One of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram is by using relevant, targeted hashtags on your posts and stories. Hashtags can contribute to engagement, more followers, and more customers for your business.

Instagram hashtags work by organizing and categorizing photos and videos. When you post a photo and use a hashtag, your post will be visible on the corresponding hashtag page, which is a directory of all the photos and videos that were tagged with that hashtag.

Using the right hashtags can put you in front of your target audience, even if they haven’t connected with you before because hashtags are used to discover content.

When using hashtags, keep in mind that numbers are allowed in hashtags but spaces and special characters, like % or %, will not work. You can use up to 30 hashtags on a post and 10 on Instagram Stories. Also, you can’t tag other people’s photos or videos; you can only add hashtags to your own posts.

Community Hashtags

Community hashtags are hashtags that connect link-minded users around a specific subject. They are a great way to connect with others, improve the searchability of your posts, grow your community, and gain followers.

Community hashtags that you can use for your business range from:

· product/services hashtags (#restaurant or #jewelry)

· industry niche hashtags (#italitanrestaurnat or #mexicanrestaurant)

· special events or fun holidays (#nationalpizzaday or #valentinesday)

· locations (#madeinrochester or #fingerlakeswines)

· daily hashtags (#marketingmonday or #throwbackthursday)

· relevant phrases to what you do (#coffeelove or #becreative)

Use a variety of hashtags on your stories and posts so you reach different communities.

Branded Hashtags

Use a branded hashtag that is unique to your company. It can be as simple as your company name or tagline. Our branded hashtag is #bluelilacmarketing.

Community hashtags are meant to increase the reach of your message, branded hashtags are designed to connect themes for you and your audience.

Remind your customers that they can use your branded hashtag when sharing your stories or posts. This is key to getting discovered by new audiences.

Be sure to include your branded hashtag in your Instagram profile.

How to Find the Best Hashtags

Instagram hashtags, when used correctly, can help you grow your reach, get more engagement, and attract more customers.

Be strategic about which hashtags you use and when you use them. It’s best to find and use hashtags that are more niche and meaningful to your audience and location.

We recommend using Hashtagify to find relevant hashtags to add to your posts.