Should I Be Using Hashtags on Instagram?

Hashtags are the best way to grow your Instagram profile organically. With every article out there speculating the best place to put them, what hashtags to even use, and how many to include in your post, it can be difficult to figure out where to start.

Below is my recommendation for what you should include based on my clients’ engagement and growth success:

WAIT…WHAT’S A HASHTAG?

A hashtag is a keyword or phrase behind the ‘#’ sign used on Instagram that allows users to search for related content. Hashtags are sort of likes tags for your content. They describe what the content is about, who it is for, and it’s a way for you to include your content in the relevant conversations on Instagram.

SHOULD I BE USING HASHTAGS?

Of course! Hashtags are a way for new followers to find your posts and profile. Without hashtags on your Instagram posts, it is very difficult for any account to grow organically.

HOW MANY HASHTAGS SHOULD I USE?

Instagram allows for you to use 30 hashtags, and I always recommend to my clients to use full, allowed 30 hashtags on your posts

WHAT HASHTAGS SHOULD I BE USING?

You want to be using hashtags relevant to your posts and business, and not using random hashtags that are not relevant to your content. You can use hashtags that are relevant to your industry, location, or target market.

BUT WHERE SHOULD I PUT THEM?

The great Instagram debate: Many speculate that hashtags are best in the caption, while others say they are better in the first comment of that post.

The real answer: It only affects the aesthetic of your post and won’t affect the engagement of your content! If you are scheduling your content using a scheduler, then it is easier to simply put them at the end of the caption. If you don’t like how that looks, make them the first comment of that post.