After having achieved a major success on Twitter, hashtags have also achieved maximum fame on Instagram. Here, therefore, are what they are, why they are worth using, how they work and which ones are most suitable for online sales.

What are hashtags?

Hashtags are those labels used to organize specific topics and content on social networks, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook on everyone, as well as on mobile apps and various online services . Literally, the term hash stands for hash # and the term tag for label. Basically, hashtags on Instagram play the role of social aggregators to all intents and purposes.

By clicking on a hashtag on Instagram, you are catapulted directly into a specific web page, where the public posts containing that tag are cataloged. In fact, you can take a look at public posts focused on a certain topic, as long as they obviously contain that particular hashtag.

For best results, never use the space bar. For example, #scarperosse and not red shoes; similarly, never use punctuation and hyphens, because along the same lines as with space, the hashtag is broken. Finally, for a correct use of hashtags, the reference word must always be preceded by the hashtag #. Never from the @. You would end up targeting a subscriber who has that username on Instagram. Hashtags must be credited with having changed communication on social networks and beyond within a few years.

Out of curiosity, #sandiegofire was the first hashtag to be published on a social network. It was 2007 and the protagonist was Nate Ritter . From there, it was an absolute success and their use was constant, because they help social networks and especially Instagram in terms of organizing content, divided by category. All this allows the platform to present the right content to subscribers who have a specific interest in a specific topic.

Why use hashtags on Instagram?

If you intend to see the number of your followers grow and at the same time find more easily the contents divided according to the most popular trends, there is no better solution than using hashtags on Instagram. The important thing, however, is to know how to make the most of them, exposing your brand to a target audience.

Authoritative research in the social field shows that focusing on hashtags is a move heralding excellent results when the goal is to increase the number of followers. Automatically, their engagement also tends to rise: with hashtags, in fact, followers feel more involved and usually leave comments or reactions such as likes.

How do hashtags on Instagram work?

Instagram, as we know, is the social network of images. Photographic shots of excellent quality and at the same time with a high emotional impact make a certain grip on those who follow you. If you do e-commerce, then, the probability of arousing interest through a beautiful photo begins to increase. However, a photo alone is not enough: the descriptions are also useful. Knowing how to choose related hashtags is very important for organizing content, since they facilitate both the optimization of posts and the discovery of new content by Instagram subscribers.

Improvisation, in the field of social strategies, almost never pays. Even in the face of hashtags, it is advisable to organize a list of hashtags, so that your brand and your business can benefit from them. If you haven't started yet, don't hesitate and act accordingly. The best possible strategy is to take a look at the industry you operate in and take note of which hashtags are the hottest.

You start making a selection and write them down on a Google sheet. To be precise, start by dividing them by category and date, taking into account the number of posts already published and the comments obtained.

By doing so, you can always have specific hashtags on hand. The procedure to follow, on the whole, turns out to be really simple and intuitive. Once logged in to Google Sheets, regardless of the device used, copy the hashtags you need, post the new content and paste the most suitable hashtag for what you are going to put online.

On the other hand, in the circumstance in which you had already set up a system based on hashtags which, unfortunately, did not give good results in terms of increasing followers, you are always in time to change it, optimizing it.

How to find the best hashtags in the field of online sales?

If you do e-commerce, keep in mind that hashtags must be exploited to perfection, if you want to increase the number of followers, see the traffic on your portal grow and give a boost to your online sales. It is up to you to understand which words are used the most.

The wrong choice, in fact, would prove to be counterproductive. Furthermore, the most popular hashtags are not always the ones that ensure you greater engagement. Based on the sector in which you operate, you should favor the topic that is most in line with your target audience.

Finding the most interesting hashtags is a strategy that must be carefully planned. With a desk study, try to understand which ones are preferred by your target audience. Then check what the competition does. Industry leaders often resort to hashtags. Carefully evaluate the most popular ones and the reactions of the target audience.

Don't forget to take a look at what influencers do on Instagram. Some people are particularly followed on social networks. Taking a look at how they use hashtags is a very important thing, because it gives you the possibility to explore new market niches and to discover the type of interaction they are able to obtain, following the publication of their posts.

You have to investigate and, above all, experiment. Only in this way do you have hopes of involving the public.

Try it this way : after opening Instagram, look for the main competitors and take into consideration what they have posted on the social network of images. Click on their hashtags and start viewing the reactions of their target audience.

Next, try to emulate a successful example, using that hashtag that most impressed you. Finally, monitor user reactions. How do they react? Are more photos posted? Are more videos put online? Did you hit the point of the post? Only by experimenting will you be able to achieve the goals you aspire to most.

The choice of suitable tools

There are numerous tools available to obtain accurate information relating to the best hashtags on Instagram. For example, among the most complete solutions to generate hashtags on Instagram, there is certainly TagBlender , whose basic mission revolves around the generation of hashtags focused on various themes, from fashion to people, from art to cities. Then there are Instagram Tags and HashtagsForLikes , very popular among those who do e-commerce. In this way, improving the brand's presence on Instagram becomes an achievable goal.

To fully understand how competitors on Instagram move in terms of hashtags, comparative statistics are essential: Seekmetrics : is able to do all this, highlighting the performance of your profile with that of the competition. Then using the Instagram API, it generates hashtags relevant to your business . A click on the Generate button allows you to view a list of hashtags related to the sector in which you operate. Another interesting tool is All Hashtag , since it creates and examines the most effective hashtags, based on the keywords you have chosen.

Effectiveness of hashtags on Instagram: how to measure it

To measure if hashtags on Instagram are really effective, there are three excellent solutions, such as Iconosquare, Keyhole and SumAll. The common denominator of their operating logic is to monitor your actual progress. You will know the hashtags capable of obtaining a high level of engagement, based on the average of the likes and comments obtained, as well as impressions (number of views of the post), saves and coverage in terms of quantity of followers.

The added value that hashtags on Instagram are able to bring to your business can be seen in various aspects. First, they give you a better chance of getting more followers. Then they allow you to interact with users who are interested in what you do. Finally, they allow you to learn more about the market and the sector in which your business is the protagonist.

The best hashtags on Instagram, divided by sectors

Each industry has its own successful hashtags on Instagram. We present those most in use, dividing them by sector.

Health and nutrition: #freshfoods, #foodie, #diet, #wellness, #heathyliving, #cleaneats, #healthydinner, #weightloss, #nutrition.

Fitness and gym: fit, #fitnessaddict, #instafit, #workouttime, #gymlife, #exerciseroutine, #todaysworkout, #womensfitness, #fitfood, #gymlife.

Makeup and hair: #haircuts, #beauty, #faceoftheday, #bronzer, #makeup, #makeover, #hairinspo, #blush, #makeupaddict, #growingupwithsisters.

Hobby hashtags: #fattoamano, #handmade, #madeinitaly, #artigianato, #hobbycreativi, #nastri, #trastullami, #venditaonline, #hobbistica, #handmadewithlove, #creazioni.

Fashion : #fashion, #fashionblogger, #style, #fashionmodel, #FashionAddict, #fashionblog, #fashiongram, #whatstrending, #fashionstyle, #model, #madeinitaly, ## trend, #styleblog, #ontrend, #fashiontrends, #moda , #fashionmagazine #highheels, #modauomo, #fashionista, #collezionautunnoinverno, #collezioneprimaveraestate, #collezionesposa, #modadonna, #fashionweek, # Collezione2022, #modaplussize, #nuovacollezione.

Food sector hashtags: #recipefacile, #passionecucina, #cucinaresano, #cucinareperpassione, #cucinarebene, #cucinareconpassione, #cucinarechepassione, #kitchen, #instagood, #videoricetta, #cooking, #food, #fattoincasa, #attrezzicucucina, #deliciousina cheflife, #mangiachetipassa, #chef, #recipes.

Ecommerce hashtags: #negozioonline, #ecommercemarketing, #ecommerceitaly, #ecommercestore, #ecommercedesign, #onlinestoreitalia, #ecommercelife, #ecommercebusiness, #ecommercehacks, #onlinestore, #ecommerceday, #BlackFritaliano, #sales, #sales, , #ecommercesolutions, #ecommerceitalia, #ecommercetips.

Is there a limit to the number of hashtags on Instagram?

The answer to this question is affirmative and it is 30 per post and 10 per story.

Therefore, if you are going to post content on Instagram, keep in mind that these are the limits. It should also be emphasized that entering the largest number of hashtags for each post is not a wise decision. Many believe that with more hashtags you are more likely to intercept a large number of users and thus get more. However, this is not the case at all. With the reasoning in question, it does nothing but create confusion: the content posted online loses it in terms of relevance of impact, as it is unconsciously tagged by users as spam. And that's not all: watch out for the hashtags you use, since if you always rely on the three or four most trendy in your sector, you run the risk that the social network identifies your profile or that of your business as a bot. To optimize the performance of your Instagram profile, in reference to the hashtags you use, evaluate only a couple of them per post. But be careful to choose those targeted based on the content: these are, in fact, that give added value to your business, allowing you to create engagement and increase followers.

How to add hashtags to Instagram stories?

If you see fit, the platform allows you to add clickable hashtags to the stories you post. This is a far from insignificant advantage, given that you have the ability to deliver your content to an increasing number of recipients. Then pay attention to the details: do not hesitate to rely on filters to make your Instagram profile even more attractive than it already is. By focusing on the hashtags within the stories, you can enhance your brand and allow users who click on it to access the content posted.

Conclusions

Using hashtags on Instagram is a move that can ensure excellent business results. However, it is necessary to use them wisely, because unplanned solutions almost never lead to the desired results.

Try several times and try to assimilate the most relevant information for each hashtag posted. After a couple of times, you will begin to see that finding the hashtags most compatible with your target audience will happen automatically.

Finally, once you know which hashtags are the most sought after on your profile, seeing the number of followers and customers online grow will be feasible: the important thing, however, is that you never stop keeping an eye on the trend of your Instagram profile. Always experiment with new solutions. Only in this way will you be able to see your business grow and increase your market share.

Author: Alessio Hocevar

Alessio Hocevar

DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

Dr. Alessio Hocevar our expert SEA (Search Engine Advertising), SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMO (Social Media Optimization), graduated in Communication Sciences and Technologies, also deals with copywriting, e-mail marketing and Video marketing. Google Ads Fundamentals Certified, Google Shopping.

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