Tagging my Instagram photos has doubled my likes & increased followers. Here are 10 tips for using hashtags on IG. Discuss & share your tips!
How are things going for you on Instagram this week? Have you seen any impact from implementing some of the tips discussed in this series? My Instagram network score has gone up 4 points this week, and my dividend has been above 1.80 for three straight days for the first time.
Today we’re talking about hashtags…
Instagram’s use of hashtags is very similar to Twitters. Hashtags are added to any photo by preceding the tagged word with the pound sign (e.g. #sunrise) in the comment/description field. Once tagged, other IG users can find that photo when browsing or searching for that tag, for example: http://statigr.am/viewer.php#/tag/sunrise/
Hashtags are really only useful if other people are browsing /searching for them. And it turns out people do.
After reading up on hashtags, I started adding them to my photos, and the number of likes per photo doubled. The number of new followers I was getting increased as well. So, I went back and added hashtags to some older photos and their likes doubled almost instantly.
Here are 10 tips for using hashtags on Instagram
- As mentioned in yesterday’s post, use the #EAvIG tag. It will help other EAv users find you.
- Browse photos posted by other EAvers at http://statigr.am/viewer.php#/tag/eavig/ Start following any EAvers you’re not already following.
- Intentionally use popular tags. Here’s a list of the top 100 Instagram hashtags.
- Include tags for the items in the photo – #sky #trees #girl # #cat
- Include tags for the location of the pic – #florida #orlando #DisneyWorld
- If you’re seriously into photography, include tags for the camera, lens, filter and techniques used in taking the photo.
- Include descriptive tags like colors and emotions – #red, #happy
- When posting pics from an event or for a contest, use the hashtag for it. If your running an event/contest be sure to publicize the hashtag before and during the event.
- Note that hashtags can’t have spaces in them. While some people use an underscore in place of a space, the vast majority of people simply omit the space – #newyork, #disneyworld
- If you forget a hashtag or want to tag older photos, just post a comment to the photo with the hashtags in it.
What are your thoughts on Instagram hashtags? Have you found they increase likes, comments and followers? Got any other hashtag tips?
- Paul
(e)PDSTEIN
http://statigr.am/pdstein
Instagram #2: 5 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers from Empire Avenue <– How to Rock Empire Avenue with Instagram –> Instagram #4: Pros & Cons of Following & Follow Back
Instagram Issue #2: 5 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers from Empire Avenue « Empire Avenue Tips
Feb 02, 2012 @ 12:43:20
New Blog Series: How to Rock Empire Avenue with Instagram « Empire Avenue Tips
Feb 02, 2012 @ 12:44:01
Feb 02, 2012 @ 13:53:26
Thanks Paul
Feb 02, 2012 @ 14:00:25
You’re welcome Anne. Any thoughts on the tips here or tips of your own to share?
via (e)pdstein Instagram #3: The Power of Hashtags « Empire Avenue Blog
Feb 02, 2012 @ 13:54:51
Feb 02, 2012 @ 15:33:38
Tip #1
You can put up to 30 hashtags on an instagram photo.
Then you cannot add any more or take any away.
Tag wisely, leave a little room in case a new tag comes up! When a new tag arises you have a chance to put your photos back into circulation!
Feb 02, 2012 @ 17:11:19
Good advice, Edward. I wasn’t aware of the 30 tag limit. Good to know.
Dec 27, 2012 @ 05:53:25
It’s also possible to delete the existing tags and then add a different set on the photo will get more likes
Jul 11, 2012 @ 08:28:23
After the likes and follows stop coming on your 1st 30 hash tags, you cant delete them and add in the next top 30 hash tags, I have 9 sets of 30 hash tags in my notepad that I just copy and paste in instagram!
Jul 11, 2012 @ 09:23:04
Joe, I’m assuming you meant to write you CAN delete them? Interesting strategy. Have you done any sort of testing to determine how many additional likes/comments you get by doing this?
Feb 02, 2012 @ 17:53:27
that’s true about a limit of 30 but it is only 30 at one time. You can delete a comment which has hashtags and then add replacement ones. I do it all the time
http://help.instagram.com/customer/portal/articles/180685
Feb 02, 2012 @ 17:57:08
I do all my hashtagging in http://web.stagram.com/
It is the easiest place I have found to cut and paste a standard set (in list view) and then add photo specific ones.
I also use the tags #50likes and #100likes etc. and update them on occasion.
That website is also an easy way to scan for comments on your photos.
Clicking on the @ sign next to a commenter’s name adds their UN to a reply comment so you can thank people.
Feb 02, 2012 @ 18:18:55
Thanks David! I’ve also found it easiest to have a standard list of hashtags in a document and then copy and paste the relevant ones into a comment on http://web.stagram.com/
Feb 02, 2012 @ 18:18:56
Hey Paul, thanks for the tips. You’re right that using #lots #of #hashtags can attract more new likes and follows, but over time you might find it puts off existing followers from staying engaged and ultimately staying on board. You may find less comments on posts that begin with a long list of tags, compared to posts that begin with a short title or interesting conversation opener. Maybe worth adding that to your mix anyway, have fun on IG
Feb 02, 2012 @ 19:16:06
Hmm, hadn’t thought of that. I’d be interested to hear of other IG users are put off by lots of hashtags.
May 09, 2012 @ 14:35:26
I AM. I actually found this article by googling “over use of hashtags on twitter” in hopes of being able to passive-aggressively post the article for a friend to read so she’ll stop with all the hashtag abuse. It’s beyond annoying.
I get that it helps people find your pictures, but it also makes a person look desperate for attention. A picture of their sleeping baby does not require 30 freaking hashtags: #baby #girl #babygirl #daughter #sleepy #sleep #nap #sweet #pink #pillow #crib #angel, etc., etc. Are they selling stock photography? No they are not.
I thought it was just me, but I brought it up the other night and all I could say was, “So I follow Jane on instagram…” and was immediately interrupted with comments like “My God at the hashtags, don’t you just want to shove a pound sign down her throat?” Exactly.
I did appreciate the link to the 100 most popular hashtags. That’s useful.
May 09, 2012 @ 14:55:50
Thanks for the comment Brandi. I’ve heard people complain about overuse of hashtags on Twitter, but this is the first I’ve heard anyone say anything about it for Instagram. Interesting. I wonder how many other people feel the same way.
I use 15-20 hashtags for most pics I post to IG. Typically I use popular IG tags (#instagram #instagood #ig), follow back tags (#teamfollowback #ifollowback #followback), the camera used (#iphoneography #iphone #iphone4 or #canon #canonEOS #canonEOSRebelXT), the location and then a few tags related to the subject of the pic. Overkill in your opinion?
Feb 02, 2012 @ 18:25:49
Note also that you cannot add a hashtag to someone else’s photo. Well, you can add it, but it does not count or register as a link.
http://help.instagram.com/customer/portal/articles/95731
Feb 02, 2012 @ 20:31:16
The hashtags do help without a doubt, people that don’t follow me will like my photo and comment as well.
Feb 03, 2012 @ 01:36:42
IG’ers might also look at ink361.com
It is convenient for a quick review of a user’s photos. infinite scroll and you can adjust the image size
http://ink361.com/#/users/656408/photos
Feb 03, 2012 @ 08:46:55
I agree with all of David’s comments. I also agree that adding #hashtags to older pictures is a good way to get more views on a pic which can also lead to getting more followers.
When I’m doing a lot of hashtag adds, I find it far easier with a web client than with the phone app.
I like the commenting features best on http://web.stagram.com/ but like other features better on http://statigr.am/, including ability to organize my own pictures into folders.
For example, I have a folder of my pic that made pop page. The folder makes it easier to remember what was, well, popular.
statigr.am also has some really nice stats like time of day & day of week analyses of photo engagement. It also makes it easy to see who is following you back.
I’ve tried ink361 a few times, but haven’t found anything I like better than the other two sites… also, last I checked it does not tell me which pics made pop page, which is something I like to know. Still, I recommend you try out all 3 and see which one fits you the best.
Feb 03, 2012 @ 09:37:02
Thanks Steven. I’m finding myself using http://statigr.am a lot one. How do you know if a pic has made it to the popular page? I doubt any of mine have made it, but for future reference what should I look for?
Feb 03, 2012 @ 18:40:46
In statigram click on the popular tab. See that gold star there next to the pictures (to the left of the heart). That will show up beside any picture (on any tab) that made the popular page.
One confusing thing is that the instragram iPhone client is unreliable in alerting you that a photo made the pop page. My experience is only 1 in 10 or so times have I seen the message in the client.
Feb 03, 2012 @ 18:43:31
Once you have thousands of followers it is easier to make the pop page!
There’s no set formula as it depends thinks like time of day and relatively popularity compared to other factors, but if you get ballpark of 90-120 likes in 45-60 minutes there’s a good chance of POP.
Instagram #4: Pros & Cons of Following & Follow Back « Empire Avenue Tips
Feb 03, 2012 @ 16:22:52
Feb 08, 2012 @ 18:53:47
HINT: to quickly add hashtags if you are on iOS5 you can make a Keyboard shortcut with your commonly used tags (or make several)
Settings>>General>>Keyboard>>Add Keyboard Shortcut
Feb 08, 2012 @ 22:29:29
Great tip!
Feb 12, 2012 @ 23:08:24
Feb 12, 2012 @ 23:11:03
Reblogged this on TVisio Broadcast.
Feb 13, 2012 @ 08:33:36
Thanks for expanding the discussion!
Apr 05, 2012 @ 05:25:24
I have looked for quite awhile now… can I “Follow” a hashtag, instead of a person?
Thanks! Great discussion :0)
Apr 05, 2012 @ 06:14:58
Good question. I haven’t found a way to “follow” a hashtag either. What I do is view a pic I know has that hashtag and then click on the hastag to see other picks that have been tagged with it.
May 20, 2012 @ 21:55:39
This is such a great post pdstein! And perfect timing, just got my iphone a month ago and started really enjoying the ability to get an idea for an amazing shot just about anytime anywhere… At first I was following amazing Instagram members like Anne Thomas and noticing patterns learning a lot… now I found out about their API and “autopost” with hashtags on certain places.. Are you familiar with this?
For example if I take a picture of my white wicker porch swing, tag it:
#wicker, #wickerswing, #thefancy …. Then it will autopost to my feed on fancy. Pretty cool, I was digging around to find a list… if one exists of different sites that use this feature.
See you around Empire Ave
Mark
(e)SOCIALWICKER
May 21, 2012 @ 06:24:49
Mark, thanks for the comment. Can you post a link to your feed on fancy so we can all see an example of what you mean?
Jun 26, 2012 @ 02:55:02
Great tips! Many thanks. I haven’t been using hashtags and will give it a try.
Jul 12, 2012 @ 14:43:00
Reblogged this on [PR]etty in Pearls and commented:
Was actually going to post a similar blog about this myself, but stumbled upon yours. It’s so true! In the first 8 hours of creating an Instagram for Laffey Fine Homes we received over 160 likes! I posted 1 picture without any hashtags to see the difference and only 1 person liked it. #HashtagOn!
Jul 12, 2012 @ 15:01:25
Awesome! I always love to hear first hand accounts of how a marketing strategy produced results.
Sep 01, 2012 @ 12:37:02
I just recently started hashtagging, can i go back to older pictures I’ve posted add hashtags?
Sep 01, 2012 @ 15:52:07
Yes, just put them in a comment.
Oct 08, 2012 @ 10:48:44
Have you found over the last few days Instagram has stopped applying any hashtags over & above the first 30?
I use the same method of deleting/copying & pasting various sets of 30 hashtags over a period of time, but recently I’ve noticed any sets after the first aren’t being added to the photo.
Are you experiencing the same issue? Has there been an update to eliminate multiple hashtagging?
Oct 08, 2012 @ 21:06:49
Hi Karyn, I was always under the impression that hashtags were capped at 30. I haven’t experimented with adding additional hashtags later.
Nov 10, 2012 @ 14:54:31
Has anybody thought about non-English hashtags? I’d love to add the Japanese and Russians to my list of followers but everything seems to be English related.
Nov 10, 2012 @ 16:24:10
Sounds like a good idea. Go for it!
Nov 11, 2012 @ 03:52:46
Not sure how this will come across once posted, so feel free to edit. Here’s the top 30 (English) tags with a quick Japanese translation (no guarantees!).
＃愛
＃instagood
＃私
＃かわいい
＃TBT
＃photooftheday
＃instamood
＃iphonesia
＃tweegram
＃picoftheday
＃igers
＃女の子
＃美しい
＃instadaily
＃夏
＃instagramhub
＃iphoneonly
フォローする＃
＃igdaily
＃bestoftheday
＃幸せ
＃picstitch
＃webstagram
＃JJ
＃空
＃nofilter
＃ファッション
＃followme
＃楽しみ
＃日
Feb 07, 2013 @ 05:08:41
Great tips. Some of my pictures have over 1000 likes from using hashtags as a comment and then deleting it. However, can you only use a hashtag once? For example if I used the hashtag #happy and then deleted it, could I reuse it?
Feb 07, 2013 @ 10:04:40
Andrea, that’s a great question. I don’t know. How about if we both do an experiment and try it? Then come back here and post another comment with what we learned.
May 20, 2013 @ 00:35:47
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog
like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100% sure.
Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Appreciate it
May 20, 2013 @ 06:50:23
Hi Lynwood, I created this blog for free on WordPress.com.