Hashtags = Growth 🚀
Published May 23, 2024
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- How Do Hashtags Work on Instagram?
- What Are the Benefits of Using Hashtags?
- The Top 50 Popular Hashtags in 2024
- How Many Hashtags Should You Use on Instagram?
- What Are the Different Types of Hashtags?
- How to Find the Best Hashtags for Your Content Strategy
- Should You Use Hashtags in the Caption or Comment Section?
- How Hashtags Can Be Used to Increase Likes
- How to Save Time With Your Hashtag Strategy
- How to Build an Effective Hashtag Strategy With Analytics
- Share
Instagram hashtags are still one of the most effective ways to get more eyes (and engagement!) on your posts. But how many hashtags should you use? What are the different types of hashtags? Which ones are trending right now? Should they go in your caption or in the comments?
We’re answering all these questions and more in our ultimate guide to Instagram hashtags — including the best hashtag tool to optimize your posts in 2024.
How Do Instagram Hashtags Work?
In a nutshell, Instagram hashtags label and categorize your content, helping Instagram serve your posts to relevant users. Hashtags fuel the search results on the Instagram Explore page and serve as a reference for Instagram’s algorithm, categorizing your content and suggesting it to users with high interest.
Do Instagram Hashtags Still Work in 2024?
Yes. Hashtags remain a debated topic, especially after Instagram’s recommendation to use only 3-5 hashtags. However, using relevant, targeted hashtags on posts and Reels is still one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram. A well-crafted hashtag strategy is crucial for optimizing your content, driving engagement, and gaining followers.
What Are the Benefits of Using Hashtags on Instagram?
Using the right hashtags can put you in front of your target audience, even if they haven’t connected with you before. This can translate into more engagement, more followers, and more customers for your brand or business. Hashtags also have other uses, like community-building, sourcing user-generated content (UGC), and running campaigns.
The Top 50 Most Popular Instagram Hashtags in 2024
Using only popular hashtags isn’t the best strategy for reach and engagement as they’re less likely to be seen. However, knowing what’s trending can be helpful. Here’s an up-to-date list of the top 50 hashtags on Instagram based on usage within the Later app:
- #interiordesign
- #design
- #love
- #fashion
- #homedecor
- #inspiration
- #realestate
- #shoplocal
- #style
- #foodie
- …and more
Data based on usage within the Later app January 1, 2024 – May 1, 2024.
How Many Instagram Hashtags Should You Use on Your Posts?
Instagram advised creators to use between 3-5 hashtags despite allowing up to 30. However, Later analyzed 18M+ Instagram feed posts and found that using more hashtags typically yields the best results — with 20 hashtags receiving the highest average reach rate. For now, using more hashtags is still the best strategy for increasing your reach on feed posts.
What Are the Different Types of Instagram Hashtags?
Consider different types of Instagram hashtags for your posts to ensure a comprehensive hashtag strategy. The main types include:
- Location-based hashtags: e.g., #BryantPark
- Branded hashtags: e.g., #LifeAtLater
- Industry hashtags: e.g., #SocialMediaManagers
- Community-focused hashtags: e.g., #VanLifeLiving
- Descriptive hashtags: e.g., #WoodwickCandles
How to Find Trending Instagram Hashtags for Your Content Strategy
Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool like Later
Later’s Hashtag Suggestions tool helps you find hashtags based on your post content and industry.
Tactic #2: Conduct Research on the Instagram Explore Page
Search for relevant keywords and check the “Top” results for hashtag inspiration.
Tactic #3: Check Instagram Hashtag Volume Using Instagram’s Tag Search Tool
Aim for hashtags with between 10K-200K posts to avoid being drowned out by the masses or being too niche.
Should You Use Hashtags in the Instagram Caption or Comment Section?
Instagram confirms that hashtags are effective in both your post caption and the comments section. If you manually post hashtags in the comments, do so as soon as your post is published. Later’s Instagram Scheduler can help by scheduling a First Comment to go live simultaneously with your post.
How Hashtags Can Be Used to Increase Likes on Instagram
Using relevant hashtags increases your posts’ visibility in search results, leading to more likes and comments. For instance, Sweaty Betty uses the hashtag #GlobalRunningDay to generate likes and #iamasweatybetty to foster a sense of community.
How to Save Time With Your Instagram Hashtag Strategy
Curate lists of hashtags that align with your main content pillars. Later’s Instagram Scheduler allows you to create “Saved Captions” containing your curated hashtags, quickly adding them to a post caption in two taps.
How to Build an Effective Instagram Hashtag Strategy With Analytics
Reviewing your hashtags’ performance is key to monitoring the success of your experiments and fine-tuning your strategy. Later’s Hashtag Analytics tools help track key insights about your hashtags, including which are driving the most likes, comments, saves, and reach on your Instagram posts.
Ready to take your hashtag strategy to the next level? Check out Later’s Instagram hashtag tool to help streamline your workflow!
Source: https://later.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-using-instagram-hashtags/
