How to create a hashtag on Instagram?

If you're new to the world of social media, hashtags are one of those things that seem so obvious yet are still difficult to grasp how they work.

A hashtag is basically just a word or phrase with the # sign at the start — so something like #Instagram might be used to tag photos taken on a specific app (and therefore appear alongside them when someone searches for "photos from Insta"). The same goes for events too. You'll often find yourself using these tags without knowing exactly what they mean or where they came from. But if you want to use a hashtag correctly, here's everything you need to know about creating, managing, and using custom ones.

How do you make a hashtag?

To get started, head over to the Hashtag Generator website. This tool will allow you to search for words and phrases related to whatever topic interests you most right now. For example, I searched for #fitnessfreak because I'm obsessed with fitness apps and services, then added my own name as well as the name of a friend who works out regularly. Once you've done this, click Generate Code.

This generates a unique code for you which you should copy and paste into Instagram itself. When you open up your profile, go to your bio box by clicking Edit Profile & Bio " Add/Edit Photo. In the text box labelled Tag, type your hashtagged term and hit enter. It should automatically save! If not, tap Save. Now back to the main screen.

Next, scroll down until you find the section called Create Post With Hashtags. Tap it. Then, select Upload Photos and Videos. Finally, choose whether you'd prefer to upload pictures or videos. Either way, once uploaded, this action adds all the images or clips with the relevant hashtag onto your post. As such, keep the hashtag short and snappy — no more than three letters. And don't include spaces between words either, unless necessary.

After uploading, you'll likely see your post has been tagged with various different hashtags, depending on its content. Clicking through each of these reveals their meaning. Each image also shows how many times it was posted under that particular hashtag. There may even be some duplicates appearing here too. To fix this, simply unfollow anyone posting duplicate posts with the wrong hashtag.

You should also double-check the hashtag you chose appears next to the photo after it's been uploaded. Instagram makes this easy to change by going into Settings " Tags & Filters " Manage Your Tags. Here, you can edit existing hashtags, add new ones, remove old ones, and delete unused ones.

Finally, check the settings for your account to ensure you have enough characters left to fit the whole thing in before saving changes. On iOS devices, swipe downwards past the feed to access this menu. Otherwise, go to your profile page via your username icon at the top of the screen.

Once you've got your hashtag set up, you can easily reorder them in the list. Just pick the order you want them listed in and drag. Alternatively, long press on individual items and choose Move Up / Down.

How can you create a hashtag?

As mentioned earlier, there are lots of reasons why people would want to create a hashtag. One of the best examples of this comes in the form of live broadcasts. For instance, during New Year's Eve 2019, celebrities including Kim Kardashian West, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj broadcasted themselves on Instagram Live. Afterward, viewers could watch the video stream online or download it onto their phones. However, since only participants were able to share the link on their Stories, everyone watching had to wait until the end of the show before finding out what happened. Fortunately, thanks to the power of hashtags, we were able to quickly identify that certain moments caught our eye — namely Kanye West's rant against Taylor Swift — by searching for #KanyeLive.

Another popular application of hashtags comes in the form of trending topics. During major news stories, brands will sometimes launch a campaign to encourage users to look further into a story or topic. Perhaps the biggest recent example of this was in 2017 when Apple launched a series of adverts encouraging iPhone owners to upgrade to iOS 11.3. These ads showed two couples discussing upgrading, but instead of explaining what the update actually entailed, the husband asked his wife if she knew her password. He explained that he wanted to try out the latest version of iMessage, but couldn't remember hers. Luckily, the couple looked up the correct answer (#PasscodeMemorized) and went to the nearest Apple Store to purchase an upgraded model.

The last reason for creating a hashtag relates to promoting events. A good example of this is the annual PyeongChang Olympics held every year in South Korea. Every four years since 1994, athletes compete across snowboarding, cross country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, freestyle skiing, speed skating, and more. For the 2018 edition, the official hashtag was #POC2018. Users created numerous themed hashtags to draw attention to key aspects of the games, such as #TeamUSAForHeroes for women's ice hockey and #SochiStrong for figure skating.

However, while hashtags are useful tools for keeping track of trends, it's important to note that they shouldn't replace proper tagging practices. So always take care to properly label your shots with location information, person names, dates etc., especially if you plan on sharing them publicly. Failure to do so means others won't be able to find your snaps later.

Does it cost to create a hashtag?

Creating a hashtag doesn't usually incur any extra costs beyond those associated with running a regular Instagram account. Of course, you could argue that having a branded hashtag gives you greater visibility within the platform. Brands tend to pay influencers hundreds of dollars per tweet for doing relatively little compared to other types of accounts. That being said, it isn't guaranteed that adding a hashtag will bring in more followers or views.

Brands must consider both practicalities and potential benefits though. Firstly, Instagram limits the number of hashtags allowed per caption to 30. While you can certainly break this limit if you want to, it's probably worth sticking to it otherwise you risk losing followers due to technical issues. Secondly, you should avoid spamming people with multiple unrelated hashtags. Doing so dilutes the impact of the original hashtag and ruins the usefulness of the feature altogether. Lastly, hashtags aren't available globally. They are based on geolocation data which varies depending on where you live. As such, if you use a geographically inappropriate hashtag, you won't necessarily reach everyone interested in your product.

Lastly, while hashtags are free, they do require maintenance. Anytime your branding evolves, you'll need to revisit your hashtags. Don't forget to review your bio to ensure you haven't misspelt anything, and to confirm that you're using the right ones.

Why create a hashtag for an event?

Although hashtagging has existed for several years, the idea behind them really took off following the 2016 US presidential election. Since then, they've become increasingly popular among politicians and brands alike.

While some say that hashtags are mainly used for entertainment purposes, they can also help foster community around a cause. By joining forces, individuals and organisations can promote awareness towards important global causes and support. Take, for example, the Women’s March movement. Its founder Carmen Perez helped rally millions of people worldwide to attend January's protest marches. She did this by tweeting out links to registration forms, along with the hashtag #PowertoMarch.

By using hashtags, the organisers didn't have to rely solely on traditional advertising methods to spread the message. Instead, they reached thousands of people directly through tweets containing the appropriate hashtag.

In addition to helping raise awareness, hashtags can also aid fundraising efforts. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic saw huge amounts of money raised through campaigns that encouraged donations with the slogan "Donate life."

One particularly memorable campaign involved actress Selma Blair asking fans to donate $1 to the World Health Organization. Anyone in America could visit the website, plug in their ZIP code, and send the money straight away. Rather than relying on celebrity endorsements, the initiative aimed to educate the public about international organizations working hard to fight the virus. Similar initiatives continue today, proving that hashtags can play a vital role in raising awareness and funds.

Hashtags offer businesses and campaigners a great opportunity to connect with customers on a personal level. Using a few simple techniques, you can build relationships with audiences and increase engagement. Keep reading to discover how to harness their full potential.

Use hashtags to attract new subscribers. From Twitter and Facebook to Instagram and TikTok, nearly every popular social network offers ways to gain exposure by using hashtags. Simply put, whenever you write a tweet, status update or comment, include the appropriate hash symbol followed by a keyword or category.

Instagram is an ideal place to share photos, but it also allows brands to directly access their customers through the use of hashtags. It makes sense that businesses would want to take advantage of this feature to increase sales or find new clients. However, not everyone knows how to create a hashtag. This article will explain what a hashtag is, its importance, and some tips for using it effectively.

What is a #hashtag?

A hashtag (also known as a hash tag) refers to a keyword with "#" symbol before it so users who are searching for such keywords can easily locate them. You may have already seen these tags used by celebrities, artists, and other public figures on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, etc., where they post short updates about themselves or related topics. When someone searches for those specific phrases online, the platform automatically suggests the relevant posts from all over the web. In fact, people often search words preceded by the "#" sign because it helps narrow down results based upon different parameters. For instance, if someone searches "I love dogs," they'll likely get more accurate results than simply typing "dogs." The same concept holds true when companies start posting content via social channels.

If you're unfamiliar with this term yet still wondering how to create a hashtag, don't worry! We've got you covered. Below we discuss everything you need to know about hashtagging, including its origin story, how to come up with great ideas, and how to actually put one into practice.

Why can't I add products to my Instagram shop?

This question might seem strange at first since most retailers now offer product pages right within Instagram itself. But here's the thing—the app doesn't allow third-party apps to handle user data. And while Shopify has been working closely with Instagram to improve checkout processes, it won’t be able to provide features like adding items to shopping carts or sending orders until 2021 at the earliest. Until then, creating a hashtag is the next best option for selling products on Instagram.

But even though you cannot currently buy stuff straight from Instagram, you could always upload images of various merchandise and include links to purchase them elsewhere. If you plan to do this, make sure to give buyers plenty of time to click through to the retailer's website once they land on your page. Otherwise, they might leave without making a purchase.

How to promote a hashtag?

When deciding which ones to choose, keep in mind that popular hashtags tend to receive higher engagement rates. Users generally engage with posts containing certain hashtags more frequently than others. So if you pick something trendy, chances are high that many people will use it. On top of that, you should consider whether your chosen phrase accurately reflects the type of content you'd like to showcase. After all, it needs to match both your audience and aesthetic.

For example, let's say you own a bakery. While baking cakes seems appropriate enough, your target market probably isn't looking for recipes. Instead, try choosing a more general word, such as #cake, #baking, or #desserts. Or maybe you run a gym. A good choice would be #fitness, #gym, or #workout. These terms are less competitively ranked among Instagram users' feeds, thus giving you better odds of staying visible longer.

You can also use hashtags on Stories to help viewers discover your latest offerings. Simply tap the camera icon located at the bottom of each Story frame and select Add Hashtags. As mentioned above, make sure to think carefully about every single hashtag you choose — after all, you only have 140 characters per line.

How do you boost a hashtag?

Once you decide on a final selection, boosting a hashtag involves amplifying its reach across social networks. To do this, you must ensure that your followers understand exactly what it means. They shouldn't have to guess or wonder whether they are seeing authentic information. Here are a few ways to go about doing this.

First, avoid generic names. Generic hashtags are usually too vague for anyone to remember and hence unlikely to gain traction. Also, ensure that you use unique, memorable, and easy-to-type strings whenever possible so your fans aren't left guessing.

Second, stick to consistent formatting. Consistency goes beyond just having similar font colors throughout your feed. Make sure that the text you use for your hashtags matches the rest of the captions on your posts. Don't forget to capitalize letters at the beginning of each word. Lastly, never change a hashtag midstream unless absolutely necessary. Your followers expect consistency and changing a hashtag halfway through a caption looks tacky and unprofessional.

Third, incorporate numbers and special symbols. Adding numbers or special characters to your hashtags gives them additional meaning. Some examples include #1DayLater, #2WaysToUseVegetables, or #3WordsThatDontExistYet. Special symbols serve much the same purpose. Examples include “#smile” or “#justasking”. Just be mindful of potential trademark infringement issues.

Finally, consider using two separate hashtags instead of several long ones. Not only does this look cleaner, but it also lets you pack more punch into individual entries.

After selecting a couple of hashtags, make sure to optimize your image title and description. Doing so ensures that users can quickly identify your posts when scrolling past theirs.

Lastly, don't spam other accounts or spread false rumors. Spamming includes things like reposting someone else's work without crediting them, tagging people unrelated to your business, and copying someone else's entire list of hashtags. All of these activities are frowned upon on Instagram. Furthermore, spreading misinformation, especially during an emergency situation, can lead to serious consequences.

How do you sell a hashtag?

Now that you've learned how to brainstorm, research, format, and advertise hashtags, you're ready to begin using them yourself. Once again, however, following a simple rule applies. Before sharing anything via a hashtag, ask yourself whether your intended action aligns with the original intent behind this particular string. Does the message convey trustworthiness to your audience? Is it clear what you stand for? Will it attract attention from consumers? Only if it answers yes to all three questions, feel free to proceed.

In addition, don't forget to remove inactive hashtags sometime soon. People grow tired of seeing duplicate entries cluttering their feeds. In turn, they stop paying close attention to them. Therefore, removing old hashtags periodically keeps audiences engaged and prevents unnecessary clutter.

As you know, every social media platform comes with its own set of features that help users interact more effectively. One such feature is the ability to use tags or keywords in order to find content about specific topics. This also helps brands get noticed by their target audience. But how does tagging work on Instagram and what’s so special about it? Here we will discuss everything related to creating a new hashtag on your account.

Why hashtags are important for an event?

Instagram has become one of the most popular ways to showcase your lifestyle online. As people take pictures from different angles, they can tag them accordingly. You can start up conversations through hashtags as well as gain attention for your product. In addition, adding hashtags lets other users track down relevant posts at ease.

For example, if you want to organize a photo contest on Instagram, add #catwalkchallenge or #instafashionweek to grab the eyes of followers. The best part is that after you post your picture, your caption may be seen by thousands of people who follow both parties.

It is quite easy to track down photos based upon certain themes like catwalks or fashion weeks. These events often have separate hashtags associated with them. So, whenever someone searches these particular terms, they come across all tagged images linked together.

A hashtag is simply a word preceded by hash symbol (#) which makes it easier to search and filter content. It works just like Google Search but only limited to internet-based platforms rather than desktop websites. For instance, when you type “#fashion week 2018" into the search bar, you'll notice that many results pop up.

When used properly, hashtags can boost engagement and reach far beyond your follower base. They can attract the attention of hundreds of strangers while getting your brand name out to millions of potential buyers.

To understand better, let us look at some examples of famous hashtags followed by Instagrammers around the globe. Some of these include #igers (International Women’s Forum), #igdaily (IG Daily means IG Stories shared daily), and #foryou365 (a community dedicated to sharing 365 days worth of love).

The popularity behind these hashtags suggests that they've been able to connect influencers with their audiences in various ways. However, it should be noted that not everyone follows these trends religiously. Therefore, it is always advisable to check whether a hashtag is trending before joining forces with other Instagrammers.

What is the purpose of using a hashtag?

Hashtags allow you to categorize similar items under one umbrella term. When looking at a specific hashtag, you can easily discover the kinds of things discussed within the group. If you're trying to promote something yourself, you can share it via those hashtags too.

If you sell clothing accessories, you might decide to use #accessories2018 for a major sale or even #springsale2018. Then again, if you run a bookstore store, you could choose #bookstore2018 instead.

You need to bear in mind that you don't necessarily need to use official hashtags provided by Instagram itself. Instead, you can pick up trending ones from third-party apps or services. There are several free tools available that facilitate this process.

One such service is Hashtags.org, where you can search for all top hashtags and categories in real time. Another useful app is Tagboard, which allows users to view all active hashtag mentions on iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

In addition, if you prefer going old school, you can opt for Hootsuite. With this tool, you can manage multiple accounts simultaneously without having to click each individual profile individually.

How to put products on Instagram?

Nowadays, it’s pretty common to find products being sold on Instagram. People can purchase goods directly from featured sellers using PayPal or Apple Pay.

However, unlike Facebook Marketplace, Instagram doesn't provide any sort of marketplace functionality. So, selling stuff isn't really possible here unless you partner up with another company. To overcome this issue, you can try partnering up with eCommerce companies like Shopify, Bigcommerce, Wepay, etc., to list your wares for sale.

On the contrary, you can also upload stock image files of your products onto Instagram. By doing so, your followers would still be able to buy them online.

This method requires you to open an eBay business page first and then link your Instagram account to it. Simply go to Settings " Linked Accounts and select Instagram. From now on, your uploaded images will appear on your feed automatically.

Another option is to host an actual physical pop-up shop featuring your latest collections. All you need to do is contact a local marketing agency or graphic designer to handle the logistics.

Keep in mind though that displaying your products publicly on Instagram is risky since anyone can access them remotely. Also, once your inventory goes off the market, no one else would be able to buy it anymore either.

So, keep away from putting your entire collection on display and stick to posting samples.

How do I make my products Shoppable on Instagram?

Shopping on social media sites is becoming increasingly popular among consumers worldwide. According to data released by Nielsen last year, over half of millennials consider shopping on mobile phones to be much faster compared to traditional stores.

With this said, it’s worth mentioning that Instagram shoppers tend to spend less money overall due to price sensitivity issues. Most Instagram customers prefer visiting brick-and-mortar stores instead of making purchases online.

However, retailers can leverage the power of hashtags to increase sales via the shoppable function on Instagram. Once a user clicks on a product thumbnail, they’d be redirected to a retailer website. Afterward, they can proceed to checkout seamlessly.

While marketers usually design campaigns around promoting specific products, they sometimes overlook the importance of hashtags. Henceforth, to improve visibility, it’s vital to utilize hashtags strategically.

Moreover, you must ensure that the hashtags you use aren't generic. Try avoiding long phrases and keeping them short and concise. While choosing a suitable hashtag, remember to examine the competition surrounding your competitors' hashtags.

Your goal is to stand apart from others and capture eyeballs quickly. Always avoid copying existing ones because your audience won’t appreciate it.