Why you should search for trending hashtags before posting content

The thought of posting on Instagram without any hashtags is unheard of, but why are hashtags so important when it comes to posting on this super popular social media platform?  There’s no doubt that the seemingly insignificant #hashtag is a powerful little tool.

With over 800 million monthly users, it’s no easy task to stand out and get noticed on Instagram – this is where using trending hashtags can make all the difference.  Hashtags have been around for over a decade now, so they obviously work well.  Knowing which hashtags to include in your posts on Instagram is key to its success to developing a recognisable brand, attracting more followers, boosting engagement and ultimately increasing revenue.

But is it necessary to keep an eye on the trending hashtags before posting content on Instagram?

Like any other social media platform Instagram has a search engine that allows users to search for content.  So, it’s important to continually adjust and update your digital marketing strategy for Instagram and this includes regularly keeping up with the hashtags that are currently trending within your industry.

There are really handy tools available that helps you search for hashtags that are trending but to gain a full understanding of the importance of hashtags and why they’re super important when posting on Instagram it’s vital to complete a social media marketing course.

Benefits of keeping track of trending hashtags

Did you know that by including only 1 hashtag in your Instagram posts you’ve already increased its chance of more engagement by 10% than a post with no hashtags.  Now, just imagine including not only more hashtags but the ‘right’ hashtags that are currently trending for your industry.  The benefits are massive.

Instagram has nearly 100 million photos that are posted every single day – that’s a lot of images!  Can you imagine how easy it is for your content to get lost in this massive jungle of posts?  Hashtags is Instagram’s way of making sure relevant content gets seen by its intended audience.  Now that’s an advantage that shouldn’t be missed.  And hashtags help your audience find you – the benefits of hashtags just keeps getting better!

How to search for trending hashtags on Instagram

So now you’re super excited about helping Instagram get your posts in front of your target audience, but how do you know which hashtags are trending for your topic or industry?    There are many really great tools available online that can help you find the trending hashtags before posting content on Instagram, but it’s helpful to do some research of your own first.  Take a closer look at the hashtags your top competitors are using and try some out with your next post.

Instagram also has their ‘explore page’ which is an algorithm based engine that shows you what’s trending right now on their platform based on your past activity.  Showing up on Instagram’s ‘explore page’ is a massive achievement and will ensure that you reach your target audience.

Although finding relevant top trending hashtags for each of your posts on Instagram may seem like a time-consuming process, it’s actually quite easy to do once you get into a routine of adding trending hashtags to your posts.

How to use trending hashtags on Instagram

Now that you’re armed with the latest trending hashtags for your topic you’re almost there to making an impact with your post on Instagram and growing your followers.  However, keep in mind that how you use these trending hashtags is just as important as they hashtags themselves.

Although there are many theories on the right number of hashtags to use in a single post on Instagram, the golden number generally agreed upon is 11 hashtags.  Although it’s tempting to hop on the bandwagon and use top trending hashtags, make sure your hashtags are relevant.  Using irrelevant hashtags will get you on Instagram’s spammer list and no digital marketer wants that to happen.

Remember to not overuse the same hashtags, otherwise you’ll be a suspected spammer on this social media platform.  It’s also a good idea to create a list for all your hashtags – don’t forget to keep your hashtag list fresh with regular new hashtags added and overused hashtags deleted.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

Want to learn more about social media marketing? The Social Media Marketing Course, which is offered by the Digital School of Marketing, will teach you this and so much more! Follow this link for more information.