Why is everyone putting them in the comments?
If you follow any brands on Instagram you’ll probably have seen both them and their followers type hashtags into the comments of their posts. The reason for this just is as simple as you may think. The hashtags still work and it makes the Instagram posts look a lot cleaner!
Which hashtags should I use?
If you like the clean look to your posts, then it’s definitely a good idea to make your posts and then put the hashtags in the comments. But you still need to do your research and workout which hashtags you should be using. Scope out your competitors and look at what’s working for them. A good indication of what’s working is engagement. So if you noticed a post with a lot more engagement on it than others, note what hashtags were used. If any of them are relevant to your business as well then give them a try.
So what do hashtags actually do?
Hashtags are used to catalogue your posts, so Instagram users can easily find posts within a certain niche (#healthyrecipes, #yogaposes #momlife) instead of wading through a massive home feed or hoping to randomly stumble upon what you’re looking for. By using multiple hashtags, you’re sending your content out in front of most people, with gives you the opportunity to gain new followers and bring them back to your store/website.
Hashtag Tips
You can include these organically in your post text to boost your audience and visibility a bit (Ex: Here’s a great #plantbased recipe!) OR you can kick things into high gear and make the most of these hashtag lists by using this strategy…
Instagram allows a maximum of 30 hashtags per post. Upload your post as you normally would, and then copy and paste 30 of these as a COMMENT under your post. This will still act as effectively as including all 30 tags within your original post text and keeps things from looking spammy (when people see a giant block of hashtags, they very rarely read through them). This will allow you to reach your maximum audience each time you post.
Once your account has gained traction and a great following (10k or higher), you can cut back your hashtag usage to 3-5 tags per post, as your account will naturally keep building and you’ve already developed your brand prestige.
