Customer-Conversation Hashtag Segmentation
Build topic-specific hashtag sets around what customers actually discuss.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 94%
Customer-Conversation Hashtag Segmentation begins with the behavior of the dream customer rather than the identity of the seller. The creator researches what that customer discusses, searches, follows, and does on Instagram, then maps those conversations to recurring content themes. A distinct hashtag set is built for each theme, such as a product category, location, event type, or subject appearing in the image. Before publishing, the creator selects the segment that accurately reflects the post and removes tags that do not describe its content. This avoids both irrelevant trend hijacking and mechanically repeating the same list. The mechanism is conversation entry: relevant hashtags place useful content near an existing customer interest, allowing the business to participate without immediately selling.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show during a live question about finding the best hashtags for a brand.
Core principles
- 01Choose hashtags from the customer’s perspective.
- 02Relevant difficulty is a better signal than effortless hashtag selection.
- 03Every hashtag should reflect the actual post.
- 04Different content themes require different hashtag sets.
- 05Enter existing conversations by contributing useful content rather than selling.
How to run it
- 1
Adopt the customer’s perspective
Describe your dream customer’s interests, behavior, and likely Instagram conversations. Search as that person would search rather than as your business would advertise.
Pro tip Write down phrases the customer uses naturally before opening a hashtag tool.
Watch out Industry-insider terminology may differ from customer language.
- 2
Inventory recurring subjects
List the subjects that regularly appear in your content. Treat each recurring subject as a potential hashtag segment.
Pro tip Use categories broad enough to reuse but specific enough to remain relevant.
Watch out One universal segment will become inaccurate across varied posts.
- 3
Build segmented hashtag sets
Research and save a distinct set of hashtags for each recurring subject. Favor tags connected to genuine customer interests and conversations.
Pro tip Maintain the sets in a reusable note or planning tool.
Watch out Do not select tags merely because they are easy to find or broadly popular.
- 4
Match the set to the post
Choose the segment that reflects what appears in the image or content. Remove any tag that cannot be honestly connected to the post.
Pro tip Perform a final relevance check immediately before publishing.
Watch out Unrelated celebrity or trend hashtags can attract the wrong attention and undermine trust.
- 5
Contribute without selling
Use the post to add something useful, interesting, or emotionally resonant to the selected conversation. Let relevance introduce the brand before making an offer.
Pro tip Ask whether a non-customer would still value the post.
Watch out Entering a conversation with an immediate pitch can feel intrusive.
In the wild
Jasmine described keeping a list of Maltese-related hashtags for photographs of her dog. Rather than applying an identical brand-wide list, she uses a set tied to the actual subject in the photograph.
→ The hashtags accurately connect the post with people interested in that specific subject.
A photographer creates separate hashtag sets for venues, bridal hairstyles, engagement sessions, and local wedding planning. For a hairstyle-focused post, she chooses the relevant style and location set instead of repeating her general photography tags.
→ Each post enters a more relevant customer conversation and attracts better-matched discovery.
Common mistakes
Using the same hashtags everywhere
A fixed list cannot accurately describe every post and may appear mechanical. Segmenting by subject preserves relevance.
Choosing irrelevant popular tags
A popular celebrity or trend tag does not become appropriate merely because it offers reach. The hashtag must reflect the content itself.
Thinking only like the seller
Customers may not search for the business category directly. Researching their broader interests reveals the conversations where useful content can meet them.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for Instagram marketers who publish across several recurring topics and want more relevant discovery.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for posts whose discovery strategy does not depend on hashtags or audience conversations.
From the transcript
“What I have done to find it the most efficacious for me is to take time and build out segments of hashtags.”
“The hashtag must reflect what is in the photo itself.”
“Figure out what he or she is talking and doing, and insert yourself into conversation. Not by selling up, by creating content.”
From the episode
How To Build An Unforgettable Brand