Hashtags Aren’t Dead: Think of Them as SEO for Artists

Jan 28

Are hashtags dead? Nope, not even close. Sure, you can’t follow them anymore on Instagram or Facebook, and the algorithm feels like a chaotic carnival game, but hashtags are still one of the easiest ways to help your content get discovered. Think of them as tiny little signposts for your art, helping your audience find you in the vast, cluttered jungle of the internet.

Let’s be honest, though: Are your hashtags just a random collection of words you slap on your post at the last minute, like a garnish on a sad salad? Yeah, we’re not doing that anymore.

Stick with me, and I’ll show you how to treat hashtags like SEO keywords. You’ll research them, organize them, and use them to grow your audience. Bonus points: It’ll make you feel like you actually know what you’re doing on Instagram.

Why Hashtags Matter for Artists

Here’s the deal: hashtags are like little breadcrumbs that lead your audience to your art. They work by categorizing your content and making it easier for people to find you when they search for topics, styles, or communities they love. Think of hashtags as SEO for Instagram.

Let’s say you’re selling a Dark Academia-inspired print like me. The right hashtags (e.g., #DarkAcademiaArt, #MentalHealthReminder) ensure it ends up in front of the right people, not random folks who’d rather look at cat memes. Though, respect to cat memes.

Pro Tip: Research your hashtags! Look for ones with 100,000–1 million uses. Anything too small, and you’ll feel like you’re shouting into a void. Too big? You’re lost in a sea of influencers and repost accounts. It’s all about finding that sweet spot.

my personal Hashtag Strategy

Let’s get personal. Here’s a real example from my Dark Academia collection. One of my designs, called Say No, is a hand-drawn typography piece featuring the word “NO” trapped in a birdcage. It’s about saying yes when you mean no—because saying yes to things you hate is just polite self-sabotage, right? It’s black, gold, and white and sold as both a poster and a T-shirt.

So, how do I pick hashtags for something like this?

Style-Based Hashtags: These highlight the vibe and look of your piece.
- For Say No, I might use #DarkAcademiaArt, #TypographyPoster, or #HandLetteringLove.
Interest-Based Hashtags: These connect to the themes or messages in your art.
- Think #MentalHealthAwareness, #SettingBoundaries, or #BurnoutPrevention.
Audience-Based Hashtags: These focus on the people you want to reach.
- For example, #GothGirl, #SelfCareCommunity, or #AlternativeFashion.

Mixing these categories ensures your work gets in front of different types of people who would genuinely care about it. And let’s be honest, isn’t that what we all want?

Breaking Hashtags Into Three Groups (with Examples!)

Let’s dive deeper into Interest-Based, Style-Based, and Audience-Based hashtags using three different types of artists as examples.

1. Watercolor Artist Inspired by Nature

Interest-Based: #NatureInspiredArt, #ForestVibes, #BirdLovers.
Style-Based: #WatercolorArt, #LooseWatercolor, #NatureIllustration.
Audience-Based: #ArtCollectors, #NatureArtCommunity, #WildlifeLover.

2. Victorian-Style Dog Portrait Commissions

Interest-Based: #DogLovers, #PetParentLife, #VictorianStyle.
Style-Based: #VictorianPortrait, #TraditionalArt, #PetIllustration.
Audience-Based: #PetLoversOfInstagram, #DogMomLife, #PetArtCommission.

3. Bubbly Pink Positive Lettering Messages

Interest-Based: #PositiveVibesOnly, #DailyAffirmations, #SelfCareTips.
Style-Based: #BubbleLettering, #HandLetteredQuotes, #PastelAesthetic.
Audience-Based: #MentalHealthMatters, #StationeryAddict, #LetteringCommunity.

Notice how mixing up these categories broadens your reach? You’re targeting multiple interests and communities instead of pigeonholing yourself into just one.

The 5-8 Hashtag Rule

Here’s the golden rule: Stick to 5-8 hashtags per post. More than that, and you risk overwhelming the algorithm. But it’s not just about quantity, it’s about the right hashtags for your account size.

my own Formula for Hashtags:

Small Accounts (under 10K followers): Use hashtags with 10K–100K uses to target smaller, more engaged niches.
Growing Accounts (10K–50K followers): Focus on hashtags with 100K–500K uses for a broader reach.
Larger Accounts (50K+ followers): Incorporate hashtags with 500K–1M uses to scale up your visibility.

Pro Tip: Combine niche, mid-range, and broad hashtags to balance your reach. Think of it as a layered strategy—a little something for everyone.

Make Hashtags Part of Your Whole Content Strategy

Hashtags shouldn’t just live in your caption. They should sneak into every part of your content like Easter eggs in a Marvel movie.

In Captions: Use your hashtags as keywords woven naturally into your captions. For example, “This piece is for the #SelfCareCommunity—a reminder that saying ‘no’ isn’t rude; it’s self-preservation.”
In Hooks: Mention your hashtag categories to catch people’s attention. Example: “For everyone practicing #SettingBoundaries, this one’s for you.”
In Alt Text: Don’t sleep on this feature. Add keyword-rich alt text for accessibility and SEO boosts. For example, “Hand-drawn Dark Academia typography poster featuring the word ‘NO’ in a birdcage.”

Need Help? Plan Your Hashtags Ahead of Time

If you’re ready to get organized, check out my Artisan Reset Planner. Here’s how it helps:

Learn how to create hashtag groups that align with your content pillars.
Map out a monthly social media schedule so you’re not scrambling for ideas.
Plan, shoot, edit, and schedule your content all in the first week of the month—leaving you free to do what you love for the next three weeks.

Ready to level up? Grab the planner or book a coaching session.

Hashtags aren’t just a gimmick!

They’re a strategic tool to grow your art’s visibility. With the right mix of Style-Based, Interest-Based, and Audience-Based hashtags, you’ll stop shouting into the void and start reaching the people who matter.

So, what are you waiting for? Try these tips with your next post, and let me know how it goes. And hey, if you need more help, you know where to find me!

Dean Rodriguez

Every day I combine my 10 years of design experience to create lettering that entertains, engages and inspires a community near you. The kind of design that’s custom-made to attract your audience through the combination of beautiful letters and handmade illustration.

Over the past five years, hand lettering has been the primary focus of my career. What started as a hobby drawing letters for a few hours every day, quickly turned into a full-time passion doing client work for companies like American Greetings, Wacom, and Penguin Books.

Since 2013, I’ve worked with over 300 carefully selected clients working on everything from apparel design to chalk murals for businesses all over the United States.

Early on I started teaching everything I know on lettering and freelance so I could better understand my craft to help others do the same. I started blogging, writing books, and began to live stream my work on Twitch twice a week so I could build a creative community around my hand lettering.

Fast forward to today, and I’ve named 2017 as the year of art education for my brand. I’ll be traveling the country teaching lettering and the business of illustration at design conferences like Creative South and Design Week Portland. I also recently landed an opportunity at the Pacific College of Fine Arts teaching Illustrated Lettering once a week.

All this teaching means I’ll be devoting my time and skills to just one new client a month. So if you are looking for an artist with a broad range of lettering styles with a proven track record of happy customers, then I invite you to fill out my Project Questionnaire to get started on your next creative idea.

https://womenofillustration.com