Hashtag Basics for Artists & Creatives

Still don’t understand hashtags? This post boils down hashtags into simple steps.

What’s a Hashtag? A hashtag is used to identify messages of a specific topic on social media. You use the hash or pound symbol and follow it with an identifying word. There is no space between the hashtag symbol and the word (or string of words).

For example: #art or #fineart

Where do you use hashtags? You use hashtags on social media. Twitter and Instagram are big users of hashtags.

Facebook: Hashtags are used less frequently on Facebook than other social networking sites. Many posts do not even have one hashtag, use them sparingly and purposefully.

Twitter: Due to the short character length of tweets, 1-3 hashtags during a tweet is a good amount. Most tweets should have a hashtag.

Instagram: The more hashtags used on Instagram the better you have a chance of sharing your image to a wider audience. You can use up to 30 hashtags per image posted. Every image you post needs hashtags.

How do I think of hashtags to use? Hashtagging is about brainstorming and finding related terms to the topic you are posting about.

• You may want to include basic content hashtags. For example, if you are posting an image of a piece you are making in your studio, simple hashtags like #art and #artist work well.
• You may want to include location hashtags like #studio #easel #workshop
• You may want to include hashtags of the subject of the work like #landscape or #nature
• You also may want to include the media like #acrylic #paint #painting
• You will want to eventually include hashtags that have developed or that are trendy like #artofinstagram #calledtobecreative

Keep an eye out on other people’s posts to see what sort of hashtags they use and maybe what one’s you can use too. This is how you can get a pulse on some of the trendy hashtags to use.  Don’t forget to develop your own personal hashtag.

How do I develop my own hashtag? Your branding, name, business name, or studio name is most likely what you will use for your hashtags. Make a hashtag that you use on your social media posts that is unique to you, for example, #<yourname>

Where do I put hashtags? Typically hashtags are found at the end of a caption or text but can also be integrated into your post as well. 

Where can I get help with hashtags? So much content is posted on social media daily. Lookup a few of your favorite artists and see what sort of content they are posting and what hashtags they are using. Since Instagram uses hashtags in such large quantities, it’s a good social network to play around with to learn.

If you still need more help, find a social media guru. Find someone in your community who does hashtags well or has an influential online community. Ask to consult with them and see if they can teach you a thing or two about hashtags.