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Are you confused on why your Instagram posts aren’t getting more likes or why your followers increase by maybe 1 a week. Sound familiar?

One thing we know about the Instagram is that algorithm searches our posts for keywords to help categorize your post – know what its about – and who to show it to. One way to use keywords are to use hashtags!

LET’S START WITH THE BASICS. WHAT IS A HASHTAG?

A hashtag is the pound sign (#) followed by a word or words that serve as a search term for the image or post. Example: #outdoorwedding with a picture of an outdoor wedding ceremony.

Think of hashtags as a search term similar to what you would type into Google or a search engine.

Adding hashtags to your posts can help new clients find you when they are searching for vendors or wedding inspiration.

SHOULD I PUT MY HASHTAGS IN THE CAPTION OR THE COMMENT SECTION?

As of August 2021, Instagram announced that hashtags should be placed in the caption section and NOT the comments. You also want to add them as soon as possible because Instagram will show posts using that hashtag in order of when the image was posted. So if you post a picture and a day later add hashtags, you are less likely to be found because your post is now categorized with the posts from the previous day (goes by your original post time not the time you posted the hashtags)

HOW MANY HASHTAGS SHOULD I BE USING?

In an Instagram feed post, you can use up to 30 hashtags, but don’t let this overwhelm you. If you only have time to add in 5 hashtags that is better than none. I recommend using a scheduling app like Planoly or Tailwind that can store your hashtags for you. If you’re just getting started with Instagram and don’t have one of those accounts yet, creating a “note” in your phone with a list of hashtags is a great option, this way you can copy and paste the hashtags when you are ready to post. 

If you’re able to, I recommend using the maximum 30 hashtags. Think of it like this if you could reach 30 couples versus 5 couples with one post, wouldn’t you want to increase your odds? Thats what using the maximum amount of hashtags is doing, giving you maximum chances of exposure.

Scheduling Tip: There is a “Hashtag” section within Planoly where you can create different hashtag groups and have them pre-saved. This helps me tremendously! You can add them into a scheduled post or you can copy and paste in real time if you didn’t get a chance to schedule out posts the way you hoped.

I use Planoly for all of my Instagram scheduling and posting. Using a content scheduler like Planoly has made sure I get the most out of my posts and help me to strategically schedule my Instagram content.

Follow The Wed Strategy on Instagram for more social media tips for your wedding business so you can book more couples through Instagram!