I first want to say that Instagram hashtags are always different for every person. When you search #cupcakes, the photos you first see will be different from those of someone else who searched it at the same time. It has to do with what content you are most interested in, what accounts you engage with, and what Instagram’s algorithm thinks is best for you to see. So when you add a hashtag to a photo, keep in mind, Instagram will not show it to people who they think won’t want to see it. Crazy right? I agree!

Here are some screenshots of three different hashtags searched at the same time on two different accounts.

Seven Keys to Grow Instagram with Hashtags

Best practices for growing your reach on Instagram are about diversifying your selections from rare, small, medium, and large hashtags. By small, medium, and large, I mean the number of total posts a specific hashtag has gotten. 

I categorize them into five categories:

Popular: More than 1M 

Large: 250K – 1M 

Medium: 100K – 250K 

Small: 50K-100K 

Rare: Lower than 50K 

Hashtags like #summer have millions of posts, 476 million at last count, and are what you would call a POPULAR hashtag. A hashtag like #summertimefun has about 800,000 and is a LARGE hashtag. A MEDIUM hashtag would be #summerlovers that have less than 250,000 total posts. A hashtag like #summertimemadness has a little bit over 50,000 and is a SMALL hashtag. A RARE hashtag would be #summerfridaysjetlagmask that has less than 3,000 total posts. 

The most number of hashtags you can have in a post is 30 hashtags.

When picking out your hashtags, your goal is to mix them up;

Popular (More than 1M): Use 0 to 1 hashtag

Large (250K – 1M): Use 3 to 5 hashtags

Medium (100K – 250K): Use 5 to 10 hashtags

Small (50K-100K): Use 8 to 12 hashtags

Rare (Lower than 50K): Use 1 to 3 hashtags

The reason for this is the likelihood of people seeing your posts. If you select all POPULAR or LARGE hashtags, your post will not be viewed by millions of people. This is because new posts are continually being uploaded, and your post will drop down where not many people will look for it. On the other hand, if you use only SMALL hashtags, your photo will stay up on that hashtag for longer because fewer people are using it. By spreading your hashtags to RARE, SMALL, MEDIUM, and LARGE, you are giving yourself a better chance of being discovered by more people and growing your reach.

There are many myths and rules people are coming up with to try to trick the Instagram algorithm, and it has to do with where you place your hashtags.

After my trials and errors, I have found that the place where you put your hashtags has nothing to do with your reaches and impressions. It’s no right or wrong about where you choose to include them. So feel free to do whichever way you wish.

Here are three places you can have your hashtags.

• In your caption
• In your comments
• In both caption and comment sections

Make sure your hashtags are relevant to the picture you are posting. 

Depending on your niche and the type of content you usually are posting, you should have a list of your hashtags categorized.

You can download the worksheet from the Influencer Library and start building out your hashtags library.

I recommend updating them at least once a month. As some hashtags can become very popular quickly, it’s essential to update them so that you are always having a mix of different size hashtags in your posts.

Here is a list of apps out there you can get to generate a list of SMALL, MEDIUM, and LARGE hashtags related to keywords you enter. 

1. Ingrammer 
2. All Hashtag  
3. Hashtag Generator Tool 
4. Sistrix 
5. Daily Purpose

Before your about to post on Instagram, you might want to consider engaging 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after. When you engage around the time of your post, you are showing Instagram that you are active and increase your chances of them pushing your content to more people. This sort of tactic might not work for everyone but is worth trying. A best practice is to be authentic in your activity level and to engage as much as you want.

There are a lot of engagement groups on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. They were created to share Instagram posts, and have others engage with each other to drive more engagement and trick the Instagram algorithm.

The primary purpose of these groups is to help support each other by commenting on others’ posts who contribute to the group. I used to participate in those groups, too, as I saw it helped my account by getting a boost of engagement and reaches. Now I do not join anymore. It was enticing as you knew whatever content you posted, you would get engagement results even though it wasn’t all AUTHENTIC engagement.

Although these groups do give your post more reach, it is by no means organic. You have to engage with others’ content, even if you have no interest in the posted content. When you stop contributing, that ENGAGED COMMUNITY suddenly stops engaging. That’s why it’s essential to build AUTHENTIC engagement through quality content and to share through a proper hashtag strategy.

Some Instagram coaches will recommend you to participate in these SUPPORT GROUPS as they see it might benefit you now but are not looking at your future.

What I would like to tell you is to STOP contributing to those engagement groups if you are not already a part of them. Think for a moment, are you being genuine and having a significant impact on REAL followers by requiring other people to comment on your post even if they aren’t interested in your content? Just so that you can trick others into thinking you have a more ENGAGED COMMUNITY? It’s your choice to make!

We will discuss the main types of aesthetics out there, what feelings you can make your content have, and how editing your photos to your Aesthetic can help you deliver your brand’s message.

Let’s first get into the basics of what is aesthetic, why is aesthetic necessary, and how you can apply it to your Instagram account.

Then we will go over a case study of how Gucci was able to alter their aesthetic to attract the right audience and increase sales.

Four Keys of Instagram Aesthetic

One:

THE  MEANING OF AESTHETIC

The Aesthetic is an art of appreciating the beauty in the artist’s work. It represents a harmonious and unique artist or brand put into each piece of their work and always sends out the same messages and tone to the audience. Aesthetics are not only concerned with beauty or appreciation of beauty. It’s also how you want others to interpret and evaluate the content you produce.

As for Instagram, aesthetic means the look of your overall Instagram feed. Your aesthetic will show in your photos, videos, or any content you produce and share on Instagram. It’s through your aesthetic that your brand speaks to your followers immediately when they visit your page. You will be able to capture the potential followers’ attention by showcasing the right Aesthetic.

Your Instagram Aesthetic will convey feelings about your brand. It also represents what you offer and how you offer them.

According to Kant, in the book Aesthetic Theory, he notes that aesthetics is objectifying in nature, but through that, objectivity is where aesthetics meets beauty.  

When people look at a photo, they might notice the overall style or feel they are picking up. Flowers, a flowing dress, a sunset in the background, curtain movement, specific colors, etc. are all details that make photos aesthetic.

Image source: Gucci Instagram Account 

Two:

THE IMPORTANCE OF AESTHETIC

Aesthetic is important because it shows the beauty of your content, and it will attract your ideal audience who has the same taste in harmony.

It also gives your audience a reason to come back for more. When you showcase your content in a specific and consistent way, you will be able to connect with your followers on a deeper level.

Your messages through aesthetic will be more clear to understand.

By applying the aesthetic practice to your Instagram account, you are encouraging your audience with the need to come back for more to see what new content you create next. Aesthetic also creates trust and loyalty with your followers.

In an article by Colombia Business School, they researched the importance of aesthetics and why large brands go to Thailand to produce content. They found that having an excellent aesthetic and being able to market it well translated into more sales. The attention to detail and execution of a brand’s Aesthetic made for compelling content. 

Image source: Gucci.com

Three:

THE FEELING OF AESTHETIC

The feeling of a photo is the emotion you want your audience to perceive. It’s the chance you get to grab your audience’s attention and connect more with your brand’s message. Are you making your followers feel a sense of love and appreciation, or do you want them to feel calm and relaxed?

Image source: Gucci Instagram Account 

The New Gucci’s Aesthetic Case Study

Gucci’s Aesthetic

The best case study I would like to share with you here is the new Aesthetic of the number one fastest-growing luxury brand in the world, Gucci. The new Aesthetic was brought to life by their current creative director, Alessandro Michele.

Michele’s Aesthetic took a different turn and gave a new look to attract a younger customer- think Millenials. As shown in each of his collections, the styles now are more maximalism but still keeps its heritage while showcasing the blend of bold, contemporary, and luxury. The new Gucci presents transparency, inclusivity, and diversity. To tap into their younger customer, they partnered with Harry Styles– the singer, songwriter, actor, and the modern-day iconic to allure attention from the new crown. 

Gucci Men’s Tailoring Cruise 2019 campaign | Photographer: Glen Luchford | Art Director: Christopher Simmonds

Gucci Pre-Fall 2020

The latest campaign, Pre-Fall 2020 series, Michele has created his most touching and incredible story and captured by Alasdair McLellan and with art direction by Christopher Simmonds.

This campaign, entitled ‘So Deer To Me’, is intended to be an “an ode to retrieved innocence, a return to the infant world, a call for real engagement with nature and, with that, life.” Not only does the story captivate the most beautiful vision but also the Gucci Pre-Fall 2020 campaign, Gucci is partnering with The Lion’s Share Fund, a charity that helps vulnerable animals.

#SODEERTOME | gucci.com

Positioning of Gucci

Today, Gucci is the world’s fastest-growing luxury brand. Gucci became 2019’s fastest-growing luxury brand, with a growth rate of 23% and a brand valuation of $15.949 billion — It nearly doubled the valuation it had when Michele first took over the reins in 2015.

On the internet, the new Gucci collections stand out — they’ve got a contemporary feel, mixed with vintage classics. Michele even brought back the interlocking GG logo and the iconic Gucci bags from the 1960s, while introducing consumers to the Dionysus buckle. – source

The Conclusion

In conclusion, the new Gucci’s Aesthetic changes make the brand reachable to a new market and have increased its revenues. Gucci has done a great job knowing their customer and how to reach them through their brilliant Aesthetic to the utilization of social media as a digital marketing tool.

Four:

HOW TO CREATE AN AESTHETIC

How To Create An Aesthetic

There are so many things to consider when creating an aesthetic for your Instagram. You have to know who you are trying to attract, what they like, what they want to see or hear, and more. You will build your vision board and come up with the direction of the aesthetic you want to go for your Instagram account.

After you know all of the elements that will speak about your brand, you can now make them aesthetically pleasant throughout your profile.

Should I edit my photos?

Yes and no. It depends on the Aesthetic you are going for and the message you are sending to your followers. Editing photos through mobile apps or professional tools can dramatically impact what others see and interpret your brand’s message to be. 

If you have an aesthetic of raw, natural-looking photos, then editing might not be necessary. However, you can take a picture and edit it to look more natural then it acutely is. You need to know what your Aesthetic is before you make these types of changes. Knowing your aesthetic will help you create a clear brand message that your audience will follow. 

What is the easiest application to use to edit my photos?

There are so many options of applications out there, but the one I recommend is VSCO. It’s simple to use. You can find and use your favorite filters, create your own, and save them. There are also lots of free VSCO filters you can find online. Here are a few places you can check them out, @vscofillterrs, @filters.vsco, and @omgfiltrs.

Nowadays, Instagram is more than an image sharing source where you are focusing on your friends and family. It is now the biggest influencer platform where brands are spending big dollars on advertising.

While your copies and stories matter, you have to pay attention to your images too. As Instagram is an image-lead interest, people would be interested in learning more about what you have to say when you have a good enough (or bad enough) photos to catch their interest.

Quick example, if you are scrolling on the Explore page on Instagram and see two pretty sunset photos. You decided to click on both of them, the first one is from a curated feed with lots of sunsets, landscapes, and nature dwelling images. On the other hand, the other is from an account of a person who shares their random stuff, like ice-cream, snake, dog toys, and math problems that they couldn’t solve. Which account would you like to give it a follow? The first account would have a better chance of getting a follow from you, right?

But this is only a big picture of today’s lesson.

Image source: departmentofwandering.com

Three Components of Instagram Visual Branding

One:

FEEL & CONCEPT

Instagram branding is all about feelings. It’s what transforms the first-time interactor into a loyal follower. It is the way to grab your ideal audience’s attention and turns an indifferent audience into a trusting following who you have an influence over.

Ask yourself these questions:
1) What do you want your audience to feel when visiting your account? 
2) What messages or types of content do you want to share with your audience?
3) Is there any specific theme, concept, or items that you would want to use to gain your audience’s attention?

For example, is there a chic and vintage vibe you send, or do you want your followers to feel mesmerized and stunned when they see your high-quality photos? Do you want to attract someone who loves tattoos or flowers?

After answering the above questions, see what the most important elements are and what feel you want to send your followers, then make those feelings speak to your audience through your images and overall account by using the second and third components we are going to discuss next.

By keeping a consistent feel going, you will make it easier for your followers to know what to expect when they see your content. In this case, you want to know your feelings and the concept of your brand, which is your Instagram account.

Keeping the consistent feel and concept to the images will make people remember your content even before they see your name or your face.

Two:

COLOR PALETTE

What colors do you see most on your feed right now? Are these the colors you want to continue to show? Are there too many colors? Is there any color at all?

I have heard a lot of people out there who said that colores or the feed consistency wouldn’t make or break their account. But from my experience, it would break your account. Here is the thing, people who share those types of content without consistency are either already famous, have been in this industry for a longer time, showing their body part a lot, or happened to get famous without trying from viral content. They can share whatever they want because they already have a fanbase who is interacting with their account daily.

But if you are just starting or trying to make it to the next level, you have stick to the consistency in color. I know it’s hard. I was there too.

Color is an important part of building the right brand, as this is one of the biggest things that followers remember about you after leaving your feed. When you pick the right colors that work for you, and always find ways to organically incorporate them into your feed, your followers will remember you better. Also, this will make it easier when coming up with new content as you already know what colors to use and which ones to avoid.

You don’t need to use only a few colors, but what you should do is always have the same color spreading around your feed.

If your feed is too hard for you to be consistent with colors, you can use the same photo editing settings, filters, or presets to make the colors of your photos look more cohesive.

Three:

TYPOGRAPHY

Lastly, typography or fonts of your brand! 

The type of font you choose for your brand can be shown in your logo, digital writing content like quote images you share on your Instagram feed, IG Stories, highlight covers, or any other material that you will share in a text format.       

The type of font itself can convey the feeling of your brand as well.

•  Serif fonts are classic typography. This font is excellent if you want your brand to appear trustworthy, traditional, and like a little old school.
• Sans serif fonts give a more minimal and modern feel to brands.
• Script typography refers to cursive handwriting. This type of fonts can add a luxurious or feminine feel to your brand, depending on the style you choose.
• Display fonts have eccentric and variable designs than the simple, relatively restrained typefaces generally used for body text. This types of fonts can make a bold statement and add your unique brands spin to make people remember. 

Picking a font will tie everything together. Remember, when we discussed your Brands voice, try to find a set of fonts that look like the voice you are talking with and blends in with your brand’s feels. Try using only two-three fonts throughout your Instagram feed, to make it more consistent and memorable. The font you use will help make your account look like the voice you are communicating with your audience. 

Typography Images from @nikki.cruz

That’s it! I hope this blog post about Branding 101 (Part Two) will help you create the right brand. Remember that your images are as important as your stories you are sharing if you decide to go for the Influencer route. 

Having eye-catching images, the harmonious color scheme, and fonts on your feed will give you a better chance of gaining new followers and more brand opportunities. These three components will help your brand achieve the goals you have set from last week’s strategy lesson.