Are Hashtags On Instagram Actually Helpful for Engaging Audiences?

Hashtag is not just a simple symbol, it is one of the fundamental marketing tool to engage more customers on Social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms. If you want to increase the traffic on Instagram and reach more audience, hashtags can do that for you. It can increase your target audience reach and get your content seen by more people. It can actually help your brand and business to grow on social media, but the question is do you actually know how to use it?

It seems simple to just type any word and put the hashtag symbol “#” so people could reach you, but no it’s not something easy, it is challenging and you have to use your own smart unique way in order to gain more traffic on Instagram.

Hashtag is the powerful tool for brands marketing on social media platforms.

Hashtags on Instagram

• Make your content easy to find.

Containing relevant hashtags helps people discover your content after a search or after clicking on the hashtag. It will appear in feeds so people find your account and it is a good chance to have more organic followers.

• Your brand or your business could be trendy.

If you have small business and you want exposure, hashtags effectively could grow your brand by spreading the word for your product/service to massive audience and it could be trendy without spending a dime.

• Build traffic and Engaging more audience.

People easily can reach and view your account by tapping the hashtag or by following the hashtag to build traffic for your Instagram account. It’s a good way to increase the number of followers and engage new customers to grow your Instagram account and make it active.

Tips to use Hashtags

• Add community and industry specific hashtags.

• Keep your hashtags simple and relevant.

• Vary hashtags between your caption.

• Try to be unique and catchy.

Do Hashtags also help on Twitter?

Definitely yes! Although hashtags on Twitter cannot be followed but it gives you more reach than hashtags on Instagram based on hashtag popularity on the respective platforms.

INTERSETING FACT:

Do you know Twitter is the first social media platform using hashtags? Back in 2007, Chris Messina invented the hashtag idea for twitter to reach more users. Since then, the use of hashtags, reach, and their effectiveness has only grown.

"I had no interest in making money (directly) off hashtags. They are born of the Internet, and should be owned by no one. The value and satisfaction I derive from seeing my funny little hack used as widely as it is today is valuable enough for me to be relieved that I had the foresight not to try to lock down this stupidly simple but effective idea."

Chris Messina, explaining why he didn't patent the hashtag.

Also, Twitter has a separate tab where it shows the trendy and popular hashtags around you. Though Instagram gives you an option to follow the hashtags, the reach is comparatively lower than Twitter.

How to use hashtags in Twitter?

• Tweets with a couple of hashtags in your tweet should do the trick.

• Tweets with hashtags generate more retweets.

• Be careful using hashtags in ads on Twitter - Research shows that you'll probably get more ad clicks if you don't use a hashtag.

• Research trending hashtags for maximum impact.

Dos and Don’ts using hashtags on Instagram and Twitter:

DOs

• Create your own unique hashtag.

• Use a mix of hashtags:

- Use 2-4 niche hashtags

- Use 5-7 mid-range hashtags

- Use 2-4 popular hashtags

- Use your branded and local hashtags

• Make sure your account is Public otherwise, users will not reach you.

• Use simple hashtags .

• Research hashtags before using them.

DON'Ts

• Excessive hashtags.

• Irrelevant hashtags.

• Do not go for ALL CAPS hashtag.

• Do not punctuate your hashtags.

• Do not break your hashtags with spaces in between.

If you don’t use hashtags, it is time to start using it in your social media posts especially on Instagram and Twitter. They are more useful to promote your brand, engage more audience, increasing reach and be trendy!

There are almost all social media platforms using hashtags, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and the list goes on. Although the use of hashtags may vary from platform to platform.

Have more doubts on how to grow your business on social media organically? We are here to help you with that.

Raybal Group is a leading social media marketing agency in Kuwait. We provide innovative, interactive and creative content that helps your brand gain more followers and engagement.

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