Adweek: Why It’s Time to Update Your Instagram Hashtag Strategy

Instagram continues to update their algorithm. A recent Adweek article reminds brands how they can utilize hashtags to help their brand grow. Users can now follow hashtags, which encourages brands to be more mindful of their hashtag utilization. Recommendations include:

• Add Hashtags to Instagram Stories: Adding hashtags to invite users to find your brand in a different way.

• Using Branded and Community Hashtags: Community hashtags welcome brands to connect with like-minded users, increase SEO and branded hashtags to start a conversation about your brand and can encourage user-generated content.

• Quality vs. Quantity Hashtags: The shadowban may deter brands from using hashtags. Adweek reminds brands to use less broad hashtags and to focus on specific hashtags that will live at the top of the explore tag of that hashtag. It's also important to change up hashtag blocks to encourage more engagement on your page.

Hashtags on Instagram can expand your reach. A post with just one hashtag has 12.6 percent more engagement than those without.