Restaurant Hashtag Strategies That Work

Understanding hashtag mechanics is essential for effective strategy. Research from Instagram shows that 70% of hashtags on the platform are branded, and users follow an average of 7 hashtags.

Hashtag functions: - Discovery: Users can find content by searching or following hashtags - Categorization: Organizes content into topics - Community building: Connects people with shared interests - Algorithm signals: Helps Instagram understand your content - Reach expansion: Exposes content beyond your followers

Hashtag feed types: - Top Posts: Most engaged content (recent and all-time) - Recent Posts: Chronological feed of recent content - Reels: Video content using the hashtag

Algorithm considerations: - Instagram's algorithm considers hashtag relevance - Using irrelevant hashtags can hurt reach - Mix of popular and niche hashtags works best - Hashtag performance influences future post reach

A study of 1,000 restaurant posts found that posts using 10-20 relevant hashtags received 2.1x more reach and 1.8x more engagement than posts using fewer or irrelevant hashtags, as the algorithm better understood content and showed it to interested users.

Effective hashtag use starts with research. Research from Sprout Social shows that restaurants using researched hashtags see 2.3x more discovery than those using generic tags.

Research process: 1. Identify your niche (cuisine type, location, style) 2. Research competitor hashtags 3. Find local hashtags (city, neighborhood) 4. Discover industry hashtags (foodie, restaurant) 5. Test and track performance

Research tools: - Instagram search (type # and see suggestions) - Hashtag tracking tools (Hashtagify, RiteKit) - Competitor analysis (check their hashtags) - Location-based search (city + food terms)

Hashtag categories to research: - Location: #[city]food, #[neighborhood]eats - Cuisine: #italianfood, #sushi, #tacos - Restaurant type: #farmtotable, #fineDining - Food style: #foodie, #foodphotography - Local community: #[city]restaurants, #[city]foodscene

A restaurant found that spending 2 hours researching hashtags and creating a master list of 50+ relevant tags increased average post reach by 67% and new follower acquisition by 45% over 3 months, as content reached more relevant audiences.

A strategic hashtag mix maximizes reach while maintaining relevance. Research from Later shows that the optimal hashtag strategy uses a mix of high-volume, medium-volume, and niche hashtags.

Hashtag mix framework: - 30% high-volume (100k-1M+ posts): Broad reach, competitive - 40% medium-volume (10k-100k posts): Good balance - 30% niche (1k-10k posts): Less competition, targeted

Hashtag categories per post: - 5-7 niche hashtags (your specific cuisine, local area) - 3-5 medium hashtags (foodie, restaurant type) - 2-3 popular hashtags (food, instafood) - 2-3 location hashtags (city, neighborhood) - 1-2 branded hashtags (your restaurant name)

Create hashtag sets: - Develop 3-5 different hashtag sets (15-20 tags each) - Rotate sets to avoid looking spammy - Customize for different content types - Update monthly based on performance

A restaurant group found that using a strategic hashtag mix (rotating 4 different sets) increased average post reach by 78% and hashtag discovery by 2.3x compared to using the same generic hashtags on every post.

Local hashtags are crucial for restaurant discovery. Research from Instagram shows that location-tagged posts receive 79% more engagement, and local hashtags drive 2.3x more profile visits from nearby users.

Local hashtag types: - City hashtags: #[city]food, #[city]eats, #[city]restaurants - Neighborhood hashtags: #[neighborhood]dining - Regional hashtags: #[state]food, #[region]cuisine - Local food scene: #[city]foodscene, #[city]foodie

Research local hashtags: - Check what local restaurants use - Search city + food terms - Look at local food blogger hashtags - Check local event hashtags - Monitor local food community tags

Local hashtag strategy: - Use 3-5 local hashtags per post - Mix city-wide and neighborhood tags - Include local event hashtags when relevant - Create your own local hashtag if none exists

A neighborhood restaurant found that using 5 local hashtags per post increased local follower base by 67% and drove 34% more foot traffic from within 2 miles, as the restaurant became more discoverable to nearby potential customers.

Niche hashtags connect you with your target audience. Research from Hootsuite shows that niche hashtags receive 70% more engagement from relevant users than generic tags.

Cuisine-specific hashtags: - #[cuisine]food (e.g., #italianfood, #mexicanfood) - #[cuisine]restaurant - #[dish]lovers (e.g., #pastalovers, #tacolovers) - Regional cuisine tags

Style-specific hashtags: - #farmtotable, #localfood - #fineDining, #casualDining - #vegetarian, #vegan - #glutenFree - #sustainableFood

Niche community hashtags: - Food photography: #foodphotography, #foodstyling - Food blogging: #foodblogger, #foodie - Restaurant industry: #restaurantlife, #cheflife

A farm-to-table restaurant found that using niche hashtags like #farmtotable, #localfood, and #sustainableDining increased engagement from target audience by 89% and attracted customers who specifically sought out their type of restaurant, leading to 45% higher customer satisfaction scores.

Branded hashtags build community and track user-generated content. Research from Sprout Social shows that campaigns with branded hashtags see 2.1x more user-generated content and 3.2x higher campaign engagement.

Branded hashtag types: - Restaurant name: #[restaurantname] - Campaign hashtags: #[restaurant]special - Event hashtags: #[restaurant]event - Community hashtags: #[restaurant]family

Branded hashtag best practices: - Keep it short and memorable - Make it unique (check availability) - Easy to spell and type - Reflects brand personality - Promote consistently - Use on all posts

Building branded hashtag usage: - Include in bio and all posts - Encourage customers to use it - Feature user content using hashtag - Run contests requiring hashtag - Display hashtag in restaurant

A restaurant found that creating and promoting a branded hashtag (#[restaurant]eats) and featuring customer content increased user-generated content by 234% over 6 months and created a sense of community, with customers actively using the hashtag and feeling part of the brand.

How and where you place hashtags affects performance. Research from Later shows that hashtag placement (caption vs. first comment) doesn't significantly impact reach, but formatting does affect readability.

Placement options: - In caption: Visible, part of content - First comment: Cleaner look, same reach - Both: Maximum visibility (not recommended)

Formatting best practices: - Group related hashtags - Use line breaks for readability - Hide in caption with line breaks - Keep caption clean, hashtags organized

Hashtag organization: - Group by category (location, cuisine, style) - Put most important first - Use line breaks between groups - Consider hiding with "..." and line breaks

A restaurant A/B tested hashtag placement and found no significant difference in reach between caption and first comment, but found that well-formatted hashtags (grouped, organized) received 15% more engagement, as followers found posts more readable and professional.

Regular tracking ensures your hashtag strategy stays effective. Research from the Restaurant Marketing Association shows that restaurants tracking hashtag performance see 2.1x better results than those who don't.

Metrics to track: - Reach from hashtags (Instagram Insights) - Profile visits from hashtags - Top performing hashtags - Hashtags driving most engagement - Discovery through hashtags

Tracking tools: - Instagram Insights (built-in, free) - Third-party tools (Sprout Social, Hootsuite) - Manual tracking spreadsheet

Optimization process: - Review hashtag performance weekly - Identify top and bottom performers - Replace underperforming hashtags - Test new hashtags regularly - Update hashtag sets monthly - Monitor hashtag trends

A restaurant found that monthly hashtag optimization (reviewing performance, updating sets, testing new tags) increased average post reach by 45% over 6 months, as the strategy evolved to focus on the most effective hashtags for their specific audience and content.

Avoiding common mistakes improves hashtag effectiveness. Research from Instagram shows that accounts using banned or irrelevant hashtags see 23% lower reach.

Mistakes to avoid: - Using banned hashtags (check before using) - Irrelevant hashtags (hurts algorithm ranking) - Too many hashtags (30 is max, but 10-20 is optimal) - Same hashtags every post (looks spammy) - Only popular hashtags (too competitive) - Only niche hashtags (limits reach) - Misspelled hashtags - Hashtags with special characters

Best practices: - Research before using new hashtags - Mix hashtag types and volumes - Rotate hashtag sets - Keep hashtags relevant to content - Monitor for banned hashtags - Test and optimize regularly

A restaurant found that cleaning up their hashtag strategy (removing banned tags, ensuring relevance, diversifying mix) increased average post reach by 34% and improved algorithm ranking, as Instagram better understood their content and showed it to relevant audiences.