Hashtags have become an essential part of the growth strategy on Instagram. The platform is highly visually driven, but posting alone—just putting up great images or videos—is not enough. If your goal is to grow your audience and increase engagement, especially in the form of Instagram likes, hashtags are one of the strongest tools at your disposal. Indeed, posts with at least one hashtag receive 12.6% more engagement than those without any. But how do hashtags work for you, and how will they give you more likes? Let's break it down.
What are Hashtags, and Why Do They Matter?
On Instagram, hashtags work just like keywords. When users search for a topic or trend, they tap on or follow a hashtag to show them more content about that subject. Using hashtags on your posts inherently makes your content discoverable to people outside of your current followers. That means your post has the potential to reach a much larger audience, especially by implementing popular or trending hashtags. The more visibility your content receives, the more Instagram likes it will garner.
Instagram's algorithm favors posts that gain traction faster. If your post is accumulating a lot of likes and comments within a few hours, for example, Instagram considers it valuable content and starts pushing it to more people. Hashtags provide a way for your posts to get this initial boost by putting them in front of users who are actively looking for those topics.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use?
Instagram lets users add up to 30 hashtags per post, but you don’t need to use all of them to see results. Research by TrackMaven shows that posts with 9-11 hashtags tend to receive the highest levels of engagement. While using more hashtags increases your chances of discovery, having too many can make the post seem spammy or unfocused.
It's all about choosing trending and relevant hashtags. For example, if you are posting about fitness, using hashtags like #FitnessGoals or #WorkoutMotivation will connect your post to people searching for similar content. If you're promoting a product or service, consider adding branded hashtags whenever possible to encourage your Instagram followers to join the conversation.
Popular Hashtags vs. Niche Hashtags: Which Works Better?
Not all hashtags are created equal, and some are much more popular than others. Popular hashtags like #Love or #InstaGood may expose your post to a broader audience; however, the competition within them is high. Your post can quickly get buried under new posts using the same hashtag. While popular hashtags offer reach, niche hashtags—those with fewer posts—target a more specific audience.
For example, a travel blogger might find that #SoloTravelTips puts their brand in front of a targeted audience that is more likely to engage with their content. This combination of popular and niche hashtags helps maximize your Instagram likes by balancing broad reach with focused engagement.
Auto-Improve Your Instagram Engagement
While hashtags are powerful tools for expanding your reach, sometimes you need more to get noticed. The struggle to gain traction can be overwhelming, which is where automatic Instagram likes come in. These services provide likes as soon as your post is live, giving it an immediate push in the algorithm.
By pairing a well-researched set of hashtags with automatic Instagram likes, your post will get the initial boost it needs. As a result, organic likes will increase as your post becomes more visible to a broader audience.
Monthly Instagram Likes for Consistent Growth
One of the biggest challenges on Instagram is maintaining consistent engagement over time. Some posts may perform well on certain days, while others might not. This is where monthly Instagram likes can help. By investing in a service that delivers real likes each month, you can maintain a steady level of engagement, which is crucial for long-term growth.
With monthly Instagram likes, your posts are more likely to keep appearing in your followers’ feeds for months to come. Combining this with relevant hashtags ensures that you continue to capture and sustain the interest of the right audience.
How to Use Hashtags Correctly
Now that we know hashtags are one of the most important tools for getting more Instagram likes, the next step is selecting the right ones. Here are a few tips to get started:
Research Trends: Use Instagram search or third-party apps to find trending hashtags in your niche. Observe what competitors or influencers in your space are using.
Mix It Up: Combine popular, moderately popular, and niche hashtags to balance reach and engagement.
Branded Hashtag: Encourage your followers to use a specific hashtag related to your brand. This helps build a community around your content.
Avoid Overused Hashtags: While hashtags like #Love or #InstaGood are tempting due to their popularity, your post may get lost in the flood of new content using these tags.
Conclusion
Hashtags aren’t just a cool way to label your posts—they’re a powerful tool for increasing your visibility and engagement on Instagram. By strategically using a mix of popular and niche hashtags, you can reach a wider audience and get more Instagram likes on your posts. Combine this with tools like automatic Instagram likes or monthly Instagram likes to keep your posts visible and growing consistently. With the right strategy in place, watch as your likes—and your audience—pile up!