#HASHTAGS :: Why You Need To Use Them

#HASHTAGS :: Why You Need To Use Them

• 5.29.2019

Hashtags. They've taken the social media realm by storm and for good reason -- E X P O S U R E. They're a great way to get your posts / tweets seen by a larger audience than just your following. I read an article once that stated that the tweets that incorporate hashtags receive two times more engagement than the tweets that don't have them. If you care about numbers, this matters. If you're a blogger / influencer, you're essentially marketing for brands which means the more people see your content, the more successful you'll be.

So let's talk about hashtags -- here are a few tips on how to use them and when to use them.

The Dos & Don'ts of Using Hashtags

DO :: Be Relevant. 

Make sure that the hashtags you're using is relevant to the audience you'd like to reach, but also to the content you're posting. I can't tell you the countless times I've seen random posts in a hashtag. If it doesn't correlate with your post, find a new hashtag because people will pass right by it which is doing nothing for your numbers.

Make sure to research  and by that I mean start looking and using the hashtags that your fellow blogging / influencers are using and keep an eye on the tags brands are using in their captions and bios.

DON'T  :: Use The Same Hashtags Frequently. 

This is huge because if you use the same hashtags too frequently, it could result in Instagram detecting "spam" and IG will then go hide your posts from appearing under that hashtag. This will really hinder your engagement and growth.

I also want to mention that a lot of people claim that Instagram "shadow bans" them and then cue the freak out. Instagram is not out to get us bloggers and influencers, but they are looking for bots and spammy users. So take a deep breath, don't panic and just switch up your hashtags. 

DO :: Follow Hashtags On Instagram.

This is a great way to stumble upon great content and get inspiration from like minded people, but it's also a way for you to interact with people who you aren't following without having to stray away from your timeline every single time. Interaction is key when it comes to instagram growth that won't result in an unfollow later on.

DON'T :: Use Too Many Hashtags. 

Contrary to popular belief, using too many hashtags can hinder your numbers. I always see people talking about using all 30 hashtags on instagram and how they consider that to be utilizing every source, but I've done my research and that's simply not the case. 

From my understanding and research, multiple sources / studies have stated that the golden number for hashtags on Instagram is around 9 to 10 hashtags per post while for Facebook and twitter that number is one to two. 

DO :: Post To Hashtags That Have Less Than 1.5 M posts Under Them. 

This is a tip I've started utilizing lately and have seen it help my numbers and engagement. If a hashtag has a lot of posts tagged under it that means a lot of people are using the tag which at first may seem like a great thing, but this can also mean that your picture will get lost in the flood of pictures that are being tagged. Because of this, I look for and engage with tags that may not have millions of posts under it, but still have great content. 

A LIST OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE INSTAGRAM HASHTAGS 

*please note that most of these hashtags are ones that I use to reach my target audience. If you're not a motherhood + lifestyle blogger / influencer, then these tags probably won't help you since young moms, photographers, parents and women are the people I want to reach.

#motherhoodisdarling 

#rawmotherhood 

#unfilteredmotherhood 

#mommyhood 

#momlifeisthebestlife 

#ig_motherhood

#honestlyparents 

#momlife 

#momsofinstagram

#clickinmoms

#parenthood 

#momtog

#momswithcameras

#boymom

#uniteinmotherhood

#motherhoodthroughinstagram

#motherhoodunplugged

#motherhoodsimplified 

#honestmotherhood

#honestlymothering

#mynameismama

#mom_hub

#motherhoodrising 

#mymotherhood

#sahmlife

#raisingmytribe

#inbeautyinchaos

#writeyouonmyheart

#thepursuitofofjoyproject

#thehappynow

#expectful

#thebump

#realmotherhood

#joyfulmama

#stopdropandmom

#momminainteasy

#busymama

#toddlermomlife

#pursuepretty

#teammotherly

#heartofslowliving

#thecollabteam

#b1withmomboss

#momsofinstagram

#imsobloggingthis

#momblogger 

#momswhoblog

#thesparklediaries 

#insearchofjoy

#chooselovely

#makeitblissful

#ambhappylife

#thegramgang

#solovelysofree

#toadyslovely

#alifeofintention

#embracingaslowerlife

#slowlived

#quietchaotics

#darlingdaily

#toddlersofig 

#boymom 

#letthembelittle

#letthemexplore

#babiesofinstagram

#magicofchildhood

#littleandbrave

#letthekids

#thatsdarling 

#mytinymoments

#documentyourdays

#lovelylittlesquares

#magicalmoments 

#toddlermomlife 

#theeverydayproject

#livethelittlethings
#seekthesimplicity 

#mybeigelife 

#lifeandlensblog

#snapfromtheheart

#hellostoryteller
#deeplyauthentic
#instamom
#expectful