Hashtags 101 for Business: Instagram

  A lot of people have questions about using hashtags in their business and it does vary from platform to platform as far as rules and best practices. There is a lot to know about hashtags, so I’ve decided I will be launching a masterclass on hashtag strategy for business in the near future… In the meantime, some hashtag 101 for you…when it comes to using Hashtags 101 For Business series – this week the focus is on Instagram. Here are some top questions people ask about how to use hashtags on Instagram.

What is a hashtag on Instagram?

It is a hash mark “#” followed by a keyword or series of words put together with no spaces to help Instagram users search by topic and related keywords.

What are some of the key differences between keywords and hashtags?

Hashtags and keywords are both used to categorize content and make it easier to find liike content. A hashtag can be a combination of words to form to describe a state of mind, a group of people, a location, an event or even a mantra. Hashtags can be custom to your business as well based on the names of your books, courses, podcast or YouTube show… Key words are words and sometimes a combination of words used that are very specific to a topic one is searching for more information on. Keywords can also be somewhat custom in that you may use your name or your company name so that it shows up in a keyword search. They are very similiar but using them together in your captions is what Instagram recommends. For example, a writer may use a combination of hashtags like #IGauthor #IamWriting #BookLaunch with some keywords like author, book launch, business book.

Are hashtags still a thing?

Absolutely yes. Hashtags are used by millions of users on TikTok, Instagram and even Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Can Hashtags have numbers?

Yes.

Can hashtags have spaces?

No. Hashtags cannot have spaces. If you need to differentiate a bunch of words stuck together for one hashtag, you can use capitals in your post.

Can hashtags have numbers?

Yes.

Can hashtags have capital letters?

Yes but hashtags are not case-sensitive whether you use the capital letter or not. It just looks better on your posts if you do so readers can read the words you are trying to convey in your hashtag.

Can hashtags include symbols?

Numbers are allowed according to instagram’s FAQ section, but special characters are not.

Can I use hyphens, dashes and other punctuation in my hashtag?

No. However, you can use underscore but it is not recommended for a bunch of reasons. Try using a popular hashtag and then add an underscore in between the words in the hashtag. You may find under 10 posts for the one that uses the underscore and millions of posts that use it without. If you want to be found, use the more popular method.

How many hashtags can I use on Instagram posts?

Towards the last quarter of 2021, Instagram suggested using only 3-5 hashtags with each of your posts even though its still allows 30. It does recommend using keywords in your caption as well, combined with the hashtags, they recommend it to improve your ability to show up on search.

How many hashtags can I use on Instagram stories?

10.

Does it matter if you use hashtags in the comments or the post itself?

This has been forever debated but in November 2021, Instagram posted on their Creators account that the recommended place for hashtags is inside the caption, not the comments.

Where do I put my hashtags on Instagram?

You can put them wherever you want but Instagram suggests putting them in the caption. Some people shy away from putting them in the post itself because they don’t like the look of it. A simple work around is to add some space at the bottom of the post so the hashtags only show up if the user clicks “read more”.

Can I put hashtags in my profile description?

Absolutely yes.

Bonus tips from Instagram on how to show up better on search: (Tips shared from their Creator Platform Instagram Account)

1. Keep the number of hashtags between 3-5. 2. Use specific hashtags (even your own custom ones). 3. Do mix well-known and niche hashtags to broaden your discoverability. 4. Do check which hashtags your fans already use and follow. 5. Do use hashtags that are relevant to the theme of your content.

How do I choose which hashtags I use in my post?

There is a whole strategy here – one I will share in an upcoming blog post in the near future. Make sure you have signed-up for my newsletter via any one of these resources on this page to catch that next article: https://www.leighfowler.com/start/