Hashtags are a social media phenomenon. Now, especially on Instagram and Twitter, it is rare to see a social media post without one. The hashtag is simple and effective. You can search and create it, and it is a great marketing tool for organizations, businesses, and every average individual. Today users can add any hashtag imaginable to view all tweets included. Now, the hashtag is also an increasingly vital aspect of Instagram. When you use hashtags properly, they become an integral part of digital marketing. To stay updated, you can engage and follow some specific hashtags. You can also create your own to promote a new service or product. Below are five reasons you should use hashtags to push your brand and business. 

1. Promotion 

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Hashtags keep gaining appreciation and reputation on Instagram in the ability to help businesses to create targeted campaigns. Therefore, marketers see hashtags as a word-of-mouth method in a promotion. When your Instagram followers use the hashtag, their followers use it, and it continues around the platform. To reach your target audience and get visibility for a campaign, use relevant hashtags that your audience is already following. Use the hashtag to promote an event and connect with your followers and your followers with each other. The pull a hashtag creates during, before, and after an event is substantial. Also, pair hashtags with a giveaway promotion to promote your business. 

2. Competition 

In every business, you need to know your competition. Learn their offers, ways of advertisement, and what makes their businesses better than yours to help you improve. As you use Instagram hashtags, you can research your competitors, their most used hashtags, and their top posts. For instance, if you are a graphic designer, search and discover your competitor’s popular hashtags on the graphic design topic. Use the hashtags to help you compete better in your field. In practicing using hashtags, you can gauge audience response to posts from your competitors. Therefore, you know what works and what does not for your social media marketing. Plus, hashtags are constantly evolving and changing. A popular hashtag today may be outdated by tomorrow. So keep up with the hashtag trends for your brand to look credible. 

3. Branding and visibility 

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When you create good visibility using hashtags, it will enhance the success of your branding. Plus, branding and visibility are effective uses of hashtags on Instagram. Therefore, as a new business on social media, use hashtags to increase brand awareness and expand your audience. So, when users and followers search your brands, they will see the relevant hashtags you are using. You can also create your hashtag for the service or product you promote. Encourage your customers to use the hashtag when buying the product. The benefit of your hashtag is you dominate that hashtag with your brand. Continuously include the hashtag on your posts to increase visibility. Plus, it helps users begin associating your business with the hashtag establishing your brand further. 

4. Activism 

It is easy to search for breaking news with the world at our fingertips. For this reason, many political parties create a hashtag for their cause. It works the same as event promotion. Individuals use hashtags to say they are running a particular event, and users share the posts before to after the event. These events help raise awareness, and hashtags help many people to know and learn about them. Some businesses remain politically neutral and do not share on political issues. Yet, most customers are loyal to brands because of their political stance. But, it is of benefit to using hashtags to show support in causes you believe. 

5. Localization 

5 effective tips on how to increase your reach on Instagram with geotags |  by Helena Myhrman | Flowbox Insights | Medium

Using geographical tags in your posts on Instagram is vital for marketing, especially with the introduction of Instagram stories. Plus, when you tag locations like popular cities, neighborhoods, you can reach all types of audiences. Also, the location tag promotes local brick-and-mortar businesses and increases exposure to a specific area. Other social media apps like TikTok rely on using hashtags like Instagram. TikTok uses local trending hashtags to suggest topics to the users for content creation, helping the app capitalize on local trends and viral content.

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