter the hashtag is, the more likely it is to rise in the hashtag search.

Create Hashtag Dedicated to Your Own Brand

Try to create your own brand. You can use the name of your company, product, page, business slogan or anything that can differentiate you from similar hashtags. For example, if the name of your Instagram page is Decorang, #Decorang can become your brand. To choose a brand hashtag, you must look for a suitable idea. Also check that this hashtag has not been used before so that you can use it as a dedicated hashtag for yourself. For example, many famous bloggers or celebrities include products of different brands under their own brand. #Sadaf_beauty, and #Ronaldo are among them. Be careful not to use a brand name that you do not own. For example, your products may belong to the Samsung or IKEA brand, but these brands are owned by these companies. So they cannot be a good option for your branding.

Use Topic-Related Hashtags

The most important point in inserting a hashtag is to use hashtags related to the subject of the post. An unrelated hashtag can easily make whatever you had done go down the drain. The more relevant your post and the hashtags are, the more you will see an increase in your page engagement rate and progress. For example, if you are selling homemade cakes, the hashtags #cake, #birthday_cake, #cream_cake, #dessert, #homemade_cake, are related to your topic. For getting help to choose a relevant hashtag, you can use your Instagram suggestions and choose the best option based on the type of your product and business.

You may suppose that using hashtags with any topic will make your post more visible, but this will only make you look unprofessional. Do not try to use a hashtag among your hashtags because it has become more trendy but has nothing to do with your product or post. You must have seen that, for example, when someone searches for #Adele, he naturally expects to come across Adele clips and songs. When an unrelated result appears in the user's hashtag search feed, they may report the post or select the “Don’t show for this hashtag" option.

Create New and Creative Hashtags

Creativity in making hashtags can be a positive point for your page. Some creative hashtags stay in the audience's mind and they may try to find you through them. Hashtags can be a combination of different self-made phrases that have been used with elegance, intelligence and novelty. For example, #to_eyes for optometry, #closed for travel taxis, #pose for photography can be good options. For example, many exciting and new Instagram challenges become brands using these hashtags. #Fam_trip and #letsfeeliran were among them.

Although using hashtags on Instagram is available to everyone, the one who knows the basics of using it professionally can get the most out of it. By following the tips taught in this article, you can also post professional hashtags and make use of the benefits of increasing your engagement rate, attracting followers, and making your page more visible.