Hashtags are one of the best ways to get new followers on Instagram. Using the right hashtags can extend the reach of your images, meaning more people can discover and engage with your content.
But which hashtags should you use? There are three main strategies you can use.
The first is using hyper-popular hashtags that get searched for most often. The good part about using popular hashtags is that you know tons of people are searching for them. And the bad part? Tons of people are searching for them. In other words, because so many people are using them, it can be more difficult for your photos to get noticed.
The second strategy is to find and use hashtags that are commonly used for getting more likes and follows (e.g., #like4like and #follow4follow). These will result in more general followers, which can be great for connecting with a much wider audience.
The third and final strategy is to identify extremely relevant and specific hashtags that will be more likely to get you targeted followers. These hashtags are the ones most commonly used in your niche, and will be the ones your target market is most likely to search for.
In my opinion, all of these strategies can work well. In fact, using them together is the best way to get both optimal reach AND targeted followers.
Strategy 1: Use the most popular general Instagram hashtags
I’ve put together a list of 20 of the most popular general hashtags being used on Instagram right now. If you’re looking for general hashtags that are guaranteed to be popular, look no further.
Just keep in mind that there are always trending hashtags as well; consult Hashtagify’s Top 30 Hashtags list regularly to find the top monthly and weekly trending hashtags!
#love: 1 billion+ posts
#instagood: 537 million+ posts
#photooftheday: 385 million+ posts
#beautiful: 359 million+ posts
#tbt (throwback Thursday): 355 million+ posts
#happy: 346 million+ posts
#cute: 346 million+ posts
#fashion: 339 million+ posts
#me: 311 million+ posts
#picoftheday: 289 million+ posts
#selfie: 288 million+ posts
#summer: 260 million+ posts
#friends: 254 million+ posts
#instadaily: 252 million+ posts
#girl: 240 million+ posts
#fun: 234 million+ posts
#repost: 225 million+ posts
#art: 224 million+ posts
#smile: 221 million+ posts
#food: 205 million+ posts
Strategy #2: Use the most popular hashtags for increasing followers and engagement
If you’re looking for hashtags that are specifically geared toward getting likes and follows, here are the ones that are used most frequently.
#follow: 306 million+ posts
#like4like: 296 million+ posts
#tagsforlikes: 209 million+ posts
#instalike: 207+ million posts
#likeforlike: 193 million+ posts
#follow4follow: 178 million+ posts
#followforfollow: 133 million+ posts
#l4l: 123 million+ posts
#f4f: 121 million+ posts
#followback: 76 million+ posts
#instafollow: 75 million+ posts
#likeforfollow: 42 million+ posts
#likeforlikes: 41 million+ posts
#20likes: 41 million+ posts
#likeback: 37 million+ posts
#likes4likes: 29 million+ posts
#followher: 29 million+ posts
#followhim: 24 million+ posts
#lfl: 23 million+ posts
#pleasefollow: 23 million+ posts
#like4follow: 23 million+ posts
#teamfollowback: 22 million+ posts
Strategy #3: Use tools to find highly-relevant hashtags your target market is using
If it’s quality of followers you’re focused on rather than quantity, there are three tools I recommend for finding industry-specific hashtags you can use.
- Use Hashtagify to find the top influencers in your niche. Go to the Top Influencers tab, and search for industry-related keywords. The free version of Hashtagify will reveal the top 6 influencers for those keywords. Now you can investigate to see which hashtags those influencers are using.
- Once you’ve identified some popular hashtags in your niche, use Keyhole to identify related topics. How to do this: Go to Keyhole’s home page and enter in a hashtag. Be sure to check off the Instagram icon (not Twitter), and then click the Search Scroll down to find related hashtags and keywords you can use.
- A relative newcomer to the scene, For Display Purposes Only is a tool that has one purpose: to help you find popular hashtags related to your primary hashtag. To find the most targeted hashtag results, type in several hashtags at a time.
For more tips for finding Instagram hashtags, see my post How To Find Great Hashtags To Market Your Business.
What are some other top Instagram hashtags you use for gaining new followers? Please share them with us in the comments below!
This is super helpful Kim. I recently joined Instagram and will start putting these to use.
agree with you its a good post
Hi Kim,
This was a huge resource. I am also currenty using a few hashtags on instagram that have gotten me more than 100 likes for 200 followers. Thanks for including more hashtags to my research.
I use hahtagify.Will surely try tweet binder.
Look what Swadhin Agrawal just posted..The Ultimate Guide To Pin a tweet effectively – 19 ways for more twitter visibility.
Hi is this realy Usefull???
To gain #likes #followers ?
Yes
Hello Kim,
+1 like. Very useful post.
I learned a lot from this article and it has many great ideas here. It’s very helpful and useful.
Thanks for sharing !
Look what Syed just posted..7 Keys to Keeping Your Blog Content Fresh
Thanks for sharing these tips with us. I have not yet used Instagram. But seems to be a great tool to engage with others.
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Most of those hashtags seem to indicate that you will follow any new followers back, is that right?
That’s a personal decision on your part, Jennifer.
I suppose if you are ‘Gramming a picture of a football game one should use the hashtag on both ‘football’ and ‘insertteam’snamehere’ which would be both general and specific?
Look what Troy S. just posted..#848 The Rabbit wine opener leaves me jumping for joy!
Thanks for this useful post about how to use hashtags and with which words but I’m not using Instagram, hope this works in facebook and twitter.
hi kim,
First of all thanks for sharing this post… I immediately done whatever you said in this blog… its very useful to me… suddenly i got more followers and more likes in my instagram…. i don’t know how to use hashtags before reading this post.. but now am getting more followers and likes comments…… it works….
thanks and regards
Lakshmi
Hi Kim,
Your blog helped me very much. Thanks and keep doing this 😉
Great to hear, Santosh!
The last section “How to find highly-relevant hashtags for your business” is in my opinion most helpful. I am a little bit sceptical about using high popular hashtags as the number only indicates that it is used by a lot of people – not that these hashtags are the most popular in search and therefore can help to get exposure for my own posts.
I completely agree, Alex! I never use a tag like “love” or “beautiful.” No one searches for those, not to mention there’s some pretty unsavory stuff under those tags. Probably the most generic tags I use are “inspiration” and “creativity” but I suspect that more targeted terms like “creativity tips” are even better.
Kim you always have great deeds TU Fred
It’s cool really but it’s difficult (for me at least). I know that special services can do that instead of me and even better because they have some special algorithms that helps you to find real and active followers in your town. I think it should be tried
There are many things you want in an app which will help you generate likes on your picture on Instagram. I’ll list some of them which my app is providing and I am completely satisfied with it, could not ask for more. The app which I use is “Get likes on Instagram” which has these features: – easy user interface, generate as many like as the user desires, quickly generate likes, security of other pictures present in the phone memory, real likes. If you are also looking for all these features then download this app.
Will Try this from today itself. I hope it works well. Thank you for the helpful content.
There are a lot of ways to get likes on Instagram photos and videos. Some of the ways are to publish a meaningful picture or something that is eye catchy, be active on Instagram, prefer photos over video, ask your friends to mention you in their caption. Except these there are other options to get likes on Instagram, there are apps which allow to you get any number of likes you wish. By just a few hits on other people’s picture, you earn coin which you can use to generate likes on your own picture. One of the apps which I have used is Get Likes on Instagram and it works wonders.
Nice Post Mam, helpful. Can you share more posts like this
Thanx a mill. Just what the doctor ordered.
Thank you for the info! I will look into Hashtagify. 🙂
That’s cool! I got 50+ followers by using popular tags. I will try Hastagify 😉
Awesome content right here! I’ve started my Instagram campaign for my team today, and so far this works magnificently!
Great post Kim! Definately will work on my hashtag game
Thanks Kim for sharing it is an awesome and informative articles you share with us , I kept using the Hashtag long time ago which I read a lot of your past articles , You are a 5 star in sharing and helping us .
I learn a lot from your past articles but I am waiting the chance to attend one of your Summits .
Thanks a lot .
Omg ! This works alot thank you soo much.i used some of these hashtags and had 80 likes in 5 minutes and 30 followers thanks alot ! ??
I’m barely getting likes and nobody is following my Instagram is @straightupsavage400 follow me and don’t b a ghost
It seems like everyone is just using bots now days. I have really tried to stay away from that will all these recent bans. I decided to try relaxedsocial.com and they have been killin it for me. Does anyone have other suggestions for growth agencies?
I already saw the results when I did it
Great! it is really clear and well explained. Thank you it is really helpful.
thanks for sending amazing hastags . please send me more new and latest gift online hastags.
Wow,I have used it in my instagram photo look what i got 400+ Likes 🙂 Really nice use of tags after getting likes i removed it so that other can’t see
100% agree but hashtags need to be used carefully now. Instagram doesn’t like people who always use the same hashtags…
Hi Kim,
I just uploaded my photo on Instagram using the following hashtags.
Let’s see how many likes do I deserve on the post.
My Instagram Id is @chaos01._
Thanks for this. Much apprciated.
Thank you for the useful info. I will try to use these amazing tags in my Instagram posts to get more exposure and likes.
Thank you for this information I find it painstakingly difficult to grow my IG following. I will implement this strategy.
Yes, agree. But, sometimes those users will be unfollow like a cheaters. When we followed, a few next day he/she will be unfollow your account. It works, but not to much. Thank You
I love this part of your post (Strategy 1: Use the most popular general Instagram hashtags)
Great advice. I don’t know why I never researched Instagram like I did Pinterest. I’ve been posting and #ing with trial and error in hopes of gaining followers… Which I am, very very slowly. Thanks so much for sharing this, hopefully I can speed it up!
I. shared it,Kim
Great article on how to increase your Instagram followers. How many tags related to likes4likes, followme and other like this be used in total of 30 in one post.
Kim,I shared it again
I am totally novice when it comes to Instagram, I post neither selfies nor many posts, but after reading your post, I finally realized I don’t need to spend much time on Instagram if I can smartly use these Hashtags, thank you so much for this wonderful post. Cheers…
Nice ideas!
I also use them.
Amazing Articles! I tried Your tips and Let’s see if we can get interaction from users.
This article help me a lot to increase my followers.
Thank a lots.
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This is quite good info to gain followers
I am an actress and model trying to grow my following and also connect with other creative people. I will definitely give some of these suggestions a try for my instagram @ruthstillman. Thanks for the information.
I’m gonna try this, and see how helpful it can be…
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