INSTAGRAM HASHTAG GUIDE PART 1

Instagram has to be my favourite social media platform, it allows you to interact with like minded people and share photos that you've put your time and effort into. I love the whole process of taking a photo, editing it and then positioning it carefully into my selected grid of images, I don't know what it is! For some, Instagram may be a place to upload personal photos onto a private account. However, for a large proportion of us, Instagram is a place to network and promote our blogs whilst supporting others in the process. 

I remember when I first started using Instagram, I would hashtag every word under the sun. I was definitely one of those people who would turn an irrelevant sentence into a string of hashtags. #What #Was #I #Thinking? For the blogging community, there are a number of hashtags that allow us to find relevant content. Instagram takes whatever hashtags you have been searching as well as monitoring the ones used by photos which you've liked and posted, this way, you get a custom recommended feed based on your preferences. This is why it's important to chose wisely when hash tagging your photos, you want to be promoted in the correct places and to the correct people.

Statistics show that those who use 11+ hashtags on their photos have the highest engagement. It is clear to see that hashtags are an important aspect for the growth of your account, following and interaction. Instagram allows 30 hashtags maximum on each post, social media pros have suggested that we should use all 30 opportunities to see the best results. However, it is important that you only use hashtags relevant to your post, don't spam. 

Firstly I want to talk about brand hashtags, these are hashtags created by a brand for you to use. This allows them to find your post on Instagram, often for purposes of reposting and sharing with their followers. I get so irritated if I'm posting a photo of a product and I find myself forgetting what hashtag that brand uses, therefore, I have created a little hub here for some of the most popular brand hashtags. I will add to these as time goes on so that it stays up to date, I want to use it as a reference point to make my life a little easier!

I have created a downloadable print out (click here) which is in a pdf format. This will allow you to keep a paper copy of the hashtags with room at the bottom to add your own. You can also download this pdf straight to your phone for quick reference during posting. Below is a text version of the hashtags which may be kept as a screenshot, I keep mine in the notes app on my phone so that I can get quick access to the relevant hashtag.

Alpha-H	@alphahskincare	#alphaholic
Amazing Cosmetics	@amazingcosmetics_official	#TheConcealerExpert
Anastasia Beverly Hills	@anastasiabeverlyhills	#anastasiabeverlyhills
Antipodes	@antipodesskinecare	#antipodes
Ardell	@ardell_lashes	#ardell #ardelllashes
Balance Me	@balancemebeauty	#balanceme
Bare Minerals	@baremineralsuk	#bareminerals
Beauty Bay	@beautybaycom	#BBDareToShare
Becca	@beccacosmetics	#BECCAbeauty
Benefit	@benefitcosmeticsuk	#beautybanter
Bioderma	@biodermafrance	#bioderma
Bondi Sands	@bondisands	#bondisands
Boots	@bootsuk	#bootsuk
Bourjois	@bourjois_uk	#bourjois
Burts Bees	@burtsbeesus	#burtsbees
Caudalie	@caudalie	#caudalie
Chanel	@chanelofficial	#chanel
Charlotte Tilbury	@ctilburymakeup	#charlottetilbury
Chloe	@chloe	#chloeGIRLS
Ciate	@ciatelondon	#ciatelondon #ciate
Clinique	@cliniqueuk	#clinique
Collection	@collectionlove	#collectioncosmetics
Cover FX	@coverfx	#CoverFX
Daniel Sadler	@thedanielsadler	#danielsadler
Decleor	@decleoruk	#decleor
Dior	@diormakeup	#dior
Eau Thermale Avene	@avene_uki @aveneusa	#avene
Eco Tools	@ecotools	#EcoTools
Elegant Touch	@eleganttouchofficial	#eleganttouch
Elizabeth Arden	@elizabethardenuk	#elizabetharden
Embroylisse	@embroylisse	#EmbroylisseXBackstage
Emma Hardie	@emmahardieskincare	#emmahardie
Escentual	@escentual	#escentual
Estee Lauder	@esteelauder	#EsteeStories
Eve lom	@eve_lom	#evelom
Eyeko	@eyeko	#eyeko
Eyelure	@eylureofficial	#eylurelashes
FeelUnique	@feelunique	#FUNsquad
First Aid Beauty	@firstaidbeauty	#firstaidbeauty
Garnier	@garnieruk	#garnier
Gerard Cosmetics	@gerardcosmetics	#gerardcosmetics
GHD	@ghdhair	#ghd
Givenchy	@givenchybeauty	#givenchybeauty
Hourglass	@hourglasscosmetics	#CreateYourPerfectLight
Illamasqua	@Illamasqua	#illamasqua
Japonesque	@japonesque	#japonsesque
Jurlique	@jurliqueuk	#jurlique
Kiehl’s	@kiehlsuk	#kiehls
L.A Girl	@lagirlcosmetics	#lagirlcosmetics
L’Oreal Paris	@lorealmakeup	#lorealmakeup
La Roche-Posay	@larocheposayuki	#larocheposay
LA Splash	@lasplashcosmetics	#lasplash
Lancome	@lancomeofficial	#lancome
Laura Geller	@lauragellerbeauty	#laurageller
Laura Mercier	@lauramercier	#lauramercier
Lit Cosmetics	@litcosmetics	#litcosmetics
Liz Earle	@lizearlebeautyco	#lizearle
Makeup Geek	@makeupgeekcosmetics	#makeupgeekcosmetics
Makeup Revolution	@makeuprevolution	#makeuprevolution
Mario Badescu	@mariobadescu	#mariobadescu
Maybelline	@maybelline	#maybelline
Morphe Brushes	@morphebrushes	#morphegirl
MUA	@muacosmetics	#muacosmetics
Nails Inc	@nailsinc	#fashionbottled
Nars	@narsissist	#nars #narsissist
Nuxe	@nuxefrance	#nuxe
NYX	@nyxukcosmetics	#nyxukcosmetics
Oskia	@oskiaskincare	#oskia
Pixi	@pixibeautyuk	#pixi #pixibeauty
Real Techniques	@realtechniques	#realtechniques
Rimmel	@rimmellondonuk	#rimmellondon #rimmel
Rodial	@rodialskincare	#rodial
Shiseido	@shiseido	#shiseido
Sigma Beauty	@sigmabeauty	#sigmabeauty
Sleek Makeup	@sleekmakeup	#sleekmakeup
SmashBox	@smashboxcosmetics	#smashbox
Soap & Glory	@soapandglory	#soapandglory
Space NK	@spacenk	#DiscoverSpaceNK
Spectrum	@spectrumcollections	#specctrumcollections
St. Tropez	@sttropeztan	#sttropez
Stila	@stilauk	#stilagirl #stilauk
Superdrug	@superdrugloves	#superdrug
theBalm	@thebalm_cosmetics	#theBalm
This Works	@thisworksofficial	#thisworks
Tom Ford	@tomford	#tomford
Too Faced	@toofaced	#toofaced
Topshop Beauty	@topshop	#TopShopStyle
Trilogy	@trilogyproducts	#discovertrilogy
Urban Decay	@urbandecaycosmetics	#UrbanDecay
Vichy	@vichyuk	#vichy
Vita Liberata	@vitaliberata	#vitaliberata
Yes To	@yesto_uk @yestocarrots	#yestonatural #yesto
Zoeva	@zoevacosmetics	#zoeva

I will continue to add to the list as time goes on and new brands pop up! Please let me know if you found this post helpful and if you have any brands to add to the list! I will be posting part two soon which will be talking about general hashtags that will grow your Instagram.