Hashtags on Instagram are really important in helping new people to discover your posts and thus your profile. I personally follow specific hashtags so that I can discover new content and accounts and I also search for hashtags when I am looking for travel or creative inspiration. Thanks to my hashtag strategy (and a few other tactics) I have been able to grow my Instagram page @thegingerwanderlust to over 85k followers. If you are looking to grow your Instagram then having an effective hashtag strategy is super important. As there are so many different hashtags out there I’ve decided to share the Best Instagram Hashtags to use as a Travel Blogger as well as some strategic tips.
Learn more tips on how to grow and monetise your Instagram in my ebook!
When considering what hashtags to use on your posts you should think about using Hashtags of varying size and popularity.
If you use a popular hashtag that already has over 500k tags your post will quickly be lost in the mix. However if you use a few less popular hashtags with less than 50k tags than your post will have more change of being featured in the top posts and thus has more longevity.
I suggest using a mix of hashtags of different sizes so that you can benefit from both.
All of the generic travel hashtags have a LOT of tags (each have at least over a million tags already), however they are the hashtags that are being constantly searched. So although your post might quickly disappear into the mix, a lot of people will be searching it so could potentially see your post. However I wouldn’t use too many of these.
The best instagram hashtags to use for generic travel are: #travel #instatravel #travelgram #travelblogger #wanderlust #ilovetravel #travelphotography #traveltheworld #igtravel #getaway #aroundtheworld #traveller #mytravelgram #travelholic #travelbug #exploring #explorer #doyoutravel #goexplore #travelmore
Some of the best instagram hashtags to use in a travel post are location specific hashtags.
For example on the below London picture I tagged: #londoneye #southbank #london #londonforyou #seemylondon #prettycitylondon #visitlondon #londonblogger #londonbylondoners #visitengland #outinlondon #londonguide #ilovelondon
Another example for hashtags on a photo from Brooklyn bridge in NYC are: #brooklynbridge #newyork #newyorkcity #newyorkcitylife #nyc #nycityworld #ilovenewyork #dumbo #newyork_ig #nyclife #nycprimeshot #nycdotgram #nyc_explorers #icapture_nyc #topnewyorkphoto #unlimitednewyork #nycblogger #loves_nyc #prettycitynewyork
After using a few hashtags that are location specific to the city or country you are in, you should also consider using a few hashtags to describe what’s around you or what you’re doing. Think about what’s in your post, is it a sunny day on the hiking trail? or are you snorkelling in the ocean?
For example for this below shot featuring mountains I could use the following hashtags: #mountainscape #mountainlife #mountainsunrise #cutechurch #wildflowers
Another way, on top of hashtags, for your account to get noticed by new potential followers is by being featured. This is where specific feature accounts reshare your posts on their feed for their audience to see. For the chance to be featured you need to use their specific hashtags. I will organise these by number of tags so you can easily have a good mix.
Under 500k tags
#journeyofgirls #backpackersintheworld #travelinladies #damestravel #traveldreamseekers #thewanderingtourist #iamatraveller #explorerbabes #thetravellingnomads #citizenfemme #creativetravelcouples
Between 500K – 1M tags
#traveltagged #shetravels #speechlessplaces #sidewalkerdaily #blondesandcookies #thevisualscollective #allaboutadventures #theculturetrip
Over 1M tags
#womenwhoexplore #roamtheplanet #iamtb #sheisnotlost #darlingescapes #femmetravel #discoverearth #earthpix #beautifuldestinations #dametraveler #travellingthroughtheworld #travelawesome #welivetoexplore #stayandwander #watchthisinstagood #girlsthatwander #tlpicks #theglobewanderer #passionpassport #lonelyplanet #wearetravelgirls
Get noticed by your favourite travel brands by using their hashtags! This could be the local tourism board, an airline company or hotel.
For example:
Before using hashtags on your post make sure you research them to ensure they are not banned or ‘broken’. Sometimes popular hashtags can be banned due to the high volume of spam associated with it, for example #happythanksgiving was banned for a while last year. When you use banned hashtags, you run the risk of having your account shadowbanned, which is when none of your posts show up in any hashtags you use. That’s why it’s so important to research your hashtags before using them.
You can easily find this out if hashtags are banned or broken by searching for the hashtag in explore. For example I searched for #beautyblogger and saw the message “Recent posts from #beautyblogger are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram’s community guidelines”. This means the hashtag is banned so you shouldn’t use it.
You can tag a maximum of 30 hashtags in your post. Personally I think it’s best to make the most of this potential reach and use all 30, however some research suggests that 11 is the perfect number for attracting new followers.
I hope these tips help you to maximise the hashtag reach of your beautiful travel photos! Learn more about my hashtag strategy in my ebook on How to Grow & Monetise Your Instagram.
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