TAG! You're It: How to Use Hashtags for Music Promotion
- Slackerman Music
- Feb 1, 2021
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Wondering how to use hashtags for music promotion without looking desperate? Here's a practical guide to using tags on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms to help your music get discovered organically - even when you're not actively posting.
Think of hashtags as little electronic spiders that creep up on potential listeners when you're away from your keyboard. (Or electronic flyers if spiders creep you out. Spiders... web... get it?) Here's how to make them work for you.
Why Hashtags Actually Work for Musicians
If you are trying to grow your brand as a content creator this is one good way to help you out. There are two ways that this works from my observation. Passive and Accelerated.
Passive Discovery: Working While You Sleep
Tags work in a passive way if you are not doing any activity on your pages, but it still works nonetheless.
Accelerated Growth: When You Post Regularly
It works in an accelerated way if you are regularly posting on your platforms. You'll find that you will get a better number of likes, or even follows (engagement) when you post regularly.
Think of tags as little electronic spiders that creep up on people when you are away from your keyboard. Or electronic flyers that reach out to people if spiders creep you out. (Spiders, web, get it?)
What happens typically is your content gets suggested to people who have previously engaged or are searching for similar content using the same tags. Your content will appear on someone's timeline or homepages when they scroll. What I love about tags is it's a non-intrusive way of reaching out to the right people. The keyword here is "Suggestion."
Setting Up Your Artist Profile for Hashtag Success
Let's use Instagram as an example. As it is the easiest to understand. (This also works similarly to Twitter. Other platforms works differently, but the principle is just the same.)
Step 1: Define Who You Really Are
But first, make sure that your profile is well defined. This will not work as best if you have not bothered to do a little writing to define yourself. Also, you might have a hard time on what tags to use. To setup, first, decide on who you really are... You can fill this up as an exercise... (Your Artist Name) is a musician from (Your Hometown).
(Your pronoun) produces (Your genres) music.
(Your pronoun) influences range from (Make a shortlist of your core influences here that the audience will be able to identify with, max 3-5).
Here's a little example of what your end result should at least look like. (It does not have to be verbatim...)
"Spider Crawler is a rapper from Ohio. He produces music that is influenced by Old School Hip Hop, Rap, and Lofi. His influences range from 2pac, Lil' Yachty, and Kendrick Lamar."
Then post that on all your profiles. Consistency is key.
Step 2: Organize Your Keywords
The goal here is to organize a bunch of keywords that the algorithms will be able to associate your brand with. Because this is what the algorithms will understand the most.
The Three Types of Hashtags Every Musician Needs
1. Brand Tags (Your Artist Name)
#yourartistname - in this case #SpiderCrawler
2. Genre Tags (Narrow Down Your Content)
#music #producer #artist etc... Algorithms DON'T understand: "A highly innovative rapper that mixes Old school genres with new styles of sound that evokes angst-driven anthems of pure machismo." (although, you can still come up with something similar, but just think of it as just an expansion of your initial thought.)
So, when you start tagging your stuff to promote... #yourartistname in this case #SpiderCrawler
Then narrow down your content.
#hiphop #rap #lofi etc...
Then use some generalized terms. (Umbrella terms.)
#music #producer #artist etc...
How to Use Hashtags on Instagram (Practical Examples)
You can set up your brand tag grouped with a couple of tags from your narrowed down content, on your artist profile if you wish. (Works best on Instagram and Twitter. Highly recommended).
Here are a few examples of how you can use them.
And here's what you can do with your posts...
On this part, you can completely remove the brand tags if you already have them on your profile. You can also remove any narrowed down tags if you have included them in your profile.
Of course, the amount of engagement that you will get is still dependent on what kind of content you are getting out there. So that's something you might need to figure out and experiment on. Results may vary over time. You just need to observe.
Platform-Specific Hashtag Limits
Tag numbers are also dependent on what platform you use.
Instagram suggests 10.
Twitter suggests 5 (I think...)
Also, make sure you take advantage of the Geo-tagging option if it's available. (Instagram has it.)
Another key concept to keep in mind is:
Tags + Regular post activity = Growth Acceleration.
If you cannot figure out what tags to use, here's a useful website that might be able to help you out with your research.
Common Questions About Music Hashtags (Addressing Objections)
Maybe you'll say, "But hey, some artists I know don't use tags!"
1. They could be established artists that already have a fanbase offline.
2. They could have a lot of friends and connections too.
You might also say, "But, I don't engage with content that has a ton of hashtags. I find it annoying."
1. You don't.
2. Some still do. (I do sometimes.)
One more thing...
"But, but doesn't that make it look like I am desperate for engagement?"
1. Then don't if you don't want to. That's also perfectly fine.
2. You are just starting out. And nobody knows your work. YET.
Quick recap: 1. Define your artist profile clearly (use the Spider Crawler exercise) 2. Set up your 3 types of tags: brand, genre, and umbrella 3. Add tags to your profiles (passive strategy) 4. Use tags on every post (accelerated strategy) 5. Don't forget geo-tagging when available (or if you want to...) 6. Combine tags with regular posting for accelerated growth
Frequently Asked Questions About Music Hashtags
How many hashtags should I use for music promotion?
Instagram suggests 10, Twitter around 5. I've found the sweet spot is using all available slots but making sure they're RELEVANT. Don't just spam #music #song #artist - be specific about your genre and style.
What are the best hashtags for musicians on Instagram?
Start with your artist name (brand tag), add your genres (#lofi #hiphop #indie), then broader terms (#musician #producer #artist). The Spider Crawler example above shows exactly how to structure this.
Do hashtags actually work for growing a music audience?
Yes, but passively and slowly. They work best when combined with regular posting. Think of them as one piece of your discovery strategy - not a magic bullet, but definitely worth the 30 seconds it takes to add them.
Should I use the same hashtags on every post?
Mix it up. Keep your brand tags consistent, but vary your genre and umbrella tags based on what you're posting. If you're sharing a music video, use #musicvideo. If it's behind-the-scenes, use #bts or #studio. Something like that...
Aren't hashtags kind of desperate-looking?
Only if you're already established with a massive following. If you're just starting out and nobody knows your work YET, using tags is just smart strategy. You're not being desperate - you're being findable.
Start Tagging Your Music Today
A little caveat: too much might not work, too little might also not work. You just need to experiment and observe until you find out what works best for you.
Tags + Regular post activity = Growth Acceleration
If you cannot figure out what tags to use, here's a useful [website](https://keywordtool.io/) that might be able to help you out with your research.
Want more organic music promotion strategies that don't require constant hustle? Check out my guide on How to market your music on YouTube organically.
Now go play tag! 🏃
Another Day, Slackerman
Here are some additional resources that you might find helpful. Youtube tagging:
Bandcamp tagging:
Soundcloud tagging:
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