Everyone knows Instagram stories are a quick and easy way to share what’s happening in your life with friends and followers. It has many fun features, like adding a filter, music, polls, questions, and even hashtags. It is beneficial only to a certain level. However, While hashtags on Instagram posts can help increase visibility and bring in new followers, the same cannot be said for Instagram stories.
Hashtags on Instagram stories are not clickable, so they do not offer any additional discovery opportunities. They often clutter up the story’s aesthetic and can distract from shared content.
Additionally, using hashtags on stories can hurt your account’s reach. Instagram prioritizes content from friends and accounts with higher engagement in the story feed, so using hashtags can push your story further down the line and decrease its chances of being seen by your target audience.
Find out why hashtags on Instagram stories aren’t helpful, and learn how to use them effectively.
But is adding a hashtag to your story necessary or helpful?
The short answer: no, not really. Hashtags on Instagram stories don’t offer users many benefits and can damage the platform’s discoverability.
First of all, stories only remain visible for 24 hours, including the ability to add hashtags. However, research shows that using hashtags on Instagram stories may not be as effective as many believe.
For one, there is limited discovery potential for stories on Instagram. Unlike regular posts, they don’t appear in hashtag feeds and can only be seen by your followers or shared through direct messaging.
Reasons Why It’s Not Helpful to Put Hashtags on Instagram Story
It is not discoverable
Instagram hashtags are generally helpful for discoverability and increasing visibility, but that’s not the case for Instagram stories. The story hashtags are not clickable and do not appear in hashtag feeds, making them ineffective for discovery.
Your story will not be accepted into the hashtag aggregation even if you put trending hashtags on your story and even if having a public account.
It can clutter up the aesthetic
Instagram story hashtags can often be distracting and take away from the overall aesthetic of your story. Hashtags are text you maintain to put somewhere in your story. Adding multiple hashtags can make your story look cluttered and messy.
It can hurt your reach
Instagram prioritizes showing content from friends and understanding with higher engagement in the story feed, so using relevant hashtags can push your story further down the line and decrease its chances of being seen by your target audience.
It will not bring in new followers
Since hashtags are not clickable on Instagram stories, they will not lead to people discovering and following your account. Regardless if you use branded hashtags or niche hashtags, they are not likely to bring in new followers.
Popular Instagram hashtags are useless if you put those in your story. The hashtag sticker is for fun, not for discoverability.
It cannot increase engagement
Hashtag stickers cannot increase the number of views, likes, or comments on your story. Trending hashtag also does not impact the overall engagement with your account.
The Instagram app does not have a feature to search for story hashtags, so the only way someone can see your story with a hashtag is if they already follow you or if it gets shared through direct messaging.
It will not show on the hashtag page
If you search for a hashtag on Instagram, the app will only show regular posts, not stories. Your story with related hashtags will not appear on the hashtag page.
A branded hashtag may work for your story if it’s a one-time event or campaign, but it should not be a regular addition to your stories.
It will not significantly impact your Instagram marketing strategy
The right hashtags can boost an Instagram post, no question about that. However, hashtags on Instagram stories will not have the same impact and should not be a significant part of your Instagram marketing strategy.
In summary…
In conclusion, using hashtags on Instagram stories may seem like a good idea, but it doesn’t offer many benefits and can even harm your visibility on the platform. Stick to creating visually pleasing content without cluttered hashtags for a more successful Instagram story.
Need help in increasing engagement for your Instagram account?
Mentally Balanced Media offers social media management services for mental healthcare providers to increase their Instagram’s growth and engagement.
Contact us today to see how we can help improve your Instagram presence.
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