Use Geo-targeted Hashtags at Instagram

Hashtags at Instagram are clickable and searchable “labels” that people can use to move around at Instagram and find the things that they are interested in.

Hashtags are a word with a # in front of it – no spaces.

#practicalonlinemarketing

While broadly used hashtags certainly have value, equally valuable, and arguably even MORE valuable, are geo-targeted hashtags.

In other words, use city, state, and other “location” based hashtags.

Let’s say you were a wedding band that works in the Boston Massachusetts area.

While #weddingmusic #weddingband and #weddingreception may have broad value, using #bostonweddings,  #bostonwedding (no s), #bostonweddingbands, #capecodwedding and #massachusettswedding are hashtags that are more likely to reach a more targeted audience.

You might even want to jump on the coat tails of #bostonbride, a popular wedding magazine in the Boston area that uses that hashtag at Instagram.

Continuing the wedding theme…

Let’s say you are a bridal dress shop in Tampa. You might use #weddingdress and #weddinginspiration, but you’d probably also want to use #tampawedding, #tampabaywedding, #tampa, #tampabay, #floridaweddings #hillsboroughcountyweddings

Developing an effective hashtag strategy takes time and requires some research and testing. The effort is well worth it.

Takeaway

If you use geo-targeted hashtags in your posts at Instagram you’ll get more:

(1) Reach into your targeted audience

(2) Overall online visibility

(3) Brand recognition

(4) Engagement

(5) Traffic to your website

(6) More post likes

(7) More followers