You’re an influencer looking to grow your Instagram and do an epic giveaway. But how do you make sure the right folks see your content? Hashtags. Yep, those pound signs are still relevant. And if you want your giveaway seen by thousands, you need to hashtag like a pro.
In this post, we’ll break down the science behind hashtag selection. You’ll learn how to find the hidden gems that get eyeballs on your pics. We’ll also talk big no-nos that will sink your chances of going viral.
Giveaways are all about impressions, so hashtag smart if you want the entries rolling in.
Why Are Instagram Giveaway Hashtags Crucial?
Reach More Potential Participants
Hashtags are the key to getting your giveaway in front of new eyes. By using popular hashtags related to your brand, products, or target audience, you expose your content to people who don’t already follow you. The more relevant hashtags you use, the more potential new participants will discover your giveaway.
Increase Engagement
Hashtags don’t just help you find new participants, they also keep your current followers engaged. When followers see familiar hashtags, it signals to them that the content is relevant and worth checking out. This leads to more likes, comments, and shares which boosts your Instagram engagement and helps the giveaway gain momentum.
Gain New Followers
A successful giveaway, boosted by strategic hashtags, will gain you new followers. As people discover your giveaway through hashtags and see that you’re offering an exciting prize, many will follow you to keep up with the details and enter to win. Even after the giveaway ends, a portion of these new followers will stick around, engaging with your future posts.
Track Performance
Hashtags also make it easy to see which hashtags are driving the most traffic and engagement for your giveaway. By tracking hashtag performance, you can focus your efforts on the most effective hashtags and drop any underperforming ones. Finding the right hashtag combination is key to giveaway success, so tracking their performance is crucial.
Hashtags are essential for maximizing the reach and impact of your Instagram giveaways. When used strategically, hashtags can help you gain new followers, boost engagement, reach more potential participants, and track what’s working to improve your future marketing efforts. An Instagram giveaway without hashtags is a missed opportunity for growth and connection
Choosing the Right Hashtags for Your Giveaway Audience
When running an Instagram giveaway, using the right hashtags is key to maximizing your reach and engaging the right audience.
General Giveaway Hashtags
Some popular general hashtags for giveaways are:
- #giveaway
- #contest
- #sweepstakes
- #win
- #freebies
These broad hashtags will expose your post to anyone interested in giveaways on Instagram. However, for the best results, you’ll want to use more targeted hashtags.
Niche-Specific Hashtags
Think about your brand and the prize you’re giving away. What niche hashtags would people in your target audience be following? For example, if you’re giving away a makeup product, use hashtags like:
- #makeupgiveaway
- #beautycontest
- #winmakeup
Branded Hashtags
Include hashtags with your brand name or product names. For example:
- #BrandNameGiveaway
- #WinProductX
- #FreeProductY
Using 3-5 branded hashtags in addition to more general ones is a great way to increase visibility and engage your followers.
Follower Hashtags
Pay attention to the hashtags your followers are already using and engage with. A tool like FollowersAnalysis can help analyze what followers are using.
Odds are, those same followers will be interested in your giveaway. For the best results, test different hashtags and see which ones drive the most engagement. With the right hashtag strategy, your next Instagram giveaway is sure to be a success!
Researching Your Niche to Find Relevant Hashtags
To find hashtags that will maximize your reach, you need to know your niche inside and out. Spend time researching the most popular hashtags used by influencers and brands in your industry. See which hashtags drive the most engagement using a tool like Keyhole for posts similar to yours. The hashtags you choose should be highly relevant to your content and audience.
Search for broad hashtags like #fashion, #food, or #travel that relate to your overall niche. Then look for more targeted hashtags within those categories. If you run a travel account, use location-specific tags like #Paris or activity-focused tags like #adventuretravel. For a food account, consider #healthyrecipes or #veganfood. The key is using a mix of popular general tags along with more focused niche hashtags.
Check what hashtags your competitors and industry leaders are using. See which ones consistently get the most likes and comments for posts similar to yours. Look for opportunities to use hashtags that are popular but not oversaturated. Overused hashtags like #love or #photooftheday probably won’t do much to boost your visibility.
Track which hashtags are the most engaging for your own posts. Try different hashtags and see how they perform. Pay attention to the number of likes and comments, as well as any increase in profile views or followers. Over time, you’ll determine which hashtags resonate most with your audience. You can then focus your efforts on those proven, high-performing hashtags.
With some research, you can find the perfect blend of popular yet relevant hashtags to gain more exposure on Instagram. But be careful not to overdo it—too many hashtags can seem spammy and turn off your followers. Aim for 5 to 10 hashtags per post, with a good mix of broad and niche tags. With the right hashtags, you’ll tap into new audiences and gain more traction on Instagram.
How Many Hashtags to Use for Maximum Exposure
Choosing the right number of hashtags for your Instagram giveaway is key to maximizing exposure. Too few hashtags and you risk not reaching enough potential entrants. Too many hashtags and your post can seem spammy, reducing engagement. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to use between 5 to 15 hashtags for an Instagram giveaway.
Start With 5 to 8 Relevant Hashtags
To start, focus on 5 to 8 highly relevant hashtags, like #giveaway, #contest, or #sweepstakes, combined with hashtags related to your brand, products, or interests. For example, if you’re giving away a new tech gadget, use hashtags like #techgiveaway, #gadgetgiveaway or #electronicsgiveaway. These relevant hashtags will expose your post to people actively searching for and engaging with similar giveaway content.
Add a Few Popular Hashtags
Next, sprinkle in a couple of popular hashtags, like #instagiveaway or #win, which have a high volume of posts and engagements. Though less targeted, these popular hashtags will increase the overall visibility of your post. Just be sure not to go overboard, or your post may get lost among the masses. Stick to 3 or less of these general hashtags.
Include a Location Hashtag
If your giveaway has a location element, like tickets to a local event, include the hashtag for your city or region, e.g. #HoustonEvents or #PNWgiveaways. A location hashtag will reach potential entrants in your area. However, only use a location hashtag if location is directly relevant to your giveaway. An irrelevant location hashtag will confuse entrants and reduce post engagement.
Track and Optimize
Once your giveaway is live, track which hashtags are driving the most engagements and entrants. Drop underperforming hashtags from future giveaways and double down on the most effective ones. Over time, you’ll determine the perfect hashtag strategy to maximize exposure for all your Instagram giveaways. With a balanced, targeted approach, you’ll build an engaged audience and gain new followers with each giveaway.
Tracking Your Hashtags and Iterating for Better Results
To get the most out of your Instagram hashtag strategy, you need to track which hashtags are performing the best and make changes accordingly. After running a giveaway for a few days using the hashtags you selected, analyze the insights to see which ones garnered the most engagement.
Check Impressions and Engagements
In Instagram Insights, look at the “Impressions” and “Engagements” stats for each hashtag. Impressions refer to how many times your post was seen, while engagements count likes, comments, saves, etc. The hashtags with the highest numbers here were the most effective at increasing visibility.
See Which Hashtags Drove the Most Traffic
You can also view how much traffic each hashtag sent to your profile. Go to your profile analytics and select “Traffic Sources.” This will show you a breakdown of how people found your profile, including through hashtags. The hashtags at the top of the list sent the most new visitors.
Make Changes and Test Again
Now that you know which hashtags performed the best, keep those in your strategy and consider removing or replacing the poorer performing ones. Try out some new hashtags that are relevant to your giveaway and resonate with your target audience. Run another short giveaway to test the new hashtag combination and see if you get better results.
Repeat and Refine
Keep monitoring your hashtag performance and making changes to optimize your discovery on Instagram. The hashtag landscape is always changing, so regular refinement of your strategy is key. With testing and practice, you’ll get better at choosing hashtags that drive real engagement and traffic. Keep at it, and your Instagram giveaways will gain more and more exposure over time.
FAQs
What are the most popular Instagram hashtags?
Some of the most popular hashtags on Instagram include: #love, #instagood, #photooftheday, #beautiful, and #happy. These broad hashtags will expose your posts to a wide audience, but your photos can easily get lost in the sea of posts. Instead, focus on niche hashtags that are relevant to your brand or industry.
How many hashtags should I use?
As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to use between 5 to 10 hashtags per post. Any more than that and your captions can start to look spammy. The key is choosing highly-relevant hashtags so you reach your target audience. Don’t just add any popular hashtag for the sake of it.
Should I use the same hashtags for every post?
It’s a good idea to reuse some of the same popular hashtags that resonate with your brand and audience. However, you should also mix in some unique hashtags for each post. Using all the same hashtags for every post looks inauthentic and won’t expand your reach. Aim for a mix of broad, niche, and unique hashtags.
What’s the best way to find good hashtags?
Here are some tips for finding the best hashtags for your brand:
- Research your competitors and see what hashtags they’re using. Look for opportunities to use similar and complementary hashtags.
- Use a hashtag research tool like Keyhole. Enter some keywords related to your brand and the tool will provide hashtag suggestions along with their popularity and ranking.
- Check out industry influencers and see what types of hashtags they incorporate. Their audiences will likely be interested in your content as well.
- See what hashtags your followers are already using when they mention your brand. Engage with their posts and incorporate some of the same hashtags to increase visibility.
- Brainstorm words and phrases related to your product, service, location or brand values. Then check to see if any are being used as hashtags. Get creative!
- Track the performance of different hashtags to see which ones resonate most with your audience. Then focus your efforts on those proven performers.
Conclusion
So there you have it – the inside scoop on picking the perfect hashtags for your next Instagram giveaway.
Remember to choose tags that are relevant, popular but not oversaturated, and descriptive. Mix in some niche tags too so you can reach engaged microcommunities.
And don’t forget the golden rule: quality over quantity. Just a handful of strategic hashtags can boost your contest’s visibility and help you connect with new followers who will stick around long after the giveaway ends. Now it’s your turn – time to put these tips into action!
Brainstorm some hashtags that would be a great fit for your next Instagram promotion. Your future winners are waiting to be discovered.
