Hey there! Are you looking to upgrade your Instagram hashtag strategy this year?
Using the right hashtags is critical for getting your posts seen by more people. But with over 500 million hashtags used on Instagram every day, how do you find the best ones to reach new audiences?
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain several quick and easy tactics you can use to discover the most popular trending hashtags to use in your Instagram marketing.
These proven tips will help you stay on top of the latest trends, analyze performance, and optimize your hashtags like an Instagram expert!
Contents
Before we dive in, let‘s quickly cover why trending hashtags are so powerful for growing your reach and engagement on Instagram.
Reach More People Outside Your Followers
Hashtags expand your visibility beyond just your current followers.
When you use a trending hashtag, you tap into the millions of people searching and engaging with that tag. According to Instagram, "50% of the most viewed Stories are using at least 1 hashtag sticker."
So utilizing hot trending tags helps put your content in front of a massive new potential audience.
Trending hashtags boost engagement.
Posts using top hashtags average 79% more interactions than posts without hashtags, according to social media analytics company Quintly.
When you use a buzzing hashtag, it signals your content is part of a popular conversation. So more people will naturally engage with it by liking, commenting, and sharing your post.
Get Discovered by Influencers and Brands
Influencers and brands search trending hashtags looking for user-generated content to engage with.
Using the same hashtags as influencers in your niche makes it easier for them to find and share your content. Profiles reposting your content can drive follow-on engagement and followers.
Get Featured on the Explore Page
Instagram‘s algorithm scans trending hashtag content as a signal for what to feature on the coveted Explore page.
Posts using hot trending hashtags have a better chance of being featured on Explore. This can expose your brand to a huge number of new potential followers.
Drive Profile Visits and Followers
When people engage with your posts from a trending hashtag, it‘s easy for them to click through your profile and give you a follow. The more relevant connections and engagement you build, the more your audience grows.
Now let‘s get into the different tactics you can use to identify and leverage the most popular trending hashtags…
Finding the right mix of trending and niche hashtags can seem overwhelming. But it doesn‘t have to be!
Here are 6 simple strategies any brand can use to discover the hottest trending Instagram hashtags to reach new audiences:
Analyze hashtags used by influencers and top profiles in your industry or niche.
Head to their Instagram accounts and take note of the hashtags they use repeatedly in posts. These are likely resonating with your target audience as well.
Pro tip: Click on the hashtags they use to open the content feed. Check for high engagement on recent posts to confirm the hashtag is still active and trending.
2. Utilize Instagram‘s Search Suggestions
As you type an Instagram search, a dropdown will appear with suggested hashtags and keyword terms.
Try typing a term related to your niche like "socialmedia". The search suggestions will include popular hashtags containing that word.
You can also search an existing hashtag like #socialmediatips and scroll through Instagram‘s recommendations for similar trending tags.
3. Check Performance of Top Posts
Search a hashtag and switch the tab to view "Top Posts" rather than recent.
If the top posts have very high engagement (10k+ likes), it signals that‘s a hot trending hashtag worth trying. Double check that top posts are from the last few months.
You can also turn on post notifications for a hashtag to get real-time alerts on top-performing content.
4. Use a Hashtag Analytics Tool
Tools like RiteTag and Display Purposes analyze Instagram data to find hashtags gaining the most traction.
You enter a keyword and the tool generates suggestions for trending hashtags ranked by popularity and engagement. Filter by niche and other criteria for relevant tags.
5. Follow Hashtag Focused Instagram Accounts
Some accounts like @Trending.Hashtags and @popcultureposts share the latest trending hashtag updates.
Turn on notifications so you immediately see when they post about new trending tags. Identify any that might be a fit to adapt for your niche and audience.
6. Track Trends in News, Pop Culture, & Events
Cultural events, holidays, news, meme trends, etc often spur hashtag trends on social media.
Use sites like Trendsmap that track geotagged posts and hashtags across platforms to identify timely trends to tap into.
Staying current helps you capitalize on trends in the moment when they are peaking.
How to Analyze Trending Hashtag Performance
Finding trending hashtags is one thing. But how do you know if they will actually be effective for your brand to use?
Here are key metrics to analyze:
- Usage volume – The number of people posting with the hashtag in a given time period. High volume indicates a more viral trend.
- Engagement rate – The average number of likes and comments on posts using the hashtag. Higher is better.
- Reach potential – The number of followers of accounts using the hashtag. This indicates potential audience size.
- Tag longevity – Check if usage has trended up over weeks/months. This shows an enduring trend rather than short-lived fad.
Tools like RiteTag display these metrics so you can easily evaluate hashtag performance and pick the best ones.
You should also test different combinations of trending and niche hashtags in your own posts. Track which perform best in driving profile clicks, saves, follows, and engagement for your brand specifically.
Here are some pro tips to optimize your use of trending hashtags:
Mix Trending & Niche Tags
Focusing solely on mega-popular tags won‘t help you stand out. Blend trending hashtags with niche-specific ones relevant to your product/service.
Putting hashtags only in the caption can clutter the text. Try adding them in the first comment instead for cleaner captions.
Maximize Your Hashtag Count
You can include up to 30 hashtags per post. Use a variety of trending and niche tags to maximize discoverability.
Track Performance Over Time
Monitor hashtag use and engagement over weeks or months to identify lasting trends versus temporary fads.
Adapt Trends for Your Audience
Give trending topics like events or memes your own unique spin tailored to your brand‘s niche and personality.
Avoid Banned Tags
Be cautious of using hashtags around controversial topics that could violate Instagram‘s community guidelines. Do your research before jumping on questionable hashtag trends.
Now that you know how to effectively leverage trending hashtags, let‘s go over a few key mistakes to avoid…
3 Big Hashtag Mistakes to Avoid
It‘s easy to go overboard or use hashtags incorrectly in ways that turn off your audience. Steer clear of these major hashtag blunders:
Do not use broad mass-appeal hashtags like #Follow or #LikeForLike that will drown you in an overly competitive sea of posts. Pair those with niche hashtags.
Using Irrelevant Trending Tags
Jumping on hashtag trends unrelated to your brand just to try and exploit traffic will seem inauthentic. Only use trends relevant to your audience and product.
Failing to refresh your hashtags leads to stagnant growth. Continually find new trending tags relevant to your evolving content themes.
The key is balancing trending hashtags that attract new eyeballs with niche hashtags carefully matched to your brand identity and audience interests.
Let‘s Get Your Hashtag Game On Point!
Hopefully this guide provided you with an easy blueprint for maximizing your use of trending hashtags on Instagram this year.
Here‘s a quick recap of the key tips covered:
- Leverage trending hashtags to reach massive new audiences beyond your current followers.
- Analyze competitor and influencer hashtags, Instagram search suggestions, and analytics tools to identify what‘s trending.
- Evaluate hashtag usage volume, engagement, reach potential and longevity to pick the best ones to use.
- Mix both trending and super targeted niche hashtags in your posts for the best results.
- Refresh your hashtags regularly to capitalize on the latest trends and stay ahead of the curve!
Implementing these best practices for finding and optimizing trending Instagram hashtags will help you gain followers, engagement, website traffic, and powerful connections with new audiences.
What trending hashtag strategy are you excited to try first? Let me know how these tips work for amping up your Instagram game! I‘m always happy to chat more about social media marketing tactics.
