It’s hard to believe that a mere decade ago, the word “hashtag” was essentially nonexistent, and the symbol had a vastly different meaning.

Now, businesses are faced with hundreds of hashtags every day, and the ones they use may impact their marketing success.

If your business is ready to take a deep dive into the world of hashtagging to grow an audience and boost engagement, here’s how to get started.

Find Inspiration From Similar Accounts

One of the best ways to start putting together hashtags that are relevant to your business is to seek inspiration from similar accounts.

For example, if you’re in the health and wellness industry, look at influencers and businesses that align with your core values and see what hashtags they use.

The idea is to pick a few key hashtags from similar accounts, not copy their blend verbatim. You can plug these hashtags into an online aggregator to find other hashtags often used in tandem with the keyword you’re exploring.

Using the Search Feature

Instagram doesn’t showcase which hashtags are trending the way Twitter does.

To get a better idea of what’s trending, you can use the “Tags” search feature. When you plug in a relevant keyword, you’ll be presented with a list of hashtag options.

These options will also indicate how many times the hashtag is used on posts. Another benefit of using the search feature is that it will showcase high-traffic variations of your keyword.

For example, someone composing selfie hashtags would find variants like #selfietime, #selfiesunday, #selfienation, etc. Using the search feature may identify new high-traffic options.

Understanding the Numbers

Instagram is a numbers game. A traditional Instagram post is allowed up to 30 hashtags, while stories allow 10.

If you go over the allocated number, your post will fail, and you risk getting shadowbanned. While you shouldn’t necessarily use 30 hashtags every time, if you’re posting fewer than ten, you’re limiting your traffic opportunities.

Another number to understand with Instagram is the hashtag traffic stats. Hashtags that have been used millions of times open the door to millions of potential followers.

However, this opportunity’s flip side is that your post will likely get lost in the fray.

Finding Your Blend

Let’s be clear— there’s no magic blend of hashtags to drive traffic to your business. The secret lies in finding an original blend that works for your organization.

Develop and save an arrangement of relevant hashtags for frequent use.

Then, add new hashtags as needed to take advantage of trending tags or to hone in on a topic. Be cautious not to use an identical set of hashtags each time as Instagram will penalize your posts.

When developing a blend, it’s also worth targeting a mix of traffic points rather than opting for the highest use hashtags. Consider adding a few in the millions, a few in the hundred thousand, and the majority in the ten thousand range.

Create a Branded Hashtag

Creating a branded hashtag not only helps drive traffic to your account, but it also assists with social listening and curating content.

Social listening allows you to get a better idea of what people are saying about your business. This information can help you pivot and adapt to explore new opportunities.

Branded hashtags also make it easy to find user-generated content (UGC), which can be reshared and act as social proof that attracts new customers.

Using Analytics

Finally, dive into your Instagram Insights to see which posts are receiving the most traffic-related to hashtag use. This data can help you make informed decisions about future content and pivot to take advantage of a high-traffic tag.

It can take time to find the right blend of hashtags to drive traffic to your content. Use these tips to help make informed decisions that get your business noticed.