Instagram: From Hashtags to SEO

Jen Cole | April 10, 2023

Instagram is sticking out the most right now, as they’ve shifted their focus to the keywords in captions, putting less emphasis on hashtag use.

Keeping up with social media changes day in and day out is like living in the wild wild west. Goals change, rules pivot, algorithms shift… and now we’re even paying for proper account verification. The powers that be love to keep social media managers on our toes, that’s for sure.

That being said, it has been refreshing to see the emphasis change over the years to user experience. Constantly selling on social media? You’re being too loud. Using captions that are just full of hashtags? You’ve clearly put no original thought into the very content you’re throwing up on the wall, while still expecting it to resonate with your busy audience.

Enough! Online audiences these days know when they’re being played, and they also know when they’re gaining insight and devoting their time to the right channels. Which would you rather be in their eyes? The hustler or the authority? Think on that for a minute…

That being said, social media platforms are starting to realize that when people continually find value on their app, they tend to stick around longer. (And let’s face it, that’s their main goal… keep people on the app/site more often and for longer periods of time)

Instagram is sticking out the most right now, as they’ve shifted their focus to the keywords in captions, putting less emphasis on hashtag use. This doesn’t mean that we need to be keyword-stuffing our captions! (that’s called spam and it’s gross) Instead, keep captions relevant, succinct, and to the point.

Be deliberate about your content mix on Instagram, and be sure that you’re manicuring your captions to truly fit the point that your content is trying to drive home with each post. It’s also been noted that Instagram is favoring shorter captions, meaning that it’s best to get to the point quickly and in an engaging way.

Do hashtags still work on Instagram? Most definitely! They continue to work as a very direct way of sorting content on the platform. Although, it is now advised that we use more like 3-6 hashtags instead of the “30 hashtag method of old.” What can we say? Quality will always be superior to quantity.

Interested in learning more about how to make Instagram work for you and your brand? Mark your calendars for Social Media Day ICT, June 29-30.

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