When using hashtags, you should have two goals in mind. The first; have the right people – your audience – discover your content. The second; grow engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.).
Here are four easy ways to achieve these two goals:
1. Use hashtags specific to Newfoundland & Labrador. These are the tried-and-true hashtags that many past, present, and future visitors follow and can help them to discover your content.
#ExploreNL #GoWesternNL #VikingTrail #GrosMorne #YDF (Deer Lake Airport) #NewfoundlandAndLabrador #Newfoundland #BestKind #WhalesNL #BirdsNL #HikeNL #IcebergsNL #FoodNL #ExploreTNL #NLCraftBeer #NewfoundlandMusic
2. Use Canada specific hashtags.
3. Check out what others are using. Observe what similar business are successfully using on their Instagram posts and use those hashtags on your posts. Here are some examples of trending hashtags for outdoor adventure businesses:
4. Do not make up hashtags unless you are creating a brand hashtag. For a hashtag to be effective, Instagram users must follow it. A new hashtag has zero followers and likely won't gain any without a marketing campaign behind it.
For example, Go Western Newfoundland’s brand hashtag is #GoWesternNL. It is short, easy to remember, and aligns with other provincial hashtags ending in “NL.” We’ve been using it since we launched our Instagram account in July 2020. The goal of #GoWesternNL is to build destination awareness and a public bank of images with experiences in Western Newfoundland. We include it on printed marketing materials and encourage operators, local influencers, and photographers to use it on their posts.
Interested in learning more? Let's chat.
Emili Fraser Regional Marketing Officer 709.649.9494 emili@gowesternnewfoundland.com