Ever create great content that it feels like no one sees? Maybe your hashtags are to blame. If you’re trying to build your Instagram account, odds are that you’re already using hashtags. But there’s a strategy to maximizing their effectiveness.
Here are the tried-and-true hashtag tips that work for me every time:
Mix and match popular and less popular hashtags
If you’re a smaller content creator, it’s going to be harder to be featured as a top post on the bigger hashtags with over a million posts. But I think there’s still value in being in those hashtags, because many Instagrammers use the most recent post feature in those hashtags to discover new accounts. I add about five popular hashtags to each post.
You’ll want to search your niche to create a bank of hashtags in the 100k-600K range that relate to your posts. This is the sweet spot, as people are still using and following these hashtags, but they aren’t overwhelmed yet, so it’s easier to stand out.
Make sure your hashtags do relate to the post though. Instagram’s algorithm penalizes posts where the hashtags don’t relate to the picture and content, as they view this as spammy. There’s also been some debate on whether it’s better to put your hashtags in the caption or in the comments, but Instagram finally settled this once and for all on their blog: the answer is captions.
The Notes app on your phone is your friend
Instagram doesn’t like it if you use the same hashtags every time, as that can make you look like a bot or spam. But you don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel every time, either. Save lists of popular hashtags that relate to your niche.
I have my lists of popular hashtags divided out into five sets, so I can easily mix and match and use a different set each time.
Niche down your hashtags
Don’t be afraid to use small hashtags that relate to the items in your photo. These can help your post be discovered over time. For example, for my bookstagram account, I always hashtag the book name, author name, publisher, if I got the book from a specific source (NetGalley, Book of the Month Club) and anything specific to what’s in the photo. Hashtags like #coffeeandcurrentlyreading, #booksandflowers and #booksandcandles can be a great way to discover new audiences.
Use crossover hashtags
Would your post appeal to another audience on Instagram? If you’re posting about a book and dinner, the foodie crowd might enjoy it. If you’re posting about wine or coffee, find hashtags that appeal to that group of people. If you’re featuring an outfit or home decor, use the appropriate hashtags. Don’t aim for the big hashtags here. Find some that are under a million and tag away! Don’t forget about seasonal hashtags as well. Use just a few of these to make it easier for additional audiences to find and enjoy your account.
My hashtag formula
5-7 popular bookish hashtags + 7-10 niche hashtags + 5-7 crossover hashtags + 5-7 smaller bookish hashtags = 30 hashtags!
So how does this work in practice?
Here’s a picture we’re going to hashtag:
And here’s how we’re going to break out our hashtags:
Popular bookish hashtags
#bookstagram #bookish #booklover #booklove #bookhoarder #bookobsessed #ilovereading #beachread
Niche hashtags
#theroughestdraft #emilywibberly #austinsiegemundbroka #netgalley #berkley #berkleypublishing #contemporary #romcom #booksandflowers #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #booksandcoffee
Crossover hashtags
(note the coffee cup in the picture)
#coffeecoffeecoffee #coffeecommunity #coffeeaddiction #coffeemugs #coffeelifestyle
Smaller bookish hashtags
#readersgonnaread #readingcommunity #readinglife #readingisfun #readingislife
And now we’re done! If you’d like to read about how I find my photo props, I have another post on that. Subscribe to my email list for more Instagram tips, book reviews, author interviews and more!
