How Do Hashtags Work on Instagram To Get More Followers?

We love hashtags here at Plixi, and our goal is to get you to love them, too. So, how do hashtags work on Instagram? You’ve heard that hashtags help people find your content when they search for it. Is it really that simple, though? 

We understand that you’ll have your questions. Being skeptical is reasonable. However, that’s why we’ve created this article. Grab a drink because Plixi is about to have #nofilter when it comes to answering your questions!

Why You Should Know How To Use Hashtags on Instagram

Hashtags are not some gimmicky Instagram fad. They are a powerful tool. We don’t know what the Instagram algorithm has in store for the future. Currently, though, hashtags are effective. They should form part of your growth strategy. Here are some reasons why we think you should know how to use hashtags on Instagram.

You Can Increase the Reach of Your Page

You can make all the great content you want, but it means nothing if you can’t reach your followers. How will they know you exist if you only share your content with the people who already know you? 

You want to branch out, and hashtags may be the way to do it. When you use a particular hashtag, the people searching for that hashtag can find you. If they are searching for it, you already know that they have an interest in it. 

It’s Free a Free Instagram Growth Tool

We are sure that you are looking for ways to grow your page. It would be helpful if they were free as well. Hashtags would be the answer to that. They are cost-effective ways to give your brand a boost. You just have to learn a simple way to use the best possible hashtags.

Instagram provides cost-effective ways to advertise your brand. You should take as many opportunities as you can. Like Instagram reels, hashtags have a way of finding new people with genuine interest.

Instagram Hashtags Not Working? This Could Be Why

You keep hearing about hashtag magic. Still, they just aren’t working for you. Where is the flood of people who should rush in because you used that hashtag? We get it. You wanted quick results with this organic growth method. There could be many reasons that your Instagram hashtags are not working. Here are 4 common reasons why:

Instagram Banned the Hashtags You Use

Not all hashtags are good to go. The platform bans some of them. This doesn’t mean you can type them and enter them in a caption. It means that IG is likely to hide your post when you do. This is counterproductive. You ruin the whole point of using hashtags by including one banned one.

You don’t have to do guesswork. Some online tools can check if the hashtag you want to use is a bad idea. Instagram definitely won’t be telling you if they banned a hashtag. At least you can be proactive and limit your chances of using one by accident.

There Is a Shadowban on Your Account

Maybe it’s about way more than a single hashtag. IG could have shadowbanned your whole account for something you did. There could be strikes against your account. Maybe another user reported you. You could have even violated the Instagram community guidelines. Your hashtags won’t have the reach they could have if your page has a strike against them overall.

You Only Use Popular Hashtags

Yes, you see those hashtags that the big creators always use. You think that the high engagement they receive is due to that hashtag. You could be very wrong about that. They could have a lot of traction simply because they have a large following. The hashtags may not be responsible for that. 

There is another reason why using a popular hashtag may be a bad idea. Your post will have to compete with a host of other posts. If everyone is using a certain hashtag, it just heightens the likelihood of yours not standing out. Your post could be on top for a moment. Then, after a refresh of the page, the post is no longer there. Solely relying on these hashtags may be a bad idea. 

There’s a Typo in Your Hashtag

It may surprise you how often typographical errors show up in hashtags. You could be typing the beginning of a hashtag and simply click on the first option that comes up. Little do you know, that option is a typo that many people have used before you. It’s very popular, so people don’t think twice about reading before they select it. It could be that there is a letter or two off.

Now, some people may say that there are users who are misspelling this hashtag as well. Therefore, your post will show up when they are typing this hashtag. We aren’t sure how successful this method is, but it’s worth a try!

We hope this provides some clarity. This article should help you revamp your approach to hashtags so you get the most out of them.

How Do Hashtags Work on Instagram?

You’ll need to know how to choose the best hashtags for Instagram. You get to use multiple hashtags in your Instagram content. This means that you get to have multiple opportunities for people to find you. 

There is no formula that is sure to work, so you’ll have to experiment a bit. Depending on your industry and follower count, you’ll have to adjust your formula. We can help you with a hashtag formula till you come up with one yourself. In the meantime, here are 3 types of hashtags you can use.

Popular Hashtags

When a topic is trending in pop culture, people will use the relevant hashtags more. This is likely because people will be searching for the hashtag. For this reason, you should consider using a popular hashtag or two. Someone is bound to find you if they scroll enough. Of course, you shouldn’t overflow your caption with too many.

Niche Hashtags

If you look at your post, you can see several opportunities to create a hashtag. Sometimes, the best hashtag isn’t the obvious one. Pick out hashtags from your post or reel that may seem secondary. 

For example, you share a reel from your time at a resort. The usual hashtags like #holiday and #vacation are ok, but you can do more. Create hashtags that reference the bikini you wore by the pool. Someone in the market for swimwear may find you. Use a hashtag naming the resort and its location. People who want information on that resort or that general area may see your reel. This is a great way to increase your reach.

Customized Hashtags

If you have a business or brand, having an original hashtag could be a good idea. It’s a great way to store all the content you’ve uploaded in one place. It could include user-generated content. Users can search for a branded hashtag to find information about your brand. 

You don’t need more than one hashtag like this. It could be your business name or a name relating to it.  It could be a campaign hashtag for a current promotion. Just make sure it’s not too difficult to spell. That would completely defeat the purpose of the hashtag.

If you put these all together, you should have the perfect hashtag recipe. This doesn’t mean that you use them for every post. You can have a master list of hashtags that you choose from, but try to mix up the order. In other words, try to avoid bot-like activity. Keep your use of hashtags as organic as possible.

How Many Hashtags Should I Use on Instagram With So Many Options To Choose From?

After reading that last section, you might be wondering how many hashtags you should use per post. We never want to suggest that overloading a caption is what you should be doing. It is possible to have too many, but of course, using too few is bad as well.

When you ask, “How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?” remember that you have a maximum of 30. You’ll have to experiment with your sweet spot number for hashtags. Try starting with 11 hashtags that you think are relevant. This number should include popular and niche hashtags. 

Remember not to overload the caption with too many popular ones. Lastly, don’t forget your customized hashtags. They will be useful when you have giveaways or collaborations.

An Instagram Hashtag Generator Will Make It All Easier for You

Is it starting to sound like a science experiment? Maybe you feel like you’re in home economics trying to get the perfect measurement for a chocolate cake. If these subjects weren’t your strength in school, we have an option for you. What if we told you that you could take out the guesswork? 

You could have an intuitive machine do it for you. Yes, AI has come to the rescue yet again. This time, they’ve provided a tool called the Instagram Hashtag generator.

These tools don’t need too much intervention from you to create some hashtag options. Somehow, they know which hashtags go well with a particular post. They know how often other users include them. 

You can choose between the popular options and the niche ones. Sometimes, you do need to give your brain a little break. Social media content creation is already so demanding. How do hashtags on Instagram work without a little AI intervention?

You could use the suggestions as is, or you could use them as inspiration. Sometimes, you just need to trigger some ideas. If you want to use hashtag generators online, check out Path Social. Their tool is brimming with cool features. The best part is that it is completely free! Take these chances to outsource your content creation where you can!

How To Find Hashtags on Instagram & How To Hide Hashtags on Instagram

You have a stellar Instagram caption. You don’t want followers to forget about it because they are reading up to 30 captions. Now, you want to know how to hide hashtags on Instagram. Can you even hide hashtags on Instagram? 

Technically speaking, the hashtags will be visible. They simply won’t be that obviously noticeable. These tips will tell you how to find hashtags on Instagram when influencers hide them. Keep reading. I will explain what I mean.

Put Them in a Comment

Your hashtags still count when they are in the comments. To make them less visible to the average caption reader, you could put them in the comments of your post. 

Yes, this reader could easily read your comments. Still, the overall aesthetic is neater and more streamlined. This is a widely used method by Instagram influencers.

Use Dots

After the caption on a post, sometimes you see rows and rows of dots. We can explain why this is. Instagram does not show the full caption when you first see a post. It shows only up to a certain character limit. 

Then, it gives you the option to expand to see more. If your caption has come to a natural end, readers may not want to expand. That is when you put in your hashtags. They may view these hashtags as the fine print or nutrition facts you ignore.

Camouflage Them by Using Colors

Hashtags aren’t just for feed posts. This one is for the creators who post hashtags in their stories. By the way, we hope that using hashtags in your stories. You don’t want words to be covering your beautiful Instagram story posts. 

The solution is to change the color of the words to a color in the background. Then, you move the words to fix it on that background. The words become virtually invisible. Now, you can use daily hashtags in your daily posts.

Control What You See When You Learn How to Block Hashtags on Instagram  

Do you know how to block hashtags on Instagram? It’s a good skill to have when you want to protect your peace. We’ll show you how.

1. Launch the Instagram app and find the Explore page.
2. Tap on the search bar and type the hashtag in question.  
3. Select the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
4. Select Mute. You’ll have the option to mute stories and posts.
5. Select Done, and you won’t see content from that hashtag again.

How To Use Hashtags on Instagram To Gain Followers: Ask Plixi

At the end of the day, you want to know how to use hashtags on Instagram to gain followers. That’s the whole point of learning the ropes. Still, you could trust your growth potential to an entity that has been doing this for years. 

Creating content, following up with Instagram comments, and responding to direct messages is a lot of work. On top of that, you have to finesse hashtags as well? The plan was to enjoy content creation, right? It’s okay to reach out for help, and Plixi has the tools you need. 

We have a propriety AI targeting algorithm and an in-house platform for Instagram influencers. That’s how we get the growth results that we want every time. Don’t ask yourself, “How do hashtags work on Instagram?” Leave all the brainstorming to us. This is right up your alley. Start growing Instagram followers today.