How to Hashtag Correctly on Instagram

Hashtags are one of the most important means to gain traction on Instagram. By using the right hashtags, you can connect with new users who are interested in your product/service.?In this blog post, you will know some of the Dos and Don’ts of using Hashtags on Instagram.

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Do’s:

Know where to research

If you are unsure what hashtags to use, there are many online tools for Instagram that can help you find the right hashtags. RightTag and Hashtagify are just a few of the tools out there. Using the right hashtag increases your chance of success.

?Be consistent

Try to maintain format consistency in the hashtags you use on your posts.

For example, if you always use sentence capitals in your hashtags, you might want to write #CyberMondayDeals instead of #cybermondaydeals

?Double-check

After you have posted, re-check if the hashtags are correct and properly linked. It’s easy to miss or make a spelling error, especially if you have #ManyWordsInOneHashtag

?Choose the location for hashtags carefully

Where should you put your hashtags? There are two main options – in the caption or in the first comment. If you choose to put them in the caption, a good rule of thumb is to put them at the end of the caption so that they’re less obtrusive.

If you choose to put them in the first comment, make sure that you space them out so that they’re easy to read.

?Be strategic with your hashtags

When it comes to hashtags, quality is more important than quantity. It’s better to use a few well-researched hashtags than a bunch of random ones. And don’t forget to mix things up occasionally – using the same exact set of hashtags all the time is a sure-fire way to get ignored by potential new followers.

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Don’ts

Don’t waste Hashtag real estate:

You might want to use only a certain number of high-medium impact hashtags in your posts and make the best use of it. For example, instead of using #Singapore in your caption, try tagging the post itself as Singapore. Thus, you limit the number of redundant hashtags and focus on using quality to make the best use of the real estate you have, to input your hashtags in caption or comments.

?Don’t miss out on Influencers

Keep an eye on the influencers in your niche and notice what kind of hashtags they are gaining exposure with.

?Don’t forget about spacing

For your hashtags to be tagged properly, you need to have space between each one. Very often we see hashtags clubbed together without any space in between them, such as #travel#vacation#rentals and unfortunately this means not all hashtags will be recognised by the platform. On the flipside, also ensure there are no spaces in a hashtag that contains more than one word in it. For example, #SingaporeTravel won’t be tagged if put a space between the two words.

?Don’t use wrong special characters or punctuations

You cannot use unrecognizable special characters on your hashtags, just like you cannot use spaces in your hashtag. For example: You should use #TravelAndClick instead of #Travel&Click

?Don’t use vague hashtags

Avoid hashtags that have double meaning or too broad, especially if it does not make sense. For example: if you are a Football player and you post a photo of the match saying #Player, your post can get clubbed / lost amongst all the other posts about #MusicPlayer #GuitarPlayer #CricketPlayer etc. Instead, try to refine and use #FootballPlayer?

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Wrap Up!

Hashtags are a powerful tool for growing your Instagram following but only if they’re used correctly. In this blog post, we’ve given you some tips on how to use hashtags so that you can start reaching new users today.?

To learn more about engaging, growing your community and elevating your brand image, have a look at our?Social Media Management course!