Hashtags on Instagram are popular. They’re enjoyable, simple to use, and help you reach a larger audience. Whether you’re a company or an influencer, hashtags are an excellent method to increase your Instagram following and expand your business.
One common question that comes up is does changing hashtags work? For example if you post a picture with the hashtag #love and it doesn’t get many likes, should you try changing the hashtags to something else?
In this blog post, we will go over everything you need to know about changing hashtags on Instagramand whether or not it actually works to get more views, followers, and engagement on your posts.
What is a Hashtag and How Do They Work on Instagram?
A hashtag is a word or phrase that is preceded by the “#” symbol. Hashtags are used to categorize content and make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for.
For example, let’s say you’re a travel blogger and you want to use hashtags to reach a larger audience. You could use popular travel hashtags like #travel, #vacation, or #explore.
When someone searches for one of these hashtags, your content will appear in the search results. This is a great way to get more views, followers, and engagement on your posts.
Answer To the Question Does Changing Hashtags Work:
You can change hashtags on an older Instagram post, however, it is unlikely that it will get more engagement. Here’s why. When you add a new post with hashtags included, Instagram adds the posts in chronological order with the most recent posts appearing first. So if you go to a post you posted a few months ago and try and change the hashtags, your post will be pushed down the timeline and be lost in the abyss.
The Newer The Post The Better
Furthermore, the algorithm puts more weight on newer posts, so even if you do manage to get your old post back up on the timeline by changing the hashtags, it is unlikely that many people will see it. If you add hashtags to a post within a few minutes of it being posted, you have a much higher chance of being seen.
The algorithm also looks at the engagement on your posts. If you’re constantly changing hashtags on old posts, it may look to the algorithm like you’re spamming and you could get penalized.
When You Should Add New Hashtags To a Post
The best time to add new hashtags to a newer post is if you want to create your own hashtag. When you create a hashtag, you want to make sure that it is relevant to the post, has close to zero people using it, and is short and sweet.
How To Use Hashtags Effectively
The best way to use hashtags is by using the ladder or staircase method. This means that you start with a very popular hashtag that has millions of posts, then move to a slightly less popular hashtag with hundreds of thousands of posts, and so on and so forth.
Doing this ensures that your post is seen by the most people possible while also not getting lost in the shuffle.
When to use multiple hashtags and when to stick to one
The general rule of thumb is that you want to use between 9-30 hashtags per post. This may seem like a lot, but it’s actually the sweet spot for getting the most views and engagement on your posts.
If you use too few hashtags, you’re not reaching as many people as possible. And if you use too many hashtags, you’re coming across as spammy.
The best way to use multiple hashtags is to put them in the comments section of your posts. This way, your caption isn’t cluttered and it looks more natural.
When To Use Only One Hashtag
There are some instances where using only one hashtag can be more effective than using multiple hashtags. If you’re doing some type of contest or promotion, you may want to use only one hashtag so that it’s easy for people to find and follow.
How Do You Know If a Hashtag is Working?
If you have a personal page, you may not be able to see the exact reach you’ve received from hashtags. On the other hand if your account is a business account, you can see the insights of your posts and see exactly how many people have seen your post from hashtags.
Why Do Hashtags Not Work Sometimes?
Sometimes if your engagement is extremely low, hashtags will not work. This is because the algorithm is designed to show posts with a high chance of engagement to users. If your engagement is low, it is unlikely that your post will be seen by many people, no matter how popular the hashtag is.
Another way hashtags won’t work is if you’re shadow-banned. If you’re shadow-banned, it means that your posts will not show up in the hashtag feed no matter how many hashtags you use. The only way to get out of a shadow-ban is to take a break from Instagram.
How Do People Get Shadow-banned?
There are a few ways you can get shadow-banned. One way is if you use too many hashtags. If you use more than 30 hashtags on a post, you’re at risk of being shadow-banned. Another way is if you use banned hashtags. Banned hashtags are generally NSFW or promote illegal activity. If you use these hashtags, your post will not show up in the feed.
The last way you can get shadow-banned is by spamming. Following and unfollowing at a fast pace, liking and unliking posts, and leaving a bunch of comments on posts can all lead to a shadow-ban.
In Summary
Hashtags are a great way to get your posts seen by more people. However, you need to use them effectively in order to make them work. The best way to use hashtags is by using the ladder method and making sure your engagement is high. If you’re shadow-banned, the only way to get out is to take a break from Instagram.
We hope this blog post helped clear some things up for you. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!
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