Hashtags like everything else on Instagram have gotten more crowded, there's a billion users on it now. It is hard to get noticed on a hashtag especially if you're using #beauty, #fashion, #ootd. There is no chance that's going to be effective for you. Spamming hashtags does not work.

In an effort to understand the platform a little bit more I started following a few hashtags that are a little more niche. Now I told you that I rented a film, a camera when I went to Italy this summer which is a unbelievably pretentious sentence but what can I do. Know thyself. I'm interested in potentially buying one for myself, so I started following the Leica M6 which is what the camera is called, the hashtag so #leicam6 and #filmphotography.

I find those to be pretty interesting. I've actually followed a couple people from those hashtags. The content is interesting, they don't spam me with it. When we went to Facebook the other day Christie Dash said that everyone should follow #fluffypuppy if you want your life to be better. I do think hashtags if the people are following them Instagram says that that's what the data shows, that people are using them.

The important thing is to pick a more niche hashtags. If you focus on natural hair probably more likely to find followers that actually care about you rather than #hair or #beauty. Those big hashtags are also a place where people go in who are trying to get engagement so they go into the hashtag. This used to be a trick everyone did. Go into a hashtag that you use #ootd and like 100 photos.

Hopefully those people see that you liked their photo will go to your profile and like your photos or follow you, or something like that. I would avoid the bigger hashtags but try and find more niche ones that are targeted to your actual photo. Hashtagging 30 hashtags, dot, dot, dot and then the 30 hashtags-- I don't think that works anymore and any of the likes or follows that you get from doing that are going to be from just bots and spam accounts.

That is not an effective strategy but the hashtags can still be used effectively.