There are quite a few moving parts when it comes to Instagram but when it comes to hashtags, it’s important to add them in your post. We’re going to start with some hashtag basics and build on it over the few weeks.

Here are the facts:

Want to be discovered on Instagram? Don’t forget to use those hashtags! You can use 30 hashtags per each post. There is some debate on whether you should use all 30. I’ve personally tested this and have found that if I use a mix of low, medium, and high hashtag posted tags, my audience reach is significantly higher than if I didn’t use them.

Speaking of hashtag posted tags, this just means how many posts are under each hashtag. For example, #beer has 73 million posts, so you’ll want to niche down and use something like #craftbeerlove which has just over 500 million posts.

You can use ONE hashtag in your Instagram Stories. Choose wisely. You can find that one hashtag under the Stickers. According to Convince & Convert, hashtagged Stories views depend on engagement and the quality of the image or video posted. We used to be able to add them via text but that hasn’t been working for me.

I have always suggested putting the hashtags in your caption. You can put them in the first comment but
it is easier by adding them at the bottom of your caption, just in case you forget. I’ve tested both in caption and comment and the results were the same.

Some hashtags are now banned, so make sure you do your research. The hashtag will say it’s currently hidden if it is banned. Make sure you don’t use it! I used to have clients use the same hashtag categories depending on their content but Instagram doesn’t like that, so you’ll want to change your hashtags for each post.

Still baffled about hashtags? Contact Shannon, a digital marketing expert and social media coach, for a Pick Your Brain session.