Instagram Hashtags sprinkled in your Captions can be a great way to increase “Likes” as well as your “Engagement” on your posts! This post covers 7 strategies to boost your likes and supercharges your engagement using the right Hashtags – word and amount!
With the ever-changing Instagram Algorithm, it can be very tricky for people to get more likes on their posts and increase their overall engagement on their feed. This is why I am covering 7 different Hashtag Strategies to address this issue in this post.
On a side note, Instagram Hashtags are great to increase the likes on your post and as a short-term strategy, this might be all you want. However, short-term likes don’t guarantee an engaged audience who will come back over and over to see your feed and check-in with you.
On the other hand, if no one finds you and your posts, then your exposure is just too low and you get stuck and won’t grow your following.
I suggest you carefully read all my Hashtag Strategies on growing likes and engagement and adapt it according to your own Instagram vision! 
A. Instagram Hashtags to increase Likes
1. Popular Hashtags vs. Niche Hashtags
I love using a mix of popular and niche hashtags on my Instagram to generate a lot of likes on my posts.
First, you want to include a lot of popular Hashtags to reach a decent amount of people on Instagram to get the like amount you are looking for.
Second, you could include a lot of niche Hashtags to reach the right kind of people who will be interested in the topic you are posting about and hence will be more likely to actually “like” your post.
I am using the Tailwind Hashtag Finder to identify popular as well as niche Instagram Hashtags. It’s basically a Hashtag Tracker or a Hashtag Creator and it honestly makes my life so much easier.
No more manual "Hashtag Search", PLEASE! If you haven’t used this tool before, here is my:
Step by Step Guide on How To use the Tailwind Hashtag Finder - Video Tutorial:
- Start your Free Hashtag Finder Trial here or log in to your Account/App
- Import your Image into the App (Draft Mode)
- Write down the Caption for your Post
- The "Hashtag Finder" provides you with a fresh selection of Hashtags according to the caption text you write
- You can shuffle the Hashtags if you are looking for even more inspiration or you can dismiss a Hashtag if it's off-topic
- Use the color code on the Hashtags (light green = best, green = good, red = competitive) to add a good mix of popular and niche Hashtag. You can even hover over the Hashtags to see how many times this Hashtag was already used on other people’s posts.
My favorite thing and an absolute PRO-TIP is to create a "Hashtag List" filled with niche theme-specific Hashtags you can use on other posts you create in the future!
Once you’ve crafted the perfect list of Hashtags, you can save it by clicking the "Hashtag Icon" at the bottom right of the caption. Talk about a time saver!
2. More Hashtags for More Likes on Instagram
If you are looking to get more likes on your Instagram posts I actually suggest you use the maximum amount of Hashtags allowed on a post. Instagram allows you to use 30 Hashtags per post. The Tailwind Hashtag Finder provides you with the exact number of how many Hashtags you already used on your post. It actually does not depend on the length of the Hashtag you use (not like Twitter) but on the "number" of Hashtags.
When you use Hashtags, your post is distributed to the respective Hashtag within Instagram. So, if you are for example searching for something specific or an even a specific top tag, your post would appear on that list. Now it’s really simple math if you are reaching more people, you increase your chances of receiving more likes.
As a side note, I am not advocating this strategy to be your end goal or overall "Instagram Strategy". As explained in my intro, you also want to reach the right kind of people who will stick with you and who are actually interested in you. However, with the ever-changing Instagram Algorithm, it can be tough to reach a certain follower number and I do think this can be a strategy to grow your audience if you are just starting out!
But please keep this thought in mind.
Also, don’t miss to download my FREE INSTAGRAM PDF GUIDE on “How to Find your Instagram WHY to become Successful on the Platform" here:
3. Using Trending Instagram Hashtags
Sometimes it can be enough to have only fewer Hashtags but the right Hashtags to create a ton of likes for your post. This is because sometimes specific Hashtags are going viral and literally everyone is clicking through them!
I once saw a ridiculous amount of likes on a post where I was shopping for furniture for my flat. I used just 5 Hashtags on the image but later on, I found out that the Hashtag #PlantsOfInstagram was actually giving me a ton of traffic to my post. This is the power or "Viral Hashtags" and "Popular Hashtags". The Hashtag was a suggestion by the Tailwind Hashtag Finder!
Now how you can use this to replicate that success in likes is to keep an eye out for trending topics on Instagram in general.
I know, I personally also prefer hands-on advice with lists and step by step guides ;). However, when it comes to Instagram you do have to spend time on the platform and get a good feeling of what people are actually talking about right now. Once you get the feeling of what people are talking about, head over to the “trending page” on Instagram. Look for trending topics such as “RainbowDonoughts” a while back. Check out those posts and the used Hashtags.
You could create a manual list of Instagram Hashtags in the "Notes" on your phone. Once you post you can sprinkle some of your potential viral Hashtags into the caption and fill up the other half with ideas from the Tailwind Hashtag Finder.
B. Instagram Hashtags to Increase Engagement
4. Using fewer Hashtags /Only a single Hashtag
Using less but very specific Instagram Hashtags can potentially increase your engagement on your post. This is a strategy I would not use on every single post. I would sprinkle in this strategy once in a while when the story of your posts matches a certain Hashtag# particularly well. When the story connects to the Hashtag and creates an emotion, maybe a smile or laughter from the person reading it, you have got yourself alike and hopefully a funny comment for sure!
5. Hashtags in Instagram Stories
My favorite way to increase my engagement is by using the one Hashtag Instagram allows you to include in your Video or Image Stories. People love flicking through Story Hashtags as the video is becoming so freaking popular on Instagram.
Stories, in general, are the best way to increase the engagement on your account. This is why you should never forget to include a hashtag # and mention @ within your stories. It’s so much easier to connect to the person behind an account when seeing you in a live video or talking to you in a Story.
When you connect to your viewer on this level, they will head over to your image feed and if they are interested in your topic and niche they will subscribe. This also guarantees that the people who are following you are actually going to be engaged on your account!
6. Emoji Hashtags
Emoji Hashtags are becoming more and more popular. However, I know that a lot of people actually miss out on this tip. You can use the Hashtag sign # followed by an Emoji alone or make a combination of Hashtag "Text" and "Emoji" to draw your reader in.
It actually has been proven that including Emojis in your captions can significantly increase the engagement on the particular posts. This can be applied "one to one" to Hashtags as well. Our brain is hardwired to pinpoint us to that attraction (Emoji). Come up with funny, matching and maybe sassy "Texts and Emoji Combinations" to even further spice up your posts and increase your post engagement!
What is your best Instagram Hashtag to include in your Post - PLEASE LET US KNOW in the comments!
Also if you liked the post, would you do me the favor of SHARING ONE OF THE PINS included in this post on your Social Accounts? You are the best, thank you!
Xoxo Katie
Also, don’t miss to download my FREE INSTAGRAM PDF GUIDE on “How to Find your Instagram WHY to become Successful on the Platform" here:
Also here are more Instagram Related Articles:
45+ of the Best Instagram Tools to grow your Instagram
How to use Instagram to grow your Blog
The Best Tips to grow your Instagram in 2019
6 Tips How to Beat the Instagram Algorithm
