Instagram hashtags: how to choose the right ones for a local business

Hashtags are no longer the magic wand they once were, but they're still useful for one thing: helping the right people come across your posts. For a local business, "the right people" are those who can actually come to you. That's what it's all about.

The three families of hashtags

Popular hashtags

#food, #flowers, #hair… They're used millions of times. Your post stays visible for a few seconds before it's buried. They do no harm, but don't expect much from them: two or three are enough.

Hashtags for your trade

#artisanbakery, #bouquetoftheday, #balayage… More specific, they're followed by people genuinely interested in what you do. They're the core of your selection.

Local hashtags

#brighton, #brightonfood, #visitsussex… These are often the most worthwhile for a local business: they reach people who live near you or pass through. Think of your town, your neighbourhood, your county, and combinations of town + trade.

How many should you use?

• On Instagram, around ten to fifteen, mixing the three families, with a majority of trade and local hashtags.
• On Facebook and LinkedIn, two to five at most. Any more and your post looks like an automated ad.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Copying the same list onto every post. Vary it a little from one post to the next, depending on the subject.
2. Using unrelated hashtags to get more reach. You attract people who will never come.
3. Forgetting local hashtags. They're what turn views into visits.
4. Putting them in a Story without making them readable: one clearly visible local hashtag is enough.

How to find the right ones

Look at the accounts of businesses like yours in other towns: which hashtags keep coming up? Type your town into Instagram's search and note the hashtags with real activity. And keep a base list to add to for each post.

To go faster, our free hashtag generator suggests a selection by trade, with your town's hashtags, adapted to the network you choose. Copy, adjust, post.