Hashtags: why I closed my membership & no longer teach on them
My journey of falling out of love with hashtags…
Me and hashtags used to be two peas in a pod. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll remember how I could go on and on and on about how incredible I thought they were and how much they helped to grow your Instagram account in a sustainable, organic way. I even created + grew a successful hashtag membership - Hashtag Hub - that I absolutely LOVED for nearly 2 years.
That was, until hashtags started being less about organic growth and more about THE GAME.
You know, the social media game. The “how many do I need to bring in the PERFECT amount of viewers?” game. The obsessive research/education/tracking/shifting (fucking frustrating) game. The one where you pay too much attention to why your numbers aren’t working that you’re not just able to stay in flow and alignment with sharing your truth and your medicine with others.
My frustration with social media had been steadily rising more and more over the past year (I mean, Facebook itself was something I got rid of long ago for building my business…), and when I reached the point of not really feeling in alignment with Instagram anymore, I fell out of love with hashtags too. This was right about the time in Fall 2020 when the United States froze all new hashtags during the presidential election. People were FREAKING OUT about how they could grow their business or Instagram account if they couldn’t use hashtags! It was wild to see it happen in real time, and definitely gave me some things to think about in terms of censorship, social media as a means for business growth, and how we’re using social media in general.
It was the wake-up call that I needed to fully take a step back from how I was using social media and technology, and see how toxic it had become for me. [more on this in a future post…]
Now, while I no longer train on hashtags or share my suggested use for them, I still think hashtags are helpful!
Wait, what? How can this be? If I’m not teaching about them for account growth or post likes or story views, why do I think this?
When you stop focusing on the game, you can begin to see how they can be used for connection and engagement in a way that feels good and isn’t something that “has to be figured out”!
3 ways hashtags can be used in an authentic and ethical way:
HASHTAGS CAN HELP YOU FIND SPECIFIC CONTENT
looking for posts about #antiracism / #ethicalbusiness / #endthestigma / etc. ? One click brings you to SO many great resources and communities for education and support! If you’re learning from BIPOC, be sure to pay them and always always ALWAYS credit your source when resharing content.
HASHTAGS CAN HELP YOU CONNECT WITH OTHERS IN YOUR INDUSTRY
the energy lately has been ALL about collaboration, connection and community. Do you feel it? A really great way to connect with others who do what you do and to build a relationship with them (think collaborations with podcasts, workshops, events, etc. or creating a think-tank community for feedback and support).
HASHTAGS CAN HELP YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR NICHE CLIENTS
This was my FAVORITE way to train on using hashtags when I used to devote my time to it, and something I still stand by today. You can authentically connect with your niche clients through clicking on a tag they may be hanging out in themselves (think #plantmom or #momswholovetoread - wherever they might be...you’ll need to know who your niche client is for this!).
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to do this:
- with your niche market or network in mind, choose different hashtags that you want to connect in. What this means is that you will type in a specific hashtag in the search bar on the app, and then begin scrolling through so to begin connecting with those who have recently used the tag on their own posts. EXAMPLE: search #soulpreneur or #lightleader
- Begin to scroll through the TOP or MOST RECENT posts. If any catch your eye or their energy draws you in...engage! Go to their profile and check out their posts. Like them and comment on them as you feel led to do so. If you do this from an authentic space, those you're engaging with will feel that!
- the smaller the tag size, the more likely you are to make more niched/specific connections. As you cultivate this practice, you'll find very specific tags, and even favorites, that you'll engage within. Follow your intuition and play around with it. Allow this process to be FUN!
(this comes directly from my Instagram Engagement Guide I created specifically for those seeking support on how to authentically and organically engage on Instagram)
If you've found something that works for you - amazing!!
Stick with it and make adjustments when and where needed. If not, don’t sweat it. I honestly believe that those who are meant to see your content will see it. Trust the process and trust that by speaking + sharing your truth and medicine, those in alignment will be drawn to you!
For those seeking a bit of support or perhaps looking for hashtags to create bundles from, I’ve got something for you! I took all of the hashtags I had for my Hashtag Hub Membership Database and put them into niched documents for you! Each is affordably priced and ready for immediate download and use.
Niche groups include:
Antiracism Ayurveda Ethical Business Feminine Energy
Inuitive/Healer Menstrual Health Mental Health Mindfulness Tools Plants Moon Spiritual/Conscious Business Podcast Blogging Homeschooling Chakras
AND MORE!!
(There are a total of 110 niche groups!)
How are you feeling about hashtags? Do you feel frustrated with them? Do you love using them?
Drop me a message and let’s chat!
As always, sending lots of love,
