Instagram is a fantastic platform for photo sharing that continues to grow, with the addition of video and a variety of other features. It’s a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures – but by utilising Instagram hashtags it can also be so much more.
What are Instagram Hashtags?
Hashtags have become an influential tool associated with all waves of social media, most namely Twitter. But let us not forget, the hashtag has since become universal and is a way to categorise, discover and share content across the web. The famous hashtag has been embraced by the likes of Google+, Facebook and of course Instagram…
What’s the best way to use Instagram Hashtags?
There is a difference between tagging photos and hash-tagging. Traditionally you could tag your photos and content to categorise, but when using this tool to enhance and benefit your social media, by hashtagging, a whole new dimension becomes apparent…
1. Stay Specific
Firstly it is important to be specific and use hashtags on relevant keywords – this will help you to connect with like-minded individuals. For example, if you are tagging a guitar, try to expand on the hashtag #guitar and perhaps use #fenderguitar (presuming that is the brand), and this will ensure those with a specific interest will find you, without the need for sifting through thousands upon thousands of other brands that an enthusiast would know of, take Gibson and Ibanez for argument’s sake. People looking for #fenderguitar will find them quicker and easier, and of course, social media is about being instant and engaging. If you were looking for a #fenderguitar you wouldn’t spend hours trawling through a collection of irrelevant images. Being specific will make your image highly targeted.
2. Stay Relevant
The next is to be relevant. Make it easy for other users to find you! Make sure tags use words that best describe and categorise your photo…what may seem obvious is often forgotten as there are hundreds of millions of photos on Instagram, therefore being generic is not the best way to make your image stand out from the crowd. This may help you to achieve a few additional likes. However, this will certainly not be as positive in connecting you with individuals that share similar interests to you, and let us be direct – that is the reason why we use social media, to connect with individuals who share a similar interest to us to find inspiration.
Relevant tags will help to connect you with followers who share a genuine interest in your work and will engage with new photos you post. A tip to consider is using more than one tag, whilst trying to keep them on topic. This will also provide some sentiment to those who share a passion or connection with you.
3. Do Your Research
Lastly, observe your digital surroundings. Paying attention to hashtags, and similar ones may open a gateway to new creativity for yourself. You may discover a hashtag you hadn’t previously thought of that better captivates your image. Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from others. It is useful to test the water and perhaps do some searches of your own, brainstorm some ideas and never be afraid to push the boundaries.
You may find that commonly used phrases offline are outperformed by abbreviations or ‘nicknames’ in the online world. Take #playstation3 vs #ps3. Instinct tells me that #ps3 will return a higher volume of search results as the language is common among those who use such technology. After tagging your photo, you may also find people sharing use variants of your original hashtag. Take notes and build them as you go on. You can tag each photo up to 30 times.
Content Assistant – Jack Cooper – @Coop_ATTACK
Edited April 2022
