Instagram is a visual social media platform with over one billion monthly users. Hashtags are a key part of Instagram, and can be used to help your content be discovered by others. However, using the wrong hashtags on Instagram can actually do more harm than good.
There are a few different types of wrong hashtags on Instagram. The first type is irrelevant hashtags. These are hashtags that have nothing to do with your content or your brand. For example, if you’re a fashion brand and you use the hashtag #foodporn on one of your posts, that’s an irrelevant hashtag. Not only will it not help you reach your target audience, but it will also make you look like you’re not really sure what you’re doing on Instagram.
The second type of wrong hashtag is overused hashtags. These are popular hashtags that millions of people use every day (think #love or #instagood). While they may seem like they’ll help get your content seen by more people, using these kinds of hashtags will actually make your post get lost in the sea of other posts that are using them. In addition, using too many popular hashtags can make your content look spammy and desperate for likes/followers.
Using Only Popular or Generic Hashtags
Most people use popular or generic hashtags on Instagram without really thinking about it. But using only these kinds of tags can actually hurt your chances of being discovered by new followers. Here’s why:
1. Your posts will get lost in the sea of other content.
If you use a popular hashtag like #love or #instagood, your post will get lost in the millions of other posts that are using the same hashtag. And if you use a generic hashtag like #photooftheday, your post will likely be buried within seconds. To stand out from the crowd, you need to use more specific hashtags that relate to your niche or industry.
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2. You’ll attract the wrong kind of followers.
When you use only popular or generic hashtags, you’ll attract a lot of random people who aren’t necessarily interested in what you do or sell. These people are less likely to engage with your content or become paying customers down the road. If you want to attract quality followers who will actually support your business, focus on using narrower, more targeted hashtags.
3.# You won’t be able to track your results as easily.# By using more specific hashtags, you can track which ones are driving the most engagement and traffic to your website or blog.
Not Researching Hashtags
The wrong hashtags on Instagram can be the difference between getting noticed and getting lost in the shuffle. If you’re not careful, you could end up using a hashtag that’s either too popular or too obscure, which will make it difficult for people to find your content.
That’s why it’s so important to do your research before you start using hashtags. Take the time to figure out which hashtags are being used most often, and which ones are most relevant to your business or brand. Once you have a good understanding of how hashtags work, you’ll be able to use them more effectively and connect with more people on Instagram.
Ignoring Local Hashtags
As a general rule, you should always be aware of and make use of local hashtags when posting on Instagram. By doing so, you stand a much better chance of being seen by people in your area who are interested in the same things as you are. Additionally, using local hashtags can help you to connect with other like-minded people in your community.
However, there are times when ignoring local hashtags can be advantageous. For instance, if you’re trying to reach a broader audience with your posts or if the local hashtags for your area aren’t particularly popular or active. In these cases, it may make more sense to focus on other types of hashtags that will give you a better chance of being seen by the people you want to reach.
Ultimately, whether or not you should ignore local hashtags comes down to a matter of personal preference and what makes the most sense for your particular goals and objectives. So long as you’re aware of both the benefits and potential drawbacks associated with each approach, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which strategy is right for you.
“If you use the wrong hashtags on Instagram, you’re not going to get very far.” -Unknown
Not Testing For New Hashtags
Sure, you might get lucky and stumble upon a trending hashtag that helps boost your reach and engagement. But more often than not, you’ll end up using a hashtag that’s either irrelevant or completely inactive. And that’s just a waste of time and effort.
The bottom line is this: if you want to ensure that your hashtags are effective and helping you reach your goals, then you need to test them out before using them in your posts. Only by testing can you be sure that they’re the right fit for your brand.
Not Using Related Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to connect with like-minded people and expand your reach on Instagram. But if you’re not using related hashtags, you’re not going to get very far.
Using unrelated hashtags is one of the quickest ways to alienate potential followers and customers. It shows that you don’t really understand your audience or what they’re interested in.
If you want to use hashtags effectively, make sure they are relevant to your business or brand. Use them to connect with people who are interested in what you do or sell. And most importantly, don’t use them just for the sake of using them – that’s a surefire way to turn people off.
Not Keeping Track Or Analyzing Hashtag Use
If you’re not keeping track of or analyzing your hashtag use on Instagram, you could be missing out on some serious engagement opportunities.
While hashtags are a great way to get your content in front of more people, using the wrong ones can result in little to no engagement. That’s why it’s important to keep track of which ones are giving you the best results so you can continue to use them and ditch the ones that aren’t working.
There are a few different ways to go about this. You can either manually keep track of your hashtag usage and analyze the results yourself, or you can use a third-party tool that will do it for you.
If you choose to do it yourself, make sure to write down which hashtags you used for each post and how many likes and comments it received. After a few weeks or months, you should be able to see which ones resulted in the most engagement and continue using those moving forward.
If manual tracking sounds like too much work, there are plenty of great tools out there that will do it for you automatically. Socialert is one option that tracks hashtag usage across all social media platforms (not just Instagram) and provides detailed analytics reports.
Not Using Hashtags at All
If you’re not using hashtags on Instagram, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new audiences and gain more followers. Hashtags are a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you, and they can help you get your content seen by more people.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using hashtags, though. First, don’t use too many hashtags – just a few relevant ones will do. Second, make sure your hashtags are relevant to your content – using irrelevant hashtags is a surefire way to turn people off. And finally, don’t use the same hashtag over and over again – mix it up and use different ones each time!
If you’re not using hashtags on Instagram, start today! You’ll be surprised at how much they can help you reach new audiences and gain more followers.
I was trying to get more followers on Instagram, so I started using popular hashtags. But no matter how many times I used them, my posts just weren’t getting any traction. I was starting to get frustrated.
Then, one of my friends told me that I was using the wrong hashtags. She showed me how to find ones that were relevant to my content, but not too popular. Since changing my strategy, I’ve been able to get more views and even some new followers!