#hashtags, #hashtags, #hashtags

As social media *experts*, one of the most frequently asked questions that we see is, “How many hashtags should I be using?”. So listen up, buckle in, and get ready to take notes 📝

On the 28th of September 2021, Instagram’s Creator account announced that users should aim to use between 3-5 hashtags per post, and people had...thoughts. 

One user speculated in the comment section (which, if you’re ever after an entertaining read we’d recommend scrolling through) that in 2 months time Instagram will be telling us to “use exactly -0.2 hashtags”, and to be honest - they have a point 🤷🏼♀️

Putting aside the fact for now that Instagram has recommended slashing your hashtag use, they did offer some helpful hashtag tips and reminders, like making sure your hashtags are relevant to your content and that you’re using a healthy mix of well-known and niche hashtags. 

Now, back to the topic at hand - how many #hashtags should you be using.

The simple answer is, there is no ✨ magic ✨number that works for everyone! We know, we know, it’s not the easy answer that you wanted to hear. But we truly believe that through a little bit of experimentation and a little bit of help from us, you can find your magic number 😉

Our top tip is that practice makes perfect! Spend some time testing out different methods and keep a close eye on your insights while you’re testing and experimenting.

Spend a week using 3-5 hashtags, try 30 the next week, try anything in between - and take notes!!!

Once you’ve figured out what number of hashtags works best for you and your account, congratulations! You’ve done the hard work and created your very own secret hashtag recipe.

Of course, Instagram is constantly changing and updating - so make sure you’re conducting an audit every couple of months to check whether your hashtag strategy is still working, and if it isn’t then you already know how to create a new one! 

And because we’re feeling very benevolent and gracious, here’s one last hot tip to help you kill the hashtag game: 

Make sure you have at least 3-4 unique and relevant hashtag sets (the more the better in this case, truly) to rotate between. Using the same hashtags on every post will not only make Instagram think you’re a bot (and you deserve better than that 😗), but it will make your super rad and effective hashtag strategy super, well, redundant. No self-sabotage on our watch, thank you.

Now that you know all of our fun little tips and tricks, we think it’s about time you start experimenting! Good luck 💌