I’m over it. I’m entirely over it. Too many brands are failing to follow this major key to instagram success. If you’re building an account, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be using hashtags in your captions! Save the excuses. There is simply too much research out there that shows how effective using relevant hashtags IN the post caption can be.
I read a post shared by my Twitter “professor” Madalyn Sklar a month ago. The post said that instagram posts using hashtags in the caption instead of in the comment section had increased post engagement! I decided to try it out for myself. I recently started a new instagram to track my fitness journey and create a community of fitness junkies just like me. On Sunday morning, I posted my progress picture with 8 relevant hashtags in the caption. This post currently has 188 likes, 1 comment, and counting! I also gained 6 followers. This is the most likes I’ve had on any post so far.
So how did I do it? I had been posting in the afternoon/evening with hashtags and saw slow and steady growth on my account since July 2. I decided to try posting early on Sunday morning with hashtags to see what difference it would make. It obviously made a HUGE difference. One post done strategically has yielded results that if done consistently, will lead me into micro-influencer territory. Sounds exciting to me!
If you’re looking for ways to increase likes and engagement on your posts, using hashtags in the caption is definitely the way to go. Of course, likes are just vanity metrics, however, when your post is well liked and also contains hashtags it gains more visibility by people in your niche! Sounds like a free way to get attention and potential new followers to me. So why wait? Start experimenting with your instagram today!
Keiana Holleman 