Instagram Hashtags: Everything you need to know

January 17, 2022
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From e-commerce to social advertising and influencer marketing, Instagram can be the perfect place to leverage your brands’ marketing campaigns and drive consumers to purchase products. One of the best ways to do it is to use Instagram hashtags.

With the increase in social media traffic these days, Hashtags serve as the ideal solution to make you stand out from the crowd and increase your visibility. 

However, you should use them properly because relevant hashtags in your Instagram posts can grab more eyeballs. In this article, we will help you understand how Instagram hashtags work and what you can do to use them effectively.

Let us begin with finding out what exactly are Instagram Hashtags.

What are Instagram Hashtags?

What are Instagram hashtags

An Instagram hashtag is a short keyword or phrase that you add to your social media posts to make them more easily searchable. Simply include the # symbol before any keywords, and your post will show up in Instagram's hashtag search feature.

In addition to that, Instagram hashtags allow you to:

  • Connect with a community or audience.
  • Get your message in front of new users.
  • Increase overall exposure.
  • Give your content more context on Instagram.
  • Help to organize and categorize content on Instagram.

How do Instagram hashtags work?

Hashtags are clickable keyword phrases that turn your Instagram posts into searchable topics for your target market. There are a few ways in which hashtags on Instagram work. 

The first is, when you use a specific hashtag, it will appear alongside posts in the form of a clickable link. When users click on that link, they’re taken to a feed comprised entirely of content tagged with that same hashtag.

In addition to that, Instagram introduced a new feature that allows businesses to add clickable hashtags to their profile. This opens up a whole new way to connect with target audiences and expand your marketing on the platform.

Furthermore, Instagram has also added a hashtag sticker to Stories! This excellent addition allows you to place working hashtags on your own Stories. 

Why use Instagram Hashtags?

Instagram hashtags can be beneficial to your business in many ways. 

First off, if you are starting up a business or are looking to expand your online business, then using targeted hashtags will help you get more reach.

Secondly, using the right Instagram hashtags on your posts will lead more people to discover your content — increasing the chances of more people following your account. More followers mean more people to promote your products organically, which can only benefit your business.

Thirdly, Instagram niche-specific hashtags will draw people's attention towards the product you want to sell. These niche hashtags can be an excellent way to boost sales.

Lastly, who doesn't want likes on posts? Using relevant hashtags on your Instagram posts increases the chances of people with the same interest seeing your content — resulting in higher chances of getting more likes on your posts.

How to find trending hashtags on Instagram?

To search for a hashtag on Instagram using the mobile app, you can type the term in the search box and tap tags.

While using the desktop, enter the hashtag with the # symbol in the search box, and you can see how many posts use that hashtag. In addition to that, you can find hashtags with similar keywords and post counts. 

But, it is essential to remember that you should use trending hashtags only when related to your business or the content you have posted. 

Following hashtags on Instagram

To follow any hashtag on Instagram, you have to search for it or just tap on the hashtag from any post. 

After the search results show, you have to find the hashtag of your choice, open the hashtag page, and tap on the follow button.

Tools for Instagram Hashtags

instagram Hashtags tools

Tagblender

TagBlender helps you find the perfect set of Instagram hashtags for your photos. A simple interface lets you add any keyword that interests you. 

Whether you're looking for a hashtag specific to your neighborhood or something broader like 'fashion' or 'nature', TagBlender can help.

All Hashtag

This Instagram hashtag generator tool allows you to generate thousands of relevant hashtags for your Instagram feed. It finds thousands of phrases that you can easily copy and paste into your posts. 

Moreover, it is simple to use. It is beneficial for anyone looking for intelligent suggestions for their Instagram hashtags that will help them attract more followers, drive traffic, and keep engagement strong.

HashtagsForLikes

It is a powerful hashtag generator for Instagram that lets you find the most suitable hashtags for your business or campaign, as it helps you generate Instagram hashtags for your eCommerce brand easily and quickly. 

HashtagsForLikes can be used by anyone looking to engage with their audience on Instagram and boost engagement with their social media accounts.

Seekmetrics

This is a hashtag generator meant to help brands find the best Instagram hashtags for Instagram marketing. This works by first typing in a hashtag and then hitting "generate". 

The Seekmetrics tool will then find all related hashtags, which you can sort by popularity, interaction rates, and more using the Instagram API. Moreover, it enriches your product insights with comparative metrics.

Instagram tags

InstagramTags is a tool that offers Instagram hashtags for various categories. The tool’s category-based hashtags can help you enter the conversation on social media and increase your store’s exposure. 

Here you can find Instagram hashtags on different niches, from fashion to entrepreneurship and more.

Apart from these tools, you can look at some of the Instagram tools you can also use to improve your strategy. In addition to this, you can also use the Instagram explore page to conduct research.

How to find the best hashtags for your Instagram posts?

Let us look at how to find the best hashtags for your posts that are relevant to your audience. Making decisions based on accurate data will improve the chances of your Instagram marketing strategy succeeding. 

Using trending hashtags might not always be effective, but using relevant hashtags will work in your favor. 

After all, the main goal behind using hashtags is to drive more people towards your content which requires some research. In this section, we will take you through some steps we consider valuable for your hashtag search.

Analyze your audience

Instagram hashtags are crucial to bringing traffic to your website and brand.  Knowing the topics your audience is searching for is essential to utilizing hashtags effectively. 

Include relevant hashtags that people who follow you and your content search for. So, you’ll instantly raise your chances of being found by your audience and potential customers and can increase online awareness and social traffic.

Analyze your competitors

By keeping track of the hashtags your competitors are using, you can better understand which hashtags work best for posts. More prominent brands tend to use research to figure out what will work best for their Instagram posts. 

You don’t necessarily have to use the same ones, but you may be able to learn from them and use what you see as a reference point for creating your own popular Instagram hashtags.

Analyze Instagram influencers

Learning from the top Instagram influencers can be helpful when it comes to using the right hashtags for your brand. Top influencers typically have thousands of followers, meaning they can target consumers on a large scale and drive more engagement.  

This means that it is possible to learn from them by analyzing the hashtags they use and their engagement on their posts. Therefore gather information from them and see what works best to drive engagement. 

Analyze tools

The most effective tools for researching Instagram hashtags and content are found in third-party applications, not on Instagram itself. 

These determine the most popular hashtags and hashtags that will attract your target audience. They work around the clock researching current hashtags and finding new popular ones relevant to your online store’s niche and that users want to see.

How many hashtags to use on Instagram posts?

There always has been a debate about how many hashtags on Instagram is good. But, too much or too little is not going to work for you. 

There has been a lot of research done on hashtags, but this data is not consistent. A popular belief is that using 3 to 5 hashtags on posts will increase engagement. 

However, this differs from business to business. So, do some testing before you add hashtags.

Is there an Instagram hashtag limit?

Instagram posts can have 30 hashtags, including hashtags in comments and captions and Instagram stories up to 10 hashtags. If you go above this number, Instagram might not post your post or caption.

Don't always use the most popular Instagram Hashtags

As you search for popular hashtags, keep an eye out for relevant ones to your brand or content. Take some time to check out the top-performing posts, as these are likely doing well with the Instagram algorithm. 

If you choose a hashtag that is way too popular, it will get lost in the sea of posts, and choosing a hashtag with a few hundred posts will not give you the desired visibility.

Therefore, when it comes to finding popular hashtags, we recommend aiming for post volume between 10K-200K. 

This should give you a safe middle ground that will ensure your content isn't drowned out amidst the more popular posts, but at the same time not so niche that no one's searching for it!

50 Most Popular Hastags on Instagram

Hashtag No. Of followers
#love (1.835B)
#instagood (1.150B)
#fashion (812.7M)
#photooftheday (797.3M)
#beautiful (661.0M)
#art (649.9M)
#photography (583.1M)
#happy (578.8M)
#picoftheday (570.8M)
#cute (569.1M) (570.8M)
#follow (560.9M)
#tbt (536.4M)
#followme (528.5M)
#nature 525.7M
#like4like 515.6M
#travel 497.3M
#instagram 482.6M
#style 472.3M
#repost 471.4M
#summer 454.2M
#instadaily 444.0M
#selfie 422.6M
#me 420.3M
#friends 396.7M
#fitness 395.8M
#girl 393.8M
#food 391.9M
#fun 385.6M
#beauty 382.8M
#instalike 374.6M
#smile 364.5M
#family 357.7M
#photo 334.6M
#life 334.5M
#likeforlike 328.2M
#music 316.1M
#ootd 308.2M
#follow4follow 290.6M
#makeup 285.3M
#amazing 277.5M
#igers 276.5M
#nofilter 268.9M
#dog 264.0M
#model 254.7M
#sunset 249.8M
#beach 246.8M
#instamood 238.1M
#foodporn 229.4M
#motivation 229.1M
#followforfollow 227.9M

How can I measure my Instagram Hashtag Progress?

It is very important to make it a point to track the progress and see the hashtag success rate too.

This can be done in a number of ways, first of which is to use Instagram analytics. Keep an eye on the reach, likes and impressions have reached where you wanted them to be. If not, it is time you think about it and make necessary amendments.  

To measure the popularity of your brand, you should monitor hashtag use across several social media platforms. Track its popularity over time to see if it's trending up or down. 

Third-party tools help you analyze the engagement of Instagram hashtags and whether hashtag usage has led to the growth of Instagram followers or not.

Types of popular Instagram hashtags?

Using the right hashtag is essential. So, in this section, we will tell you the type of Instagram hashtags.

  • Industry hashtags: which are high competition hashtags that help increase the visibility of a post. These let Instagram know about your products, and using a couple of them will be drawing more Instagram audience who will know the topics of your posts.
  • Niche hashtags: adds more specificity to your posts. This increases search rates for your posts for people who use more niche-specific hashtags along with it, thus making it more targeted.
  • Brand hashtags: can attract new followers and give your brand the recognition it deserves. This will help you find potential brand ambassadors and affiliates along with new communities, and you may even get a brand feature.
  • Community hashtags are less competitive and more specific than brand and niche hashtags. Using 3-5 community hashtags and other hashtags in your Instagram posts can make your posts very engaging.
  • Location hashtags on Instagram can give you the best results if you want to be very specific. These hashtags draw a lot of people and will narrow down your competition as well.
  • Celebration hashtags commemorate occasions on Instagram. Using these hashtags and engaging with others on social media will help build a large community and more followers.
  • Event hashtags are an excellent option for finding people attending a common event. Event hashtags can lead to engagement on posts. These are unique and can also be shared across multiple platforms.
  • In addition to this, daily hashtags are another type of popular hashtags which people use. These are fun and easy to use and are very commonly used. Some examples include Monday blues and Sunday Funday.
  • Another type of hashtag which is popular these days is the acronym hashtag. YOLO or TBT are popular Instagram hashtags we are all familiar with. Therefore using them with related hashtags can also give your engagement a boost.

Top Instagram Hashtags in 2021 by category

Best Instagram hashtags for Fitness Influencers

  • #NoPainNoGain
  • #Fitness
  • #FitnessMotivation
  • #TransformationTuesday
  • #GirlsWhoLift
  • #GymLife
  • #FitnessGoals
  • #TrainHard
  • #FitnessGoals
  • #FitnessMotivation

Best Instagram Hashtags for Fashion Industry

  • #fashionblog
  • #fashiongram
  • #FashionAddict
  • #fashionweek
  • #fashiondiaries
  • #fashion
  • #fashionblogger
  • #fashionista
  • #fashionable
  • #fashionstyle

Best Instagram Hashtags for Travel Lovers

 

  • #Travelphotography
  • #travelgram
  • #travelling
  • #travelblogger
  • #travelholic
  • #traveller
  • #travelingram
  • #traveltheworld
  • #traveladdict
  • #explore
  • #aroundtheworld
  • #igtraveller

Best Instagram Hashtags for Likes and Follows

  •   #follow
  • #likeforlikes
  • #love
  • #instagood
  • #instagram
  • #followforfollowback
  • #photooftheday
  • #followme
  •  #likeforlike
  • #followback 

Take inspiration from our blog to find out how to get more followers on Instagram.

Best Instagram Hashtags for Your Reels

  • #reels
  • #instagram
  • #reelsinstagram
  •  #reelitfeelit
  • #instareels
  • #viral
  • #bestreels
  • #viralreels
  • #newreel
  • #viralvideo

To know more about Instagram reels go through this blog. 

 Best Instagram Hashtags for Pet Lovers

  • #pet
  • #pets
  • #petlovers
  • #dog
  • #doglover
  • #petsofinstagram
  • #dogsofinstagram
  • #dogs
  • #petstagram
  • #instadog

How to use Hashtags on Instagram

You can use Instagram hashtags in many ways. You can add them to your profile bio, posts in your feed, and Instagram stories to reach a wider audience. 

You can even add the hashtags in comments and captions on your posts.

Adding hashtags to your comments is great for when you want to share them quickly with a small group (such as all of the friends who commented on your photo), but adding hashtags to your caption works better when you want to reach a wider audience.

 

Instagram hashtags FAQ

Which Instagram hashtags get the most likes?

  • #likes
  • #like
  • #likeforlikes
  • #instalike
  • #likeforlike
  • #comment
  • #likesforlikes

What are the best Instagram hashtags?

  • #love (1,948,458,201 posts)
  • #fashion (879,558,665 posts)
  • #photooftheday (848,340,593 posts)
  • #beautiful (694,731,439 posts)
  • #photography (650,839,189 posts)
  • #picoftheday (604,420,843 posts)
  • #happy (601,573,484 posts)
  • #follow (597,090,577 posts)
  • #nature (570,902,145 posts)
  • #tbt (552,189,732 posts)

How do I use hashtags on Instagram?

Use Instagram hashtags to put your posts, videos, or Stories in front of your target audience, even if they haven’t interacted with your profile before.

Are 30 hashtags too much?

The maximum amount of hashtags you can use in a post is 30. But you may not need to use 30 hashtags for every post. Consider using a maximum of five or six not to look spammy. The number of hashtags will depend on the topic and your research.

How do I know if a hashtag is trending?

If a hashtag is trending, you can find it by clicking on the top results of the hashtags you have searched for.

Conclusion: Instagram Hashtags

With so much information, we are sure you want to use Instagram hashtags.  Instagram hashtags are a great way to kick off your marketing strategy. Hashtags are essential because they help you connect with other Instagram users who share similar interests and target the same audience. 

By combining your hashtag tactics with a strategy that focuses on how to get more Instagram followers, you’ll see rapid growth in likes, comments, and followers.

Hence without any delay, start using hashtags on posts or Instagram stories for maximum reach. You can use our Instagram story maker from Offeo to create Instagram Stories that can give your handle the required growth. Our story maker is straightforward to use, and our specially designed templates make it even easier.

You can also split the content into a few slides using our Story maker. It can be made more beautiful by using graphics, stickers, emojis, overlays, and backgrounds. So sign up now and start creating!

Written By
Ankita

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