Hashtags are the superhighways of Instagram. Attach the right tags to your posts, and you’ll tap into streams of potential new followers. But with over 500 million posts using #love and 1.6 billion on #instagood, how do you keep from getting lost in the noise?
As a fitness enthusiast and aspiring content creator, I’d been trying to grow my presence on Instagram for over a year with little success. I was struggling with that question when I stumbled onto Path Social. I’d hit a wall trying to organically grow my account and engage my niche’s top hashtags. The few followers I’d gain would have virtually zero interaction with my content. I needed help targeting the right users at the right time.
That’s when I started wondering: Is Path Social worth it? The platform promised “AI-powered targeting” to get my posts in front of users more likely to follow and like my content. Could artificial intelligence boost my hashtag strategy and take my account to the next level? I decided to give it a try. Here’s what I discovered after three months with Path Social’s growth tools.
Finding My Audience in the Hashtag Haystack
The first thing was to find my perfect followers. AI profiled my posts and profile, such as Path Social’s AI, which scanned my profile and posts looking for content style and niche interests I use when posting in the fitness and nutrition niche. It was surprisingly accurate!
It then put together a list of more than 200 fitness and health hashtags, from mega to micro niches such as #fitfam, #mealplans, and so on. The AI tracks engagement rates on these tags in real-time, helping me time my posts for when my audience is most active.
I schedule my posts through Path Social rather than Instagram now. By attaching their recommended hashtags, I’ve seen my engagement rates climb from under 5% on previous posts to 12-15% on average now. Those might seem like small numbers, but it means the difference between dozens and hundreds of likes!
My Hashtag Strategy: Cast a Wide Net, Land Quality Fish
Here are a few key hashtag tactics I’ve learned:
Mix mega-tags with micro-niches. Huge volumes of users; such major hashtags like #fitspo, #cleaneating connect me, but the engagement is low cause competition is fierce. The more niche tags I have on my posts’ topics, the more I stand out to users interested in those specifics.
Customize hashtags for each post. For each post, I use Path Social’s Hashtag Generator to get the tags tuned. The hashtags that I keep are relevant and varied, so I don’t come across as spammy.
Do your hashtag homework. As a way to keep my content timely and appealing, I research trending and seasonal fitness hashtags using Path Social’s free Hashtag Generator tool. Right now, #newyearchallenge, #atHomeWorkouts, and #HealthyHabits are hot!
My Efforts Pay Off: Real Growth in 3 Months
I’ll be honest, when I started Path Social, I was skeptical about AI-based growth. But the numbers speak for themselves:
Followers. Gained over 5K authentic followers in 3 months. My previous growth rate was less than 1K followers annually!
Content reach. Posts now get 300-500 likes rather than 50-100 previously. More eyes on my brand and posts!
Engagement. My average engagement rate per post is around 15% now, allowing me to turn existing followers into active community members.
These aren’t “ghost followers,” either. My new followers like and comment on my posts, tag me in relevant content, and participate in my Stories. These are real fitness buffs who will stick around long-term!
Just look at accounts like @fit.with.anna, who leveraged smart hashtag strategies and steady engagement to build a strong, active audience
Staying Compliant: No Funny Business
I know many readers wonder, as I did: Are follower services safe? Do they comply with Instagram’s rules? I vetted Path Social thoroughly first, and here’s what I found:
Documented processes. Path Social uses industry best practices when sourcing followers, relying on influencer collaborations, and hashtag targeting. They outline their methodology in transparent detail. No bots!
Terms of service compliant. I read Instagram’s TOS carefully while researching tools. Path Social’s organic processes follow those rules. Some services don’t and will get your account banned!
Natural engagement. My new followers interact naturally, with average volumes of likes and comments that look genuine to avoid flagging algorithms. No burst spikes that might seem suspicious to Instagram.
Gradual, steady growth. This is why Path Social grows my account slowly and gradually; large daily spikes in followers could get me flagged as being inauthentic. I can also set daily follower limits.
The Takeaway: Patience and Strategy Win the Hashtag Game
If I could sum up the key things I tell anyone trying to leverage hashtags on Instagram, it would be:
- Have realistic expectations. Viral posts happen only once in a million times. Try to be one slow and steady step instead of a two-step and a skip.
- Persist with patience. Focus on consistency and keep on posting, even when the results are going to be slow. Add up small gains over months to arrive at big gains!
- Use tools strategically. Growth is taken out of the equation with services like Path Social. Their AI allows me to find and connect with true potential fans that I would never find on my own.
It took me years as an amateur to gain 500 followers through hashtags. In my first 90 days with Path Social’s targeting tools, I added over 5,000. My advice? Stop wasting time on hashtags that disappear into the void. Let AI help give your posts a fighting chance to get viewed by followers who matter.
