Pictures are taken for two primary reasons: keepsakes, and to show other people. Even in surveillance, photography is intended to be viewed by others.
Most of us won’t be taking pictures for some espionage group; we’ll be putting them on social media. But how do you make your best photos go viral? Hashtags can help, here we’ll explore associated best practices.
1. Get The Spelling Right
Sometimes you’re wrong if you’re right. For example, “boy” is spelled with a “y”. Meanwhile, “boi” is a trending term which is used in memes and elsewhere. Also, with hashtags, apostrophes are a big no-no.
There are times when your hashtags will need to be colloquial—they will need to reflect contemporary trends. Sometimes you need to spell the word the “right” wrong way, or the “wrong” right way—you get the idea.
2. Try To Avoid Inaccurate Hashtags
So everyone has realized the “#” symbol is fundamental to visibility. Accordingly, they stick it in front of everything, and as prolifically as they’re able.
Meanwhile, search engines have the prerogative to reduce “noise” when someone conducts a search. Algorithms are designed to “de-list” or “shadow ban” people who aren’t properly using hashtags. It takes a while for algorithms to “figure it out”, but they will. Accordingly, do your best to only use hashtags appropriate to the pictures you’re taking.
If you’ve got an image of some mountain lion fighting an elk, #longhairdontcare probably isn’t appropriate; unless of course you’re making a joke ironically contrasting the fact mountain lions are short-haired felines. You see why it takes algorithms so long to figure out what’s going on: owing to memes, there’s a lot of subjectivity to consider.
3. Tier Hashtags According To Popularity
It’s smart to put the best hashtags in terms of relevance and associated virality at the forefront of listed hashtags. Put additional hashtags designed to stimulate visibility toward the back of the “queue”, if you will. Most sites will put a hashtag limit on photos, so be sure to get specific hashtags figured out toward the front of the “queue” before adding extraneous ones.
4. Utilizing The Most Well-Known Hashtags
It’s also really smart to do a little sniffing around and see which daily hashtags are trending—you can check here for photography hashtags of this variety. Remember, you want to be relevant, but trending hashtags can definitely make your pictures more visible. So add the ones you want, then copy-paste daily trending hashtags matching your picture after.
5. Create Your Own, Mix Them In With The Rest
It’s not always easy, but you can actually start a hashtag trend if you’re “plugged in” to the “zeitgeist”, if you will, of the times. It’ll likely require a high level of cognizance regarding trends, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Think up a few of your own and pepper them in with the rest; you might get something going in the fullness of time.
6. Remember: Hashtags Differ Every Single Day
Because of the rapid-fire pace of modernity, today’s hashtags will differ from yesterday’s, and until something comes to replace the hashtag, that’s likely going to be the case. Accordingly, be diligent to see what’s trending on a given day before you attach any associated tags to your pictures.
More Effective Hashtag Use
Hashtags change daily, so be aware. You can also create your own hashtags, utilize known trending tags, and be sure to tier tags according to popularity (and relevance). Additionally, try to avoid hashtags that are ultimately irrelevant, as this has a higher chance of “irritating”, if you will, search engine algorithms.
Lastly, spell the hashtags right; even if that means spelling a word wrong and avoiding apostrophes. Remember these things, and you should see greater engagement with online photos on a regular basis.