\nImportant things to remember about hashtags:<\/strong> You can use up to 30, but shouldn\u2019t use more than three or four if you want to stay relevant. They\u2019re searchable. Check potentially controversial hashtags before you use them \u2013 you don\u2019t want to accidentally make your Sunday picnic part of a political conversation!<\/p>\n
Follow Hashtags<\/h3>\n
You can choose to follow specific hashtags on Instagram, so that any post which contains the hashtag you\u2019re following will show up in your feed.
\nInstagram Stories
\nThe little round circles with your friend\u2019s faces in them which appear at the top of your feed are called stories. You can choose to make your posts stories by selecting \u201cadd to my story\u201d. Stories only last 24 hours and then they disappear from the net forever. It\u2019s kind of like snapchat, and allows you to play with stickers and other similar \u201cCute\u201d features. You can also add 15 second videos to your story.<\/p>\n
Mentions<\/h3>\n
You can post \u201cat\u201d your friend or other Instagram users by using the \u201c@\u201d symbol followed by their handle or Instagram name. This will then make your post show up in their notifications.<\/p>\n
Tags<\/h3>\n
A tag is not the same as a mention. A tag lets you pinpoint specific people in your photos or video. A tag will show up in the tagged person\u2019s profile, in the \u201ctagged\u201d section. If someone tags you without your permission you can choose to remove the tag if you wish.<\/p>\n
IG Live<\/h3>\n
IG Live is Instagram\u2019s live video feature. It appears in the stories section of your feed and does just what it sounds like: It allows you send live video content to your audience. As soon as your live video is finished it will disappear.<\/p>\n
Highlights<\/h3>\n
You can choose to save a few of your stories on your profile as highlighted stories. This allows them to live longer than the usual 24 hours as part of your personal profile, but won\u2019t appear in the story section of anyone else\u2019s feed after the 24 hours are up.<\/p>\n
DM<\/h3>\n
DM stands for \u201cDirect Message\u201d. You may have noticed that you can\u2019t share someone else\u2019s photos on Insta the way you can on Facebook. DM lets you share images or posts from other users with specific people. You can also chat and reply via DM much as you can on any other Social Media platform.<\/p>\n
Mute<\/h3>\n
If you don\u2019t want to see someone\u2019s posts anymore, but you don\u2019t want to unfollow them either, then you can choose to mute them. You\u2019ll still be connected, but you won\u2019t see their stories and posts anymore unless you choose to visit their profile.<\/p>\n
Hide your Story<\/h3>\n
So you\u2019ve taken a sick day and don\u2019t want your co-workers seeing your beach story? You can choose to hide your story from specific people. When inside the stories editing page, click the settings icon and go to \u201chide story from\u201d then select who to hide your story from.<\/p>\n
Block<\/h3>\n
You can block anyone on Instagram, just like you can on other platforms. This will ensure that the blocked person can\u2019t see your posts or your profile anymore, nor any posts that you\u2019re tagged in.<\/p>\n
Report<\/h3>\n
See something nasty on your Instagram feed? Report it. Instagram will review your report and take action as needed.<\/p>\n
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