Brands are typically told not to overuse the hashtag, but a new study from Piqora suggests this feature is actually being underutilized on Instagram.
The data shows that nearly 30 percent of posts by brands on Instagram have no hashtags, and more than half average one or less hashtag. The study reveals that by using three hashtags, brands can increase their Instagram likes by 110 percent, while 5 hashtags boosts likes by 180 percent. In fact, for optimal results Piqora suggests that brands add up to 7 hashtags to their content.
According to the social services platform, brands should mix up their strategy with a variety of branded hashtags and hashtags that their audience is already using. The company notes that hashtags help consumers find content, especially on emerging social networks like Instagram. All that said, brands should do their own testing with hashtags, as including seven could come off as spammy to some consumers.
What do you think - does more hashtags equal more engagement? Let us know in the Comments Section below.