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How to find trends on instagram


Ultimate Guide [+101 hashtags for 2023]

What are Instagram hashtags?

Top Instagram hashtags

Types of popular Instagram hashtags

Instagram Hashtag FAQs

7 tips for how to use hashtags on Instagram

Instagram hashtags can make or break your Instagram marketing strategy. Use them correctly and you’ll get your posts seen by more people likely to be interested in your products or brand.

But use the wrong and you can actually do damage, from annoying potential followers to getting penalized by Instagram’s algorithm.

To use hashtags for Instagram effectively, you need to understand exactly how they work, and put some thought into a strategy.

You’re in the right place to do just that. Watch our video below, or read on!

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

What are Instagram hashtags?

A hashtag is a combination of letters, numbers, and/or emoji preceded by the # symbol (e.g. #NoFilter). They are used to categorize content and make it more discoverable.

Hashtags are clickable. Anyone who clicks on an Instagram hashtag or conducts an Instagram hashtag search will see a page showing all the posts tagged with that hashtag.

Why use Instagram hashtags?

Hashtags are an important way to expand your Instagram audience and get more reach. When you use a hashtag, your post will appear on the page for that hashtag. If you use a hashtag on your Story, it could be included in the relevant hashtag Story, which also appears on the hashtag page.

People can also choose to follow hashtags, which means they could see your hashtagged post in their feed even if they don’t follow you (yet).

Instagram hashtags can be a great way of building community online so people are motivated to engage with your brand. For example, as the way people work out suddenly changed in 2020, Nike Los Angeles used the #playinside hashtag to feature local people getting active in their homes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nike LA (@nikela)

All that being said, times they are a changin’. We recently ran an experiment looking specifically at the effectiveness of Instagram SEO vs Hashtags in 2022. And the results, well let’s just say they were eye-opening.

Check out the article or watch the video below to see what we found:

Top Instagram hashtags

These are the top 50 hashtags on Instagram:

  1. #love (1.835B)
  2. #instagood (1.150B)
  3. #fashion (812.7M)
  4. #photooftheday (797.3M)
  5. #beautiful (661.0M)
  6. #art (649.9M)
  7. #photography (583.1M)
  8. #happy (578.8M)
  9. #picoftheday (570.8M)
  10. #cute (569.1M)
  11. #follow (560.9M)
  12. #tbt (536.4M)
  13. #followme (528.5M)
  14. #nature (525.7M)
  15. #like4like (515.6M)
  16. #travel (497.3M)
  17. #instagram (482.6M)
  18. #style (472.3M)
  19. #repost (471.4M)
  20. #summer454.2M
  21. #instadaily (444.0M)
  22. #selfie (422.6M)
  23. #me (420.3M)
  24. #friends (396.7M)
  25. #fitness (395.8M)
  26. #girl (393. 8M)
  27. #food (391.9M)
  28. #fun (385.6M)
  29. #beauty (382.8M)
  30. #instalike (374.6M)
  31. #smile (364.5M)
  32. #family (357.7M)
  33. #photo (334.6M)
  34. #life (334.5M)
  35. #likeforlike (328.2M)
  36. #music (316.1M)
  37. #ootd (308.2M)
  38. #follow4follow (290.6M)
  39. #makeup (285.3M)
  40. #amazing (277.5M)
  41. #igers (276.5M)
  42. #nofilter (268.9M)
  43. #dog (264.0M)
  44. #model (254.7M)
  45. #sunset (249.8M)
  46. #beach (246.8M)
  47. #instamood (238.1M)
  48. #foodporn (229.4M)
  49. #motivation (229.1M)
  50. #followforfollow (227.9M)

Popular B2B Hashtags

  1. #business (101M)
  2. #entrepreneur (93M)
  3. #success (82M)
  4. #onlineshop (70M)
  5. #smallbusiness (104M)
  6. #marketing (69M)
  7. #branding (38M)
  8. #marketingdigital (39M)
  9. #innovation (14M)
  10. #ecommerce (12M)
  11. #retail (8. 2M)
  12. #onlinemarketing (8M)
  13. #contentmarketing (6.5M)
  14. #marketingtips (6.2M)
  15. #marketingstrategy (6M)
  16. #marketingstrategy (6M)
  17. #startups (5.3M) 
  18. #management (5.1M)
  19. #businesstips (5.1M)
  20. #software (5M)
  21. #B2B (2.6M)
  22. #instagramforbusiness (1.4M)
  23. #b2bmarketing (528k)
  24. #eventmarketing (408k)
  25. #b2bsales (125k)

Popular B2C Hashtags

  1. #training (133M)
  2. #smallbusiness (104M)
  3. #business (101M)
  4. #sale (95M)
  5. #onlineshopping (85M)
  6. #marketing (69M) 
  7. #marketingdigital (39M)
  8. #promo (35M) 
  9. #socialmedia (32M) 
  10. #digitalmarketing  (25M)
  11. #startup (24M)
  12. #socialmediamarketing (19. 7M) 
  13. #sales (19M) 
  14. #advertising (15M) 
  15. #ecommerce (12.3M) 
  16. #networking (12.1M)
  17. #onlinebusiness (11.4M) 
  18. #onlinemarketing (8M) 
  19. #smallbiz (7M) 
  20. #company (7.9M) 
  21. #startuplife (5.6M) 
  22. #contentmarketing (6.5M) 
  23. #socialmediatips (3.2M)
  24. #marketplace (2.5M)
  25. #b2c (350k)
  26. #b2cmarketing (185k)

Keep in mind that the most popular Instagram hashtags are not necessarily the most effective.

A large number of posts may mean lots of people follow that hashtag, but it also means there’s a ton of content on it and your posts might get lost. Instagram suggests using a combination of popular and niche hashtags to reach different audiences, from broad to specific.

Types of popular Instagram hashtags

Instagram breaks hashtags down into nine distinct types:

Product or service hashtags

These are basic keywords to describe your product or service, like #handbag or #divebar

Niche hashtags

These get a little more specific, showing where you fit in the context of your industry, like #travelblogger or #foodblogger

Industry Instagram community hashtags

Communities exist on Instagram, and these hashtags help you find and join them. Think #gardenersofinstagram or #craftersofinstgram

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Special event or seasonal hashtags

These can refer to real holidays or seasons, like #summerdays, or they can be used for all those National [Thing] Day holidays, like #nationalicecreamday or #nationalnailpolishday

Location hashtags

Even if you geo-tag your Instagram post, it can still be a good idea to include a hashtag that refers to your location, like #vancouvercraftbeer or #londoneats

Daily hashtags

Every day has plenty of its own hashtags, from #MondayBlues right through to #SundayFunday. We created a whole list of daily hashtags for you to choose from if you’re looking for an easy source of hashtags to add to your posts.

Relevant phrase hashtags

These hashtags combine elements of product hashtags, niche hashtags, and community hashtags. Basically, they’re phrases people use on Instagram to connect to existing communities in a slightly insider way, like #amwriting or #shewhowanders

Acronym hashtags

Perhaps the best-known acronym hashtag is #TBT for Throwback Thursday. Other popular acronym hashtags include #OOTD for outfit of the day, #FBF for flashback Friday, and #YOLO for you only live once.

Emoji hashtags

These hashtags can include emojis on their own, like #????, or words or phrases with emojis attached, like #sunglasses????.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cartems Donuts (@cartemsdonuts)

Branded hashtags are another great option for businesses on Instagram. We’ll get into more details on those later in this post.

Instagram Hashtag FAQs

How many hashtags to use on Instagram

How to hide hashtags on Instagram

How to find trending hashtags on Instagram

How to search multiple hashtags on Instagram

How to find the best Instagram hashtags for YOUR brand

How many hashtags to use on Instagram

You can include up to 30 hashtags on a regular post, and up to 10 hashtags on a Story. If you try to include more, your comment or caption won’t post.

That said, just because you can use that many hashtags for Instagram doesn’t mean you should. There’s no right number of hashtags for every business, or even for every post by the same business.

The consensus is that about 11 hashtags is a good number to start with. But the most common number of hashtags to use on Instagram is between 3 and 5.

You’ll need to do some testing to determine what works best for your particular business.

How to hide hashtags on Instagram

When you’ve spent time crafting a great Instagram caption, you may not want to end your post with a prominent collection of hashtags. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to make your hashtags less visible.

How to hide Instagram hashtags in a comment:
  1. Write your caption as usual but don’t include any hashtags.
  2. Once your post is published, simply click the speech bubble icon under your post to leave a comment.
  3. Write out or paste the hashtags you want to include in the comment box and tap Post.
  4. On mobile, your hashtags won’t be visible unless a user taps View all comments. However, on desktop, your comment will remain in the top position, so this trick works better if you’re targeting a mobile audience.


Source: VW on Instagram

How to hide Instagram hashtags in the caption

You can also use hashtags within the caption itself without them being super-visible.

  1. At the bottom of your caption, tap Return or Enter. If you don’t see a Return or Enter button, tap 123 to bring it up.
  2. Enter a punctuation mark (try a period, bullet, or dash), then hit Return again.
  3. Repeat steps 2 to 4 at least three times.
  4. Instagram hides captions after three lines, so your hashtags won’t be viewable unless your followers tap … more. Even then, your hashtags will be visually separated from your caption so they don’t distract from your copy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rocky Mountain Soap Company (@rockymountainsoapco)

How to hide hashtags on Instagram Stories

You can hide hashtags on Instagram Stories, too. One option is simply to minimize the appearance of your hashtags by pinching and shrinking them to make them quite small. You can also tap the hashtag sticker to change it from a white background to a semi-transparent one.

If you want to hide your hashtags entirely, you can paste an emoji, sticker, or GIF overtop to obscure them.


Source: Christina Newberry

How to find trending hashtags on Instagram

Unlike Twitter, Instagram doesn’t publicize a list of trending hashtags. However, if you search for a hashtag on Instagram, you’ll see how many posts use that hashtag. You’ll also see a list of other popular Instagram hashtags using similar words, with post counts included too.


Source: Instagram

To search for a hashtag on desktop, enter the hashtag including the # symbol into the search box. On mobile, enter your search term in the search box, then tap Tags.

If you’re paying attention to your Instagram feed, you’ll learn to quickly spot trending hashtags as they emerge. Don’t be too quick to jump on a trend, though. Only post using a trending hashtag if it really makes sense for your business, and for the specific content in your post.

How to search multiple hashtags on Instagram

The easiest way to search multiple hashtags on Instagram is to set up search streams in a social listening tool like Hootsuite to track the hashtags you’re interested in so you can see all the relevant content on one screen without having to conduct each one as an individual Instagram hashtag search.


Source: Hootsuite

Instagram business profiles can conduct up to 30 unique hashtag searches in any given seven-day period.

We wrote a full post about the benefits of social listening if you want to dig deeper into how this works.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

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How to find the best Instagram hashtags for YOUR brand

Here’s the truth. You could upload your photo to one of the many Instagram hashtag generators out there and get a bunch of free suggestions for hashtags. But, these suggestions aren’t going to be as strategic and effective as doing the research yourself.

Here’s some tips to try for coming up with Instagram hashtags that will actually drive reach and engagement.

Check out the competition

You don’t necessarily want to model your competition’s strategy too closely, but taking a look at the hashtags they use can give you some good clues about what’s working for others in your industry.

Maybe you’ll discover new hashtags to add to your repertoire. Or you could decide you don’t want to compete for the same eyeballs, in which case you can search for alternative hashtags to use.

See what hashtags your audience is already using

After all, if your audience is already using a certain hashtag, then other people just like them are probably using it too. Finding these existing Instagram communities is a great way to expand your audience and reach the people who are most likely to be interested in your business.

Keep an eye on your top followers and see what hashtags they’re using. Instagram’s search tool can give you some additional information about which hashtags the people you follow care about. When you conduct an Instagram hashtag search, the search tool will show you if anyone you follow also follows that hashtag. (Note that this only works on mobile, not on desktop.)


Source: Instagram

Use Instagram’s Related Hashtags feature

On any hashtag page, right above the “Top” and “Recent” tabs, you’ll find a list of related hashtags that you can scroll through by swiping left.


Source: Instagram

This is a great way to find relevant hashtags that might be a bit more niche than the big keyword-based hashtags you originally searched for. That means a more targeted audience with less content to compete with. These can be some of the best hashtags for Instagram brands wanting to connect with passionate communities.

Create a branded hashtag

The best hashtag for your brand may be one you create yourself. A branded hashtag is simply a tag that you create to promote your own brand or campaign.

You can then let your audience know about your hashtag by including it in your Instagram bio and highlighting it in your captions and Instagram Stories. You could also consider running a contest with a branded hashtag to popularize the hashtag while also collecting user-generated content.

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A post shared by lululemon (@lululemon)


Source: Lululemon on Instagram

Make sure to follow your branded hashtag, both within the Instagram app and using a stream in your social media dashboard, so you can monitor how it’s being used. Look for opportunities to reshare great content or connect with influential members of your audience.

To follow a hashtag within Instagram, simply tap it, then tap the blue Follow button on the hashtag page.


Source: Instagram

Use Hootsuite’s hashtag generator

Coming up with the right hashtags for every. single. post. is a lot of work.

Enter: Hootsuite’s hashtag generator.

Whenever you’re creating a post in Composer, Hootsuite’s AI technology will recommend a custom set of hashtags based on your draft — the tool analyzes both your caption and the images you’ve uploaded to suggest the most relevant tags.

To use Hootsuite’s hashtag generator, follow these steps:

  1. Head to Composer and start drafting your post. Add your caption and (optionally) upload an image.
  2. Click the hashtag symbol below the text editor.

  1. The AI will generate a set of hashtags based on your input. Check the boxes next to the hashtags you want to use and click the Add hashtags button.

That’s it!

The hashtags you selected will be added to your post. You can go ahead and publish it or schedule it for later.

7 tips for how to use hashtags on Instagram

1. Use Insights to see which tags work best

If you’ve made the switch to an Instagram business profile, you have access to post insights that tell you how many impressions you received from hashtags.

1. Select the post you want data on and tap View Insights below the post on the left.

2. Swipe up to see all the insights for that post, including the number of impressions from hashtags.

This data helps you figure out which hashtags are most effective for improving reach.

2. Include hashtags on Instagram Stories

Hashtag pages have an Instagram Story icon in the top left corner. Click on it and you’ll see a collection of Stories posts tagged with the hashtag from people with public profiles.


Source: Instagram

There are two ways to add hashtags to your Stories. The first method is to use the hashtag sticker.


Source: Instagram

Or you can simply use the text tool and the # symbol to type out the hashtag the same way you would on a photo or video post.

3. Avoid banned hashtags and spammy hashtags

When inappropriate content becomes associated with a hashtag, Instagram might ban that hashtag.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t use it at all. Instead, it means that if you click on the tag, you will only see top posts. You won’t see recent posts, and there won’t be any Stories associated with the hashtag.

Here’s what it looks like when you run into a banned hashtag:


Source: Instagram

The only way to know if a hashtag is banned is to check it before you use it. This is a good practice to put in place every time you add a new hashtag to your repertoire. Using banned hashtags can cause a drop in engagement, as your use of legitimate hashtags might also become less effective because you could be dropped in the algorithm.

Even if they’re not banned, you should avoid hashtags that shamelessly solicit likes and followers. Examples include #followme, #like4like, #follow4follow, #tagsforlikes, and so on.

Using these will attract bots, spammers, and other Instagram users who have no intention of engaging with you in any meaningful way. They also show your followers that your brand is okay with engaging in spammy behaviour. And that’s not a good look.

4. Understand how hashtag pages work

Hashtag pages are a great way to expose your content to a new audience, especially if you can get featured in the Top section.

Hashtag pages show off all the content associated with a specific hashtag. If someone searches for a post and yours is the most recent with that hashtag, it will be the first thing they see in the Recent section.

Of course, it’s much easier to stay at the top of the Recent section for a less-popular or really niche hashtag.

Keep in mind that the Recent section is sorted based on when each post was originally shared. If you add hashtags later, either through a comment or by editing the caption, this won’t bump your post up for recency.

5. Don’t use irrelevant or repetitive hashtags

It might be tempting to simply copy and paste the same long list of hashtags on every post, but don’t do it. Instagram’s community guidelines clearly state that “posting repetitive comments or content” is not okay. If you use the same hashtags for every post, your content will be penalized by the algorithm.

When you create a post, only use hashtags that make sense. If you tag a post with #wanderlust, for example, your content must be something globetrotters will want to comment on, like, and share.

It’s not about getting seen by a lot of people, it’s about getting seen by the right people. That’s how hashtags lead to higher engagement and more followers. Pick and choose the right keywords for each post individually.

6. Make sure that hashtag means what you think it means

Hashtags are often a string of words stuck together. That can create some problems when it’s not clear where one word ends and the next begins.

One of the worst examples of this was the #susanalbumparty fiasco from way back in 2012. It was a launch celebration hashtag for Susan Boyle’s new album. But read it slowly and you might pick up some words in the middle that clearly make the hashtag a bit… problematic.

Amazon played with this kind of hashtag mistake to promote Top Gear. This was done on purpose, but it would be an easy mistake to combine a possessive “s” and the word “hit” by accident.

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A post shared by Mathew chronic (@clarkson_and_memes)

Brands sometimes also are too keen to hop onto a trending hashtag without fully understanding the context. When the context is challenging, this can create a PR disaster for the brand.

And sometimes a brand just doesn’t check to see if a hashtag is already in use before creating a whole campaign. Burger King was guilty of this back in 2013, when they used the hashtag #WTFF to mean “What The French Fry.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by #WTFF (@wtff2013)

Since you already know what WTF stands for, you can probably guess why this was a problem.

7. Save hashtags for future use

If you often use the same hashtags, you can save them in a note to reduce time typing them in over and over.

Wait, didn’t we just tell you not to use the same hashtags on every post? It’s true—you should not overuse the same set of hashtags. That said, it is still really useful to have a list of hashtags relevant to the various kinds of content you post. You could even create separate lists of hashtags relevant to the different types of posts you create.

Just create a list of hashtags in your notes app, ready to add to your posts.

You can then pick and choose a few hashtags to use each time, rather than having to remember the hashtags or search for new ones for each post. This also gives you the time to check out what kind of content is already being posted for these hashtags, so you don’t make one of the mistakes mentioned above.

Just remember that every one of the Instagram hashtags you use on a post must fit with the content and should not be too repetitive. Don’t copy and paste your whole saved list onto every post.

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6 Easy Ways To Find Trending Hashtags On Instagram Today

Strategy

Hashtags are a popular trend on social media platforms, especially Instagram. Hashtags create a niche-specific collection of categorized Instagram posts that can easily be searched and even followed by Instagram users. In addition, they are a tool that assists marketers to better understand their consumers interests. Hashtags are an important component to improving rankings and visibility for brand content on social platforms all while gaining a specific audience of followers.

In this article, we will cover the benefits of hashtag use on Instagram, the most effective way to find trending hashtags on Instagram, and how to have hashtags trend on Instagram.

By

Karina Gandola

Published on

BENEFITS OF TRENDING HASHTAGS ON INSTAGRAM

If you are a Twitter or Instagram user, you definitely are aware of the popularity of using a hashtag. As a business, however, you may not be as familiar with what benefits a hashtag can provide for your brand. Hashtags are truly an integral part of digital marketing. Here’s why:

  1. Branding and Visibility

Fundamentally, the biggest benefit to using hashtags on Instagram are branding and visibility. Hashtags are an opportunity for your business to expand an audience and increase brand awareness. This can occur in two ways. First, when a user searches your brand they will see hashtags you are using. And second, when they search a specific hashtag, they’ll see your branded posts in the relevant results. This optimizes the brand awareness and the visibility of content.

  1. Competitor Research

Instagram hashtags are a benefit when it comes to checking out the competition and determining your own brand strategy. A business can use hashtags to gather research on competitor accounts, posts, and hashtag use. This information can then be used to gauge audience interest and what is working with your consumers. Competitor hashtag research will also help your business stay on top of the constantly changing hashtag trends on Instagram.

  1. Promotion

Hashtags are a huge benefit when it comes to promotion of a campaign. It’s the Instagram version of word-of-mouth. A business can post about a promotion with a hashtag, followers pick up on it using the same hashtag and it can spread like wildfire as more and more users use the hashtag. Hashtags create visibility among your target audience and connect you with followers.

  1. Embed Hashtags On Your Website

A lesser known benefit of Instagram hashtags, but one that should be mentioned for businesses, is by embedding them on your website. A business can embed Instagram hashtag feeds directly into their website, collecting and generating additional content from followers and customers about your brand. The feeds are engaging and grab website traffic’s attention quickly. This can lead to longer visitor time on the website and increased engagement and customer retention. It will also add unique content to your site that builds trust with the user.

MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO FIND TRENDING HASHTAGS ON INSTAGRAM

Trending hashtags on Instagram are constantly changing. It can be challenging to stay on top of the hashtags that are most relevant and effective for your brand. Here’s an in-depth list of 6 effective ways to find trending hashtags on Instagram.

  1. Research Hashtag Trends Using Instagram

The most effective way to find Instagram hashtags that are trending is by using the app. Write down a list of niche phrases and words that describe your brand. Using these keywords, start researching on Instagram. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Instagram app and tap on the search icon (bottom of the screen)
  2. Type in the key phrase from your niche list in the search area and then tap Tags
  3. If the photos on this list are similar to what you are posting, it’s probably a good match.
  4. Check out the “Related” section of hashtags that are located directly above the photos and write them down. You can also use these terms to see if they are a match for your brand and how many posts are using that particular hashtag.
  5. Another way to use Instagram is to scan the posts of successful influencers in your niche and write down what hashtags they are using. 
  1. Find Trending Hashtags Your Community Already Uses

To make Instagram hashtags effective, you want to pick the ones that fit with your niche. The more relevant your hashtags are to a specific audience, the more traction the posts will receive. 

  1. Take a look at the posts that are already happening in your community. What hashtags are being used with the content?
  2. If there’s a trending pattern, take advantage of it.
  3. Check out what the competitors are posting. What’s working for their content? Use the same hashtags that are already creating visibility.
  1. Review Instagram’s Explore Page

Instagram’s Explore page provides posts and reels that are driven by the content you are interested in. The Explore page uses an algorithm based on your interaction with the app and selects content that is relevant. Everybody’s Explore page is different.

A user can manually search for hashtags on the Explore page. These hashtags are note-worthy since content that makes it to an Explore page is usually aligned with trending Instagram hashtags. Write down the hashtags that you see numerous times and use them in your own content.

  1. Use A Social Listening Tool

This type of tool is a great way to find trending Instagram hashtags. A social listening tool essentially takes note of keywords that are used all over the web. Depending on the tool or tools you choose, you can quickly come up with a list of hashtags that are trending. Here are a few popular ones currently.

  1. Task Ant– You simply enter a keyword in their search engine and it shows you all of their hashtags associated with it. It will also give you an in-depth analysis of each hashtag so you can determine if it is a good fit for your niche.
  2. RiteTag– This tool is a comprehensive tool that suggests trending and popular hashtags based on the content you post. It will use the image and caption of the post to put together a list of hashtags. An added bonus is it is simple to use!
  3. Tagstagram- This tool will allow you to find and copy trending Instagram hashtags based on either a keyword or a specific category. Although some hashtags are more generic with this tool, it is a quick process without a ton of research.
  1. Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool

There are two ways that you can use a hashtag suggestion tool. 

The first is the autocomplete feature in Instagram. Using the Instagram search engine, begin typing a keyword. The search engine will show you similar hashtags and other popular hashtags. These hashtags are from the accounts that you are following. Just make sure when you are using autocomplete that you are not choosing hashtags with millions of posts, your post could be lost in the crowd.

The second is by downloading a suggestion app. There are options, but one that I have found useful is Later. The app will make suggestions for hashtags based on the content of your post and for ones commonly used in your industry. You simply type a hashtag into the search bar and hit “Suggest”. The app will sort the generated hashtags by relevance for you! Again, be cognizant of how many posts are in the hashtag category to ensure your content isn’t swallowed up.

  1. Use Instagram’s Tag Search Tool

As discussed in the above numbered item, post volume matters when it comes to finding the best hashtags. To keep your post from being lost among the masses, check the hashtag volume using the tag search tool.

To do this, access Instagram’s tag search tool on the Explore page. Review the hashtags that are similar and would fit with your niche. If the hashtag has hundreds of thousands or even millions of posts in the category already, opt for another hashtag that works with fewer posts. On the flipside, you would not want to use a hashtag that only has a couple hundred posts because no one is searching for it. Using the tag search tool is a great way to discover new niche hashtags that you are not aware of. 

HOW TO GET YOUR HASHTAGS TRENDING ON INSTAGRAM

Having a trending post on Instagram is not as easy as it may seem. Instagram has an algorithm that takes into consideration several factors before it catapults your post to the top of everyone’s page. The algorithm reviews things like number of comments and likes, how popular the hashtag is, and how fast your post receives audience engagement. 

Trying for a trending hashtag on Instagram? Try these quick tips to optimize your results!

  • Pick the correct hashtag for your post. The hashtag should be relevant to the content that you are posting. Make sure that you are connecting the hashtag with your specific niche. You will want to choose a smaller hashtag versus a longer hashtag because they tend to have more staying power.
  • Make a call to action. Get your audience involved with re-posting the hashtag by asking for a comment using the hashtag. You can even have followers respond to a question you pose on the post by using the hashtag.
  • Tag an Influencer in your niche. You can create momentum for a hashtag by bringing in reinforcements in the way of influencers. Create a post that ties in an influencer or two and tag them in the post. Hopefully, they will take note and boost your trend by using the hashtag or sharing it.
  • Add the hashtags before publishing the post. Instagram will not position or review the algorithm for your post in the same way if you add or remove hashtags after it has been published. To optimize your hashtag positioning within Instagram, make sure the hashtags are present before posting.

WRAP UP

Hashtags are used across a variety of social media platforms and have become a strategic part of digital marketing. It is important to remember that hashtags can help your business with visibility and branding. Whether you are looking to grow your audience or launch a new product, hashtags have a place in your social campaign. There are a number of ways to effectively use hashtags to attract people to your brand and raise consumer’s level of engagement. 

In this article, we took a closer look at the benefits of hashtags on Instagram, ways to find trending hashtags on Instagram, and how to get a hashtag trending on Instagram. If you want to be visible on Instagram, hashtags are a surefire way to make it happen.

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trend to keep his attention. Individual style, interesting design and personal opinion can distinguish you from hundreds of competitors.

Thematic trends

Visual trends on Instagram 2022

What content will be trending

Instagram anti-trends

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Thematic trends

Content is still important for promoting your Instagram account. Through publications, you can directly address the pain points of your audience and build trust and loyalty. Give people something they want to follow.

Natural lifestyle

With the help of personal stories and real life examples, you can get subscribers to your content like a series. The attention of readers is held not by a show of life through rose-colored glasses, but by reality. If you are selling a product or service, show the real life associated with it. Making cakes to order, knitting hats, working as a photographer — tell us about your first unsuccessful attempts, problematic clients, tricks and life hacks. nine0007

Mental health

The modern world is full of stress and disasters, so good mental health is undoubtedly one of the must-haves. It is important to follow him, fully care for and strengthen, and not just “put on a mask”. Therefore, topics about mental health will be in trend.

People are interested in reading about how to find your "I", cope with stress, work productively, build healthy relationships, manage emotions, develop a sense of self-worth and self-control. Famous personalities openly talk about difficulties, showing subscribers that they are the same people. For example, the daughter of actor Will Smith shared that she has been struggling with psychological problems for a long time. She was supported by model Bella Hadid. She posted selfies with tears and wrote a heartfelt post about how she struggles with mental trauma and burnout. nine0007

Digital Detox

Bloggers are actively broadcasting the importance of taking a break from Instagram and voluntarily giving up the Internet and gadgets for a while in order to maintain a balance between real and virtual life. They tell you how to go on a digital diet, take a break from the information flow, switch your attention to other interesting activities, relieve stress and tension.

Demonstrating social position

To maintain an emotional connection with subscribers, increase trust, value and significance in the eyes of subscribers, a clearly articulated social position is indispensable. It is important to show that you are interested not only in the development of your account and increase in sales, but also in what is happening around you and in the world. nine0003

Brands and bloggers are actively broadcasting concern for the environment, support for social minorities and the fight against violence. They talk about recycling plastic, saving fur seals, reconstructing monuments and helping the poor.

Inclusiveness

Instagram is working to make the platform inclusive and accessible to everyone. Brands are moving away from the same type of models and try to take into account the needs of all users. Creating inclusive products is now a new lever for increasing brand loyalty. For example, a model with Down syndrome became the face of Gucci. Tommy Hilfiger has a line of clothing for people with disabilities: magnetic fasteners and zippers that can be closed with one hand. nine0007

Personal brand

As student proverb says: “First you work for your credit card, then it works for you. ” So it is with a personal brand - you immediately need to create an image of an expert, which will then bring customers, money, popularity.

Faceless profiles do not inspire confidence, so everyone needs a personal brand: SMM-persons, designers, psychologists, photographers. The best way to build your personal brand is to give people a glimpse into your life. Show not only work, but also what characterizes you as a person: values, interests, hobbies. Do not try to imitate someone, but reveal your qualities. nine0007

Instagram visual trends 2022

A single-style feed and a combination of “sleek” magazine photos are no longer in trend. Gone are the perfect processing, studio work and the same presets from Lightroom - they were replaced by simplicity, reality and real life. The audience is drawn to natural content that tells a story.

Authenticity and negligence in the photo

Sugary photos of successful success and simulated happiness become boring and annoying. Subscribers are more likely to follow the blogger's content that shows "I'm a human too." More credible is a brand that, instead of studio photos of a product, shows real life with real people. For this reason, many abandon their ideal posts and share imperfect content. Instagram trends 2022 are authentic, spontaneity and casual. nine0007

No filters, minimal processing

No more spending hours choosing perfect photos, adjusting presets and applying filters that make perfect facial contours. The #nofilter trend works for images, stories, and reels. Real shots inspire more confidence, because they are more alive. Blurry photos flicker in the tapes, in grain, gray lighting, illuminated by a flash.

Bright and unbanal highlights

Eternal stories usually contain something that reflects values ​​and characterizes you as a person: interests, best products and services. The trend for covers in the same style has passed - now the more interesting, the better. Add bright colors and interesting pictures to make the overall look grab and hold attention. A more strict and discreet style of icons will suit companies and large brands, as well as some personal profiles, such as doctors or politicians. nine0007

Shoot from different angles

The same type of photos make the feed busy and boring, but if you play with angles, you can make it interesting and lively. The more different frames, the more fun it is to scroll through your account.

Take pictures from above, below or directly from the ground. Alternate the general plan, large and medium. Even the most ordinary look can be transformed by looking at it from a different perspective. Alternate photos of you or your product with subject photos close to the subject of the account: text or graphic elements, architecture, interior, nature, details. nine0007

Branded AR effects

Perhaps augmented reality filters are not suitable for brands and serious accounts. But if your content allows, AR effects can make your profile more playful and fun. Let customers try on clothes virtually, see how different shades of makeup look on them, or how a particular piece of decor will fit into their interior.

What content will be trending

Instagram offers many tools with which you can create unique content. Therefore, draw attention to the profile, increase the number of active subscribers, monetize the account and strengthen relationships with your audience. nine0007

If you haven't tried Reels yet, now is the time. This is a great opportunity to attract a new audience that prefers fast and easily digestible content. What can be shown in a video that lasts only 60 seconds:

  • Share knowledge and life hacks.
  • Show your product, features and use cases.
  • Make a selection of useful materials on the topic of the blog or something related.
  • Introduce subscribers to the daily life of you or your team.
  • Offer solutions to problems, show that problems can be treated with humor. Tinkoff Magazine does this well.

Live broadcasts

During the pandemic, live broadcasts got pretty fed up - everyone and sundry began to broadcast. Nevertheless, this tool still does not lose its relevance. People go for lively emotions and new information. They like to feel part of what is happening. Therefore, live broadcasts are a good opportunity to get closer to subscribers. nine0003

Through live broadcasts, you can share expertise, skills and achievements; tell the news; announce sales of goods and services; hold drawings, master classes, interviews and excursions.

Collaborations on Instagram

Collaboration on content with another user. The same post will appear on both accounts. Collaborations provide an opportunity to interact with subscribers of two accounts, increase coverage, exchange likes and comments. nine0007

Followers like funny pictures and phrases, especially if they relate to their pain in some way. They save them or send them to friends in Direct, all this has a beneficial effect on your account engagement and reach.

Chatbots

This is an automatic interlocutor that facilitates communication between a person and a computer. Chatbots create the appearance of your constant presence on Instagram. Users can send you messages at any time and receive immediate responses. All this improves the quality of customer service, increases loyalty and sales. nine0003

An alternative to chatbots can be introductory messages in LiveDune. Introductory Messages is a list of frequently asked questions: “What is the cost?”, “What is the opening hours?”, “Store address?”. By clicking on one of them, a potential client will immediately receive an answer. Thus, you save your time and increase sales - after all, some questions are closed automatically.

Instagram anti-trends

Some trends live through the years, while others lose their relevance very quickly. nine0003

  • Anonymous showcase accounts are a thing of the past. People are interested not only in information or a product, but also in the one who stands behind it.
  • Endless ribbon, checkerboard layout, strict observance of colors and any unnaturalness are no longer fashionable.
  • Everything should have a meaning - especially in posts. Personal accounts, expert accounts, and even stores should provide content that has at least some value.
  • It's time to forget about non-environmental warm-ups and direct sales - they are annoying. nine0153
  • You can't add content from time to time - regularity is important for the result. Do not be lazy to make a content plan and publish posts when the majority of your subscribers are online - this will increase your reach.

Conclusions

No matter at what stage of brand promotion or personal blogging on Instagram you are, it is worth knowing what is trending and what is better to avoid. And to know that you are on the right track, constantly analyze what subscribers get and what they leave unattended. nine0007

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How to create an Instagram carousel that will increase the number of interactions and, as a result, reach, engagement and potential leads. nine0003

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5 common mistakes when working with social network statistics

the most common mistakes that bloggers and smm-users make when working with statistics and how LiveDune will help you avoid them. Get ready to read carefully, we promise it will be useful.

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how to regularly get to the top and create trends

Reels is not only engaging content, but also an opportunity to get more coverage and new subscribers without advertising budgets. In this article, you will learn how to promote videos, how to create trends, and what nuances to keep in mind when working on new video content published on Reels.

Without reels, it is already difficult to imagine the accounts of both bloggers and brands. An effective budget-free PR tool helps you get more subscribers and wide coverage. Have time to become a guru in creating reels and regularly get into trends. nine0003

It is important for businesses and brands to understand the algorithms of work in order to reach as many audiences as possible and, ultimately, increase sales. Reels are short videos, lasting, on average, from 15 seconds to a minute. Unlike stories that disappear in a day and have less data for analysis, the possibilities for analytics on reels are much higher.

In this guide, we will consider the basic rules for promoting reels, discuss the "pitfalls" when working with this type of video content, and the algorithm for getting into trends. nine0003

How to promote Reels

Instagram* does not give any specific recommendations for promotion. “Each of the algorithms, classifiers, and processes have their own purpose,” which creates a personalized experience for each user, the team says in one of the official statements.

But based on the experience of interacting with bloggers reels, we can draw conclusions about what methods help to promote videos and make them popular. All of these methods will help increase your organic visibility, which will greatly increase your chances of getting new followers. To do this, you need to strive to get into the endless Reels feed and into the usual Instagram recommendations. nine0003

At the same time, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, officially stated that betting on video is an opportunity to directly compete with TikTok. The platform takes into account: whether the user watched the video to the end, whether he liked this video, whether the video seemed funny. In addition, whether a person will make their own video by going to the audio page. You can create your own content based on the audio track of another video.

Add hashtags to your post

Hashtags help attract users who do not follow specific Instagram accounts, but follow certain hashtags. Hashtags in Reels are needed not only for getting into recommendations. Just like with the content in the feed, you can think of branded hashtags to increase awareness. nine0003

To promote Reels, choose no more than 30 hashtags. First of all, use general tags with the words reels, instagram, reels. For example, #reels, #reelsinstagram, #reelsofinstagram, #reelsvideos, #reelstrending. Go to the recommendations tab (magnifying glass icon), the label section, where any hashtag you enter will have the number of uses.

Be sure to monitor videos that are already recommended and borrow tags from there. Each of your selected hashtags should be aimed at the target audience. The first popular tag that comes across won't help. For example, if you have a fashion brand, you don't need to include all the tags from a featured video, such as a travel video. nine0003

There are dozens of apps that help you search for relevant Instagram hashtags related to a specific query on your topic.

Use trending music

Until you as a blogger or brand have come up with your own unique style of content, it's worth keeping an eye on trends. This not only develops insight, but also helps to become better than competitors: analyze recommendations and do better.

In order to add music to Reels, you must click "Audio", select the desired music from the list, select the desired fragment. To find a specific track, use the search or trend selection. nine0003

Use "Preview" to understand before publishing whether you like the resulting video or not. If not, then there is the opportunity to change the music again, record and edit your voice. This functionality is available until the final publication, after which it will not be possible to edit.

Life hack: look at the trends on TikTok - it is in this social network that the most important trends are born. The main musical hits come to Reels from there.

Design video covers

Covers are visible in the Reels section, both in the feed and in the recommendations section. As a cover, you can choose a video clip or upload it from the gallery: we recommend preparing covers for Reels in advance - they will help you get more views. nine0003

Reels are visible in the main grid when a person selects this option when posting. Therefore, evaluate the visual component: how the covers will look together with the posts and in a separate Reels tab in the profile. If it is not clear on the frame what the video will be about, a person is unlikely to want to open your video: the visual affects the clickability.

It is important how the cover looks in miniature. In this regard, choosing a frame from a video, rather than a specially prepared cover, is not the best idea. Editing an already published video will not work: only delete and re-upload. nine0003

Reels size - 1080 x 1920 px. You can focus on the same format as in the story. The user adds the cover at the stage of publishing the video.

Think CTA

CTA (call to action) - a call to action. The trend is to end the post with a specific question “how do you like it?” no longer relevant. Indirect CTA, associated with the desire to share one's own opinion, encourages more activity.

Knowing that Reels actively promotes videos that are potentially interesting to other users, we set one of the main tasks - to make sure that published videos are actively interacted with. To do this, we ask subscribers to do something that would encourage them to leave reactions (comments, likes, videos). For example, we include a game element - to offer to come up with a name for the new Reels. nine0003

Add some color to the title block on Reels to grab users' attention with a colorful CTA. Bright accent fonts are more convincing. But it is important not to overdo it with the length of the text on the video: Instagram stops promoting such Reels, and the chances of getting into the recommendation feed are falling. Only short titles with the main idea.

Publish announcements in the feed and stories

As soon as the new Reels is posted, immediately share the announcements in the feed and stories. Users will see and be able to go to watch the video. This method allows you to collect views from subscribers and users who have logged into your account. nine0003

It seems that the current subscribers of the account should see everything anyway. But this is not so: the battle in social networks is a battle with algorithms, including. Therefore, the rule that should be strictly followed is: the more interaction the user has with the content, the more likely he is to watch the new video and react to it. Plus, you're more likely to get recommended.

Be aware of cross-platform and other platforms. You should not duplicate each video in Reels to other social networks, but, for example, periodically review new videos in the format of collections. Remind you when new content is posted to Reels. nine0003

Sharing new Reels videos is worth it with a little eyeliner. Then it will not be perceived as just another repost. Accentuate the attention of users!

Why Instagram stops promoting videos

There are a number of rules that you should follow if you don't want to lose your reach. The platform will not promote Reels in the following cases:

  • Reuploaded videos from other platforms Videos with watermarks that were placed on other sites are blocked. nine0153
  • Publish video with frames Remove this way of designing Reels - such videos will no longer be promoted.
  • Shooting poor quality videos Blurry picture with poor sound - non-competitive videos. As with any format, it is important to create the highest possible quality product.
  • Gif on Reels in stories When a Reels video is posted to a story, views are also taken into account. Thus, in an attempt to create intrigue, it is not advisable to close the video with a gif image, since views in this case are not counted. In any case, there will be transitions in high-quality Reels: your subscribers will watch the story and want to see the video first. nine0153
  • Long texts The shortest texts are important. Bulky texts occupy most of the screen, the user is distracted by the text, therefore, such a video will seem interesting to few people. It is important to choose short, capacious phrases that illustrate the video sequence.

In general, the principle of getting into Reels trends is similar to all other recommendations. Shoot interesting high-quality content, make sure that users actively interact and watch to the end - the requirements are the same. nine0003

How to create trends

From the very first Instagram video, you must strictly follow the rules set by the platform and publish relevant content. How to get into trends and create them - follow the recommendations.

1. Entertaining videos based on life stories

Those that have an unexpected twist in their script, make you smile, attract attention due to the charisma of the character in the frame. For example, the Reels of the author of gaming videos Khaby Lame in the “sketches from life” format are gaining millions of views. nine0003

Video by Khaby Lame.

2. Experimental videos

Inspirational videos that will be picked up by the rest - a video that is interesting to the majority, where the maximum number of users can participate. So at one time the videos "Before / After" became viral. In the video, a simple idea that lies on the surface, but causes a smile.

Author blogger Sana Sultan.

3.

Launch Challenges

Similar to Stories Challenges, the only difference is that Reels go viral faster and there is a chance to create a new trend that will gain followers. For example, comedy videos dedicated to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and videos to the tracks of the BTS music group went viral. One of the most viewed videos in this category is a Pepsi ad featuring soccer player Lionel Messi. nine0003

Video created by football player Leo Messi.

4. Using effects

Text, filters, AR masks, Slow motion function are available for creators. For example, the shaking effect will show that the subject in the video is going berserk. Make the most of your creative tools. It takes a minute or less to convey a message, effects are an opportunity to convey an idea without words. Scored over 9 million likes and 100 million views video Mary & Secret.

Video blogger Mary & Secret. nine0399

5. Music as a bright accent

Choose music from the Instagram music library. An original audio track created by you or found on other Reels is another good option. Make sure that the lips of the character match the sound, otherwise the video will look unprofessional. Change the video speed to avoid this. The song Tunak Tunak Tun became a hit after the incendiary Reels.

Author of the video blogger itz.s0ltan.

Follow the official Instagram account @creators. Reels Trends are posted weekly to help users discover what's hot on the platform: content ideas, filters, creator notes, and trending music. nine0003

The @creators official Instagram account has new tips for creators posted weekly

Remember, you can be perfectly knowledgeable about Reels algorithms and technical capabilities, but it will be entertaining or “wow” content that resonates with the audience. Such videos meet only one parameter - you want to watch them to the end.

It is difficult to create high-quality and captivating content all the time at the same level: it is impossible to turn any video into a viral video just by following the algorithms.

Learn more