This is a guest post by Julie Gebhardt.

When I joined Instagram two years ago, I had no idea what a hashtag was, or why I would want to use one. Now my nickname is Queen of tags and I will tell you why I think they are so fun, and how to use them yourself.

When you add a descriptive hashtag (which is the # sign plus a keyword like #clouds) to a photo on Instagram, it puts your photo in a gallery of similarly tagged images. There are several benefits to doing this. When you view the gallery by clicking on the tag you will see many wonderful images grouped by theme.

This is a great way to discover new photographers you might choose to follow. It also gives your own photo greater exposure by letting it be seen by people outside your circle of regular followers. Plus, it’s a nice way to look at pictures by theme instead of just by looking through your feed. It helps train your eye about composition, colour, subjects, and more.

Try starting your own hashtag

Once you see the fun of using hashtags on your pictures, you might want to start a new tag yourself. Choose your theme and think of a name for it, then search to see if anyone has already claimed that tag name by clicking on the explore tab in IG, and then using the search bar to see if your potential tag is in use.

Once you find a tag name that hasn’t been used by anyone, tag one of your own photos with it. This establishes you as the hashtag originator. Now the fun begins, as you look for photos in your theme and invite people to add your tag to their photo.

It’s a great way to meet new people. And although you can add up to 30 tags on your own photo, you can only suggest tags to other people. To add their photo to the gallery, they must write the tag themselves.

Tags build a great sense of community

In my two years on Instagram I have created 40 tags, half on my own and half in partnership with other IGers. Collaborating on a tag with someone who shares your enthusiasm for the theme is so fun. It builds a great sense of community.

Since my focus is on detail and colour, many of my tags reflect this focus, such as #keyholelove, #hingelove, and #iseedoorbells. These tags show a colourful backdrop with the hardware as a focal point. What I like so much about starting and building a hashtag is the way it affects my photowalks, turning them into a scavenger hunt.

Creating and using hashtags is a great way to expand your creativity and increase your sociability on Instagram.

Julie Gebhardt is a hairstylist living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Active on Instagram for 2 years, all photos are shot on her iPhone. Co- creator of @all_great_tags, an account for introducing and promoting hashtags on Instagram. They have featured over 400 tags and have more than 2000 followers.