This is one of the most discussed topics when it comes to Instagram Growth. Are hashtags actually that worth it or are they simply a waste of time?
We will try to be as succinct as possible but long story short, hashtags are simply a fundamental element of any successful Instagram strategy (and yes, we know they are not providing the same exposure as they were some months ago but that doesn’t make them totally irrelevant).
So why is it that some accounts present higher levels of hashtag traffic and others, despite also using hashtags, don’t show the same results? There are several reasons behind it but the main cause is whether you rank or not on the top area of the hashtags that you include in your posts.
By ranking in the top area of the hashtags used, you are increasing your exposure levels. Naturally, the higher the number of times a certain hashtag has been used, the higher the exposure you will get if you rank on the top area and the harder it is for that to happen.
How to rank on the top area of the hashtags? – this could be an entire 2 hours class but, after years of testing on the platform, here are the elements that 100% sure influence whether your post ranks or not
The quality of your content (pixelated or low-quality content is less likely to rank)
Your engagement levels (in terms of likes and comments)
The speed in which you receive your engagement (the higher the momentum your post is presenting, the higher the chances of ranking)
The dimension of the hashtags you use allied to the engagement levels of the post (popular hashtags will demand higher engagement levels for you to rank on the top area)
The non-repetition of hashtags (or at least avoiding repeating too many) on a 24 hours period
To avoid making the post too long, I will in the future make another post to explain how to choose the right hashtag sets for every single post you make.
However, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong hashtag set. The more specific and personalized the hashtags are and the more they relate to the post, the higher your chances to achieve good results.
Make no mistake… Hashtags are pretty useless if the rest of your Instagram strategy is not on point.
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