When it comes to hashtags, we all love it. Whether it is quoting something verbally or putting those hashtags in everyday conversation, the "#" symbol has come a long way.

Over the years, the importance of hashtags has only increased. Even though Instagram has changed a lot of their algorithm, hashtags have maintained their place constantly.

We can always crowd a caption with hashtags, hoping that it would do the job. But that's not the case. Hashtags are easily used, but they are rarely used correctly.

Let's get down to the basic of hashtags followed by, how to use them to increase reach on Instagram.

Hashtags are the way to make your content more discoverable. In fact, it is the most important aspect of promoting your business on Instagram. Your content is not limited to your followers but can reach people with similar interest.

And, Instagram is generous enough to let you use the hashtags in your story, posts and bio. Therefore, it is important to use them in the best possible way to reach the correct audience.

Further, the “Insight” feature of Instagram allows you to see what kind of hashtags work well. You can even keep a track of the hashtags through other social media tools, like Hootsuite, Iconosquare, etc.

Social media is all fun and games until it comes to understanding the algorithm and making a presence. If you're unsure about how to go about it, contact the digital marketing agency in Delhi NCR and get your work done easily.

How to use hashtags on Instagram

1. Study your competitors

The best way to know which hashtags are trending in your industry is to study your competitors. They are probably using the trending hashtags that you can work with too. It also increases the reach exponentially when specific hashtag reach the audience as it matches with their choice of content.

2. Relevant Hashtags

You cannot post a photo with fast food and use a hashtag like #healthyeating or #diet. People can follow hashtags, but if they see an irrelevant post for that particular hashtag, they can choose the "Don't show for this hashtag" option. If there are a lot of people doing that on your post, Instagram will inhibit the reach of your post. Therefore, it is important to use only the relevant hashtags.

3. Search for the related hashtags

When you are looking for hashtag inspiration and search for a broader one, Instagram throws you a bunch of suggestion related to the search. You can pick up a few narrower hashtags from there as it would allow you to tap into the interest of the audience. As for relevancy, make sure they are relevant to your content.

4. Join in the trend

Instagram hashtags are popular for making a trend viral. From #10yearchallence to #thursdaythrowback, hashtags can make your content viral. If you know the trending hashtags, you can work your content around that to make it noticeable to a whole bunch of people.

5. Copy and Paste

Most people start copying the same hashtags that bought good reach to their post once or twice. But the same hashtag may not always perform the same way. It depends on the content, picture and the relevancy of the hashtag. Try using unique hashtags for every post as it will expand the base of your audience and your content to unique users.

Hashtags are like the never-ending sea, and you can keep exploring the many innovative ways to use them in your posts and stories. You can start a trend, or join on a popular hashtag to reap benefits from them. No matter what, hashtags are here to stay, and the best way is to keep using them innovatively.

Author's Bio: 

Stephen Paul is a Social Media Manager at King Crescent, a digital marketing agency based out of India. He is updated with all the latest trends in the digital marketing field with along soft writing skills. He writes articles on social and technology related topics which are helpful for businesses owners.