To be successful on Instagram you need to post daily to 3 times a day depending on your what your followers want with a Great photo and lots of hashtags. Right now I am only posting once or twice a day with up to 30 Hashtags in the comments. I am gaining followers but it is very slow since many of my new followers are using the follow-unfollow game and I don’t follow people that follow so they leave. I hate the follow-unfollow game because it seems like a bad way to get a bunch of fake followers or at the very least followers who are not interested in what you are about. I am looking for real followers to interact with me and go to my blog and/or buy my dolls, not just follow me because I followed them.

So with that said I spent a day collecting hashtags to help me get to new people, yes hashtag really work on Instagram, not so must on other platforms. I will say do not put all your hashtags in the description, if any. I have been only using 1 or 2 in the description now over the 10 I was using last month. All the other hashtags can be in the comments and still work, so I put as many as I can think of there. You can use up to 30 at one time, that is a lot when you are trying to come up with them, LOL. I tend to post my photo to instagram then go to my laptop and copy and paste all my hashtags from a previous post. Typing all those hashtags in the comment on the phone can be time consuming and hard to see (or at least on my broken phone). No I don’t like to use a program to do that, I am cheap and like the control of posting myself.

So I made a list full of hashtags for sewing/crafting bloggers, crafters, doll makers, DIYer, and more. I got this list from looking on Instagram at popular used hashtags that were used by search #whateverword and got the pull down of more related hashtags. I looked for more than just general hashtags but still had enough use to get some attention like 10,000s or more. General hashtags are great to use but many times too many people use them so you do not stay at the top of the list for long. For example, I used a giveaway hashtag last week and my photo was at the photo for seconds, so it got no interactions. Of course the more hashtags you use the more people will see it right??? interactions are key nor followers. You don’t want a bunch of fake followers, it will hurt you in the long run.

here is my list:

#sewing

#sew

#etsyshop

#etsy

#etsyseller

#etsyfinds

#etsystore

#etsylove

#etsyhandmade

#etsyshopowner

#etsykids

#sewingblog

#sewingblogger

#supporthandmade

#creativehappylife

#makersgonnamake

#makermovement

#handmade

#handmadewithlove

#handmadeisbetter

#handmadetoy

#handmadegifts

#handmadebyme

#handmadedoll(s)

#buyhandmade

#handmadeshop

#DIY(s)

#diyproject(s)

#diyfashion

#diyblog or blogger

#diycraft(s)

#diyidea(s)

#sewingforgirls(boys)

#sewingtable

#sewingspace

#sewingroom

#sewingproject(s)

#sewinglove

#sewingisfun

#sewingmama(or mom)

#sewingmachine(s)

#sewingaddict

#sewmuchcrafting

#sewingissexy

#sewingproblems

#sewingart

#sewingwithlove

#sewingtime

#sewingstudio

#sewingforbaby

#sewmakesmehappy

#sewingforkids

#sewingpattern(s)

#ragdoll(s) (this hashtag is more for ragdoll cats but I still use it because they will interact on post)

#dollmaker

#dollface

#dollartist

#dollclothes

#stuffedanimals

#craft(s)(ing)(ed)

#crafter(s)

#crafty(mom)(girl)(momma)

#craftnotcrap

#craftlife

#craftfair

#craftroom

#blog(s)

#blogger(s)

#bloglife

#bloggerlife

#blogged

#bloggermom

Ps. I am not an expert and will not pretend to be one but I love to help others. This is just what I have learned over the last month. Honestly I think that Instagram is a hard social media to promote your business on but the more eyes on your stuff the best, so I use all social media. I wanted this post to be for real home businesses or crafters not those in the business blogging about blogging because each niche is different. Feel free to add to my list in the comments, I love using new hashtags all the time.

One finally note, your photo is just as important as your hashtags because bad photos with not do well. Many experts also say that a theme is important but I am so bad at that, I post what I like when I like. I have been working on get more business photos on there than photos of my kids since I switch to a business profile.

I have a Social media help pinterest board for all social media platforms, I do add to it daily.