Social media trends and algorithms are constantly changing. What’s crucial one month can be forgotten the next, so, when setting your social media strategy, it’s important to leave space for continuous evolution and the opportunity to make changes.

Hashtags are part of every comprehensive social media strategy, including the way you plan to market your brand on Instagram. When you maximize the benefit of hashtags, your Instagram posts will be seen not only by more people, but by the right people – the people you are targeting with your social media marketing efforts.

According to Instagram, there are nine different types of hashtags you can use for your business.

These are:

1. Hashtags that describe your product or service, like #yoga or #florist
2. Hashtags that go deeper and call out the particular niche your business falls under, like #infraredyofa or #weddingflorist
3. Hashtags for an industry-related community, like #yogastudiosofinstagram or #instagramweddingflorists
4. Hashtags that highlight a specific event or time of year, like #sundayyogainthepark or #springweddingflorals
5. Hashtags that focus on a particular location, like #yogaintoronto or #calgaryflorists
6. Hashtags that call out the day of the week, like #malasanamondays or #floralfridays
7. Hashtags calling out exactly what you do, like #dailyyogapractice or #stoptosmelltheroses
8. Hashtags that use popular acronyms, like #tbt (for throwback Thursday) or #pov (for point of view)
9. Lastly, hashtags with emojis, like # 🧘♀️ and # 💐 🌺

Every audience is different, so test out a variety of these hashtags to see what works the best for your specific audience and the followers you are hoping to attract.

Here are some tips on using hashtags to attract more followers:

1. Check how popular the hashtag is but remember that more usage doesn’t always mean it’s better. Searching a hashtag will give you clarity into how often it’s used. By using hashtags with varied levels of popularity, you can reach different audiences with the same post.
2. Use a variety of hashtags in list format. Try incorporating examples from a few of the types of hashtags listed above into your posts. For example, if you own a yoga studio in Winnipeg you could add: #yogisofwinnipeg, #yogaeveryday, #yogabecauseyolo, #yogaretreatwinnipeg etc.
3. Keep things fresh. You probably have a few favourite hashtags that you use on nearly every post. Next time you’re setting up a new post, try entering one of those hashtags into the Instagram search function and see what alternatives auto populate. Give those a try. They may just become your new favourites.
4. Measure the performance of your hashtags. Instagram provides you the opportunity to objectively measure how your hashtags are performing – just tap the ‘view insights’ tab to see the number of impressions your post generated through its hashtags.

If your social media strategy is due for a refresh and you’re ready to talk to the experts, call the team at Vitamin D Marketing & Design today. We’ll set up a consultation to discuss your goals and build you an Instagram strategy that will take your brand to the next level.