How To Use Location Based Hashtags To Grow On Instagram

Want your Instagram account to appear in every local search? Using location hashtags on Instagram will help you achieve that and improve your audience interaction from a particular geographical area.

Location-based Instagram hashtags categorize your content for a narrow and niche audience, making your post discoverable to a more targeted section. 

In this blog, we'll understand what exactly are location-based hashtags and how you can use them to their best potential!

What Are Location-Based Hashtags?

Location-based hashtags include names of cities, neighborhoods, and landmarks, denoted with a ‘#’ symbol. These hashtags have a greater reach and help you target audiences from specific geographical regions.

If you are looking to reach people around the globe through your posts on Instagram, using location-based hashtags should be your first choice. 

How To Use Location-Based Hashtags On Instagram?

Using the right location-based hashtags on Instagram helps capture audience attention and increase your business's online and offline traffic. Explore ways to find and utilize geographic-specific hashtags to reach the right people. 

1. Research Popular Location Hashtags

Utilize Instagram's search box to identify relevant hashtags and their popularity metrics. Search trending location hashtags to boost your Instagram visibility and effectively target a specific demographic.

You can also leverage your local expertise by asking neighbors, friends, or coworkers for common hashtags associated with the area and the hashtags they proactively use. 

2. Use Specific Geotagging Hashtags In Posts

Always use specific hashtags to geotag your Instagram posts. When you add specific location-based hashtags, you reach the right people and get discovered on Instagram feeds more easily.

This way, you attract people from that particular location and get the most reach and discoverability for your posts. Therefore, always utilize specific hashtags and ensure they match the content and audience you're targeting.

3. Combine Location Stickers And Hashtags In Stories

Location stickers increase your post’s discoverability and help Instagram's algorithm understand your content's context, increasing its visibility. 

By using relevant and targeted location stickers along with hashtags in your posts, you can build a community around your business, driving more engagement on your posts. 

Now, let’s learn how to find and use effective location hashtags on Instagram. 

How To Research And Choose Effective Location Hashtags?

Using relevant location hashtags connects your posts with your target audience, but finding effective location-based hashtags requires deep research. 

Here are three ways you can find relevant location hashtags for your Instagram account and improve your reach.

1. Use Instagram Search And Explore

Finding useful geographical hashtags on Instagram can be easily done using the Search and Explore features. Let’s see how to do it:

• Step 1: Start by typing a place in the search bar, such as a city, state, or landmark

• Step 2: Choose the location "Tags" from the drop-down menu

• Step 3: Examine the list of hashtags that are relevant to your post and have popularity (measured by the number of posts).

• Step 4: Click the magnifying glass-shaped "Explore" icon;

• Step 5: Type a location into the search bar

• Step 6: Scroll through the most popular posts and hashtags associated with that location.

• Step 7: Search for hashtags that well-known accounts and posts are using.

With Search and Explore, you will be able to:

• Find trending and relevant location-based hashtags.

• Get Inspired from the most popular posts and accounts.

• Research which hashtags get a lot of reach and engagement.

• Look for hashtags that are relevant to your industry or region.

This will help you compile a list of location-specific hashtags that work well for your stories and posts, boosting your Instagram following and visibility.

2. Check Hashtag Popularity And Relevance

Checking hashtag popularity and relevancy is critical to ensuring that you are using effective geographical hashtags. Here is what to do:

• Step 1: Select hashtags with a moderate to high popularity 

• Step 2: Check whether the hashtag is relevant to your business, location, and content.

• Step 3: Review the top posts on your account with the hashtags to ensure they are relevant and consistent with your brand.

Checking hashtag popularity and relevance allows you to:

• Avoid overly broad or spammy hashtags

• Increase visibility and engagement

• Attract the right audience for your content

• Use hashtags relevant to your brand and target audience

When choosing hashtags, find a balance between popularity and relevance to maximize your impact on Instagram.

3. Use Third-Party Apps For Location-Based Hashtags

You can also find location-based hashtags using third-party apps relevant to your line of business. These apps help you discover niche and related hashtags, making it easier to reach your target audience and gain discoverability.

Tools To Find Niche And Related Hashtags:

• Hashtagify

• RiteTag

• TagCrowd

• Hootsuite Insights 

• Keyhole.

These third-party apps take the guesswork out of finding the right location-based hashtags, saving you time and effort in your content creation process! 

This is how you can research and find relevant location hashtags and improve your Instagram reach. 

Final Thoughts

Location-based hashtags are a powerful tool to supercharge your Instagram post visibility. By using them intelligently in your posts, you can increase discoverability, improve audience reach and also increase interactions with the people around your business.

So, what more are you looking for? Start geotagging your way to success! Use location-based hashtags in your next Instagram post, and watch your engagement soar!

FAQs

1. Can I use location hashtags in Instagram Stories?

Yes, you can use Location hashtags in Instagram Stories, they help you target a specific audience. Simply use the hashtag symbol (#) followed by the location or place name, and the hashtag will become clickable and searchable by the audience.

2. How can I find the best location hashtags for my posts?

Use Instagram's built-in search and local knowledge to find relevant location hashtags. Analyze competitors' posts and identify popular hashtags in your niche—test and track performance using Instagram Insights.

3. How many location hashtags should I use per post?

Use one to three relevant location hashtags in each post ideally. Using too many can appear spam and may not deliver benefits. Concentrate on specialized, localized hashtags that are relevant to the target demographic.

4. Do location hashtags affect my post's visibility in Explore?

Yes, location hashtags affect your post’s visibility in Explore. Using relevant geographical hashtags can help your post stand out in the Explore feed, increasing its visibility to users interested in that specific location.

5. How to track the effectiveness of location hashtags?

Monitor Instagram Insights metrics like reach and impressions on posts tagged with geographical hashtags to determine their performance. To quantify the impact, compare results to posts that do not include location hashtags.