Everyone knows how hashtags can make or break your popularity on Instagram. If you use them effectively and correctly, your posts will likely reach a broader and more interested audience on social media. However, misusing hashtags can result in merely annoying your followers.  

To start, a hashtag is a combination of words or numbers preceded by the # symbol used to categorize and specify your posted content, making it more viewable for people interested in that topic, even if they don’t follow your account. When you click a specific hashtag, it redirects you to a page showing different photos posted by other Instagram users who were using the same hashtag.

Hashtags are essential for expanding your Instagram audience. What’s more, IG users can even follow their chosen hashtags, which means your tagged content can be seen by other people on the hashtag’s page, even if they are not following you. For instance, if you use the hashtags #Photographer # PhotographyLovers #PhotographyIsLife, those photos will most likely be seen by other IG users who are into photography. That way, there’s a greater chance that you follow one another. 

To use hashtags to your advantage, you need to understand how a hashtag can increase your photo’s audience. Here is a list of how hashtags can help you in boosting your photo’s popularity on Instagram. 

1. Hashtags make your photo easier to find

Thanks to hashtags, your photos can be discovered by a wider audience. You’ve spent your full effort in taking the perfect angle for a shot, editing it with the best filters, and crafting its matching caption. No one wants to have all that energy go to waste, right?  

That’s why it’s time you utilize the power of hashtags. You can place up to 30 hashtags at a time about anything related to the content you’re posting. Think of hashtags as keywords used by IG users to easily find your content. The only difference is that you have to add the # symbol.  

If you fail to add hashtags in all your Instagram posts, don’t expect your content to be viewable by many people. You can use Adobe’s Instagram post maker to make your work much easier. Generally, the only people who will see a hashtag-less post are your existing followers. So, if you’re looking to gain more viewers, likes, and followers, don’t forget to always add hashtags to your captions.

2. It encourages audience interactions

Another way that hashtags can boost your content’s popularity is it triggers audience interactions. For example, if you posted a photo of your cooked recipe and add hashtags on it, such as the name of the recipe or ‘DIY,’ most likely the people who will view that are also food enthusiasts or home chefs who would love to try that recipe too. 

In turn, they would comment on your photo, asking for a copy of that recipe or send you a picture of their own version of the same recipe too. Comments from different users can create a fuss on your posted picture, make it trending, and be on the hashtags’ top lists.

3. It can show you about what’s on-trend

Aside from boosting your photo’s popularity, hashtags can also lead you to what’s on-trend in your chosen industry. For instance, let’s say you posted a picture of your new hair dye and hashtagged it with #HairDyeForTheMonth. If you click through that hashtag that you used, it will redirect you to a page filled with different posts from other users who are also showing off their hair dye for the month. 

From that page, you can see which hair dye is more on-trend these days and whether it includes yours or not. Hashtags can give you a clue about the ins and outs of hair dyes these days. If your photo is one of the top trends, there’s no doubt that your photo will be among the most popular posts. 

You can follow your chosen hashtags so that you can have a closer look at what’s on-trend, and you won’t get left behind.

4. It increases your chances of gaining new followers

What’s the end-game after many IG users had seen your photo, interacted with it, and found out that you’re one of the top trends? You’ll, of course, end up gaining new followers. That’s the point of boosting your Instagram photos, and that is to get more followers. 

When people love your photo, they’ll want to see more of you in the future. In order to do that, they’re going to have to follow you. So, congratulations on getting your new followers! You deserve it after all of the effort you have spent on your content before posting them out there. Just make sure to keep up with your current IG theme or industry as that’s what your followers are after for.

Get Your Hashtags on Point!

Using Instagram hashtags is an excellent way to increase your content’s popularity, create more engagement with your followers and soon-to-be followers, and eventually gain more followers. Make sure to use it strategically, and soon you’ll be able to build long-term relationships with your loyal followers. Need more info? Check out this destination wedding blog for insight before your destination wedding