Hashtags are one of the most underutilized tools on Instagram, and I have no idea why. They are an incredible tool for getting more likes, comments, and overall followers on Instagram. In fact, targeted hashtags (very specific and detail oriented Instagram hashtags) are one of the most important factors when it comes to growing your Instagram account and becoming an Instagram influencer. Check out this short video on Targeted Hashtags, one of the modules from my new Instagram course “Becoming an Instagram Influencer”. I’ve also added a written explanation below 🙂
What are Targeted Hashtags?
Targeted hashtags (also called long-tail hashtags) are specific and detailed hashtags that focus on one very specific thing. For example, #fashion (which has 426 million active photos), is not a targeted hashtag. In fact, this is an incredibly bloated and overused Instagram hashtag that will not do your photo much good. The massive amount of posts going through #fashion every minute means your post will get buried in seconds. Plus, fashion is an incredibly broad topic, so the people browsing this Instagram hashtag might not be interested in your photo at all. A more targeted Instagram hashtag would be a hashtag that focuses more on the specifics in your photo. For the fashion example, a more targeted hashtag would be #mensstreetfashion (850k active posts) or #tokyofashion (212k active posts). Of course, only use hashtags that are related to your content (e.g don’t use #tokyofashion if your photo or target audience isn’t related to the Tokyo fashion scene, but you knew that!)
How do I find and select targeted hashtags?
Targeted Instagram hashtags are easy to find. Simple search a broad topic area (such as #makeup, and look at the “related” hashtag recommendations on the top of your screen. These may or may not be targeted, browse through them and look at how many people are posting in these hashtags. You can also find targeted hashtags by simply searching for them. Search for a few hashtags that you think might be targeted and evaluate them. If they’re good, include them in your posts.
You can select targeted hashtags based on a few different factors. For example, location related hashtags are often targeted, especially if they include a topic (#Tokyo – not very targeted vs. #Tokyofashion – very targeted because it includes a location AND a topic). Topic-only related targeted hashtags are just as good (#mensstreetwear, #streetfashionforever, etc.)
I post photos of coffee. That is my Instagram theme. But if I use huge hashtags like #coffee, my photo might not get seen by a large number of people (even though I have quite a few followers). I stick to more targeted hashtags like #cafehopping, #coffeetime, and #manmakecoffee. These are hashtags where my post stands out, and have earned me quite a few loyal followers.
By now I hope you understand the importance and effectiveness of targeted hashtags, and how to properly use them. Unfortunately, this is only one piece of the puzzle. If you are serious about growing your Instagram account and getting more Instagram followers, I highly recommend you check out my new course on Instagram growth: “Becoming an Instagram Influencer: Creating Authentic Content and Monetizing your Following”. It’s FREE if you sign up using my link, as you get 2 free months on Skillshare and you can simply cancel your membership before you get billed:) There’s also thousands of other amazing courses on the platform, I can’t recommend it enough.
