In the world of social media, hashtags are definitely not a new concept. But the real question is, how are they to be used most effectively? In this article we break down the top 4 areas where you’ll benefit by utilizing hashtags.
01.
Visibility
The main purpose of hashtags is to ensure that your content is reaching users outside of your regular audience. Simply put, without hashtags, those outside of your immediate social network won’t know you exist. Why spend countless hours producing valuable content that you’re proud of only to limit just your old high school acquaintances and family members show their support? At the end of the day, these people may be supportive, but they are NOT your niche. They are NOT who you’re going to be generating leads from and selling your services to. You owe it to yourself and your efforts to make sure your content is being seen by all prospective fans and clients.
02.
Competition
Browsing hashtags that your direct competitors are using can be an effective tool to ensure your content is on par with what your counterparts are delivering.
Think of it like running the 100m dash. If you ran it on your own how quickly could you do it? Now imagine running it up against somebody else – I bet you’d be able to beat your personal record. Remaining aware of what your competition is producing is a healthy way of staying on track and a useful tool to continually be re-inventing yourself.
We are all creators and have our own patterns and routines that we are drawn to. Taking a look at what else is out there just throws a little something new into your mix. It inspires you to try something different, to grow your skill set.
It can also be an excellent opportunity to network with those in your niche. Following and engaging with similar accounts to yours can be great for your following. How? Because if an Instagram user were to discover and follow one of your direct competitors, and you have already connected with said competitor, once the Instagram user clicks ‘Follow’, YOUR profile is going to show up as a ‘Similar Account to Follow’. How easy!
03.
Branding
Using a diverse repertoire of relevant hashtags can increase your reach and allow prospective clients to discover and recognize your brand.
Instagram now allows users to follow certain hashtags that are of interest to them. Let’s say certain Instagram users are following the hashtag #intentionaldesign – do you feel as though your designs fit this category? If you hashtag several of your designs with this hashtag, you will be continually showing up on this users feed and building brand recognition for your work. Eventually they will come to recognize your work based on your unique style.
04.
Staying Current
Social media is a fast paced environment and trends are constantly changing. using a relevant trending hashtag can keep your post in the spotlight. When running an Instagram Business account, it’s important to be consistently checking your insights on each post so that you can decipher what works, what to leave behind, and what to apply in the future.
Once you begin tracking your insights you’ll be pleased to see that using relevant hashtags can boost your reach greatly! For example, let’s say you’re making a post about tips for working from home. Using the hashtag #socialdistancing during the Corona Virus Quarantine period will bring much more traffic to your post. Why? Because everybody is talking about social distancing, everybody is experiencing social distancing. The concept of social distancing is CURRENT, and most importantly relevant.
I’d be weary of using current hashtags that are not in fact relevant to your post though. Instagram will punish you if they find that you are not using appropriate hashtags for the content you are sharing.
So there you have it. The top 4 reasons why we believe that hashtags are essential to expanding your reach and growing your audience. Please let us know if you have any questions or think we’ve missed anything in this post!
Do you need help with strategically sourcing and applying relevant hashtags?