If there’s one thing we all know about this industry, it’s that Instagram is not a fan of cannabis. Everything from its algorithm to its privacy controls is on the lookout for cannabis-related content. Your Instagram account is just waiting to be suspended or shut down. Something as small as a cannabis hashtag will do the trick.
Social media user figures 2022
According to various statistics, around 80% of the population in Germany use the internet, which corresponds to an increase of around 2% compared to the previous year. Of these internet users, around 65% use social media. This corresponds to around 50 million users.
Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in Germany with 47 million users. However, the number of users has been stagnating for several years. In contrast, Instagram continues to grow rapidly and now has 32 million users in Germany.
So overall, Instagram offers a unique opportunity for companies in the cannabis industry to reach their audience and build their business, as long as they adhere to Instagram’s guidelines and the legal regulations in Germany.
Hashtags in social media
From established platforms like Instagram and Twitter to newer ones like TikTok, hashtags are an important part of social media strategy. Clicking on a hashtag takes you to a gallery or feed of posts that use that particular hashtag.
Hashtags give users the ability to explore related posts and connect with others who share the same interests. In other words: When you use the right hashtags for your brand, your content becomes searchable. It can be discovered by new audiences, leading to growth for your account. Not so with “cannabis” as a hashtag on Instagram.
Since its launch in 2010, the app has made constant changes to the best practices of using hashtags.
Instagram bans and hides some political hashtags
The app has launched a new wave of commitment to security and privacy. Since the 2020 US elections, Instagram has banned and hidden hashtags to stop the spread of false information and content.
Instagram’s intention may be right, but the censorship of hashtags has created a barrier for creators. Those in more restricted industries, such as cannabis, face challenges.
The use of banned hashtags and the consequences
If you use a banned hashtag – be it #cannabis or #weed – your post will be prevented from being displayed to your followers and other app users. Using banned hashtags can also internally flag your account based on its content.
Combined with Instagram’s newer features, such as sensitive content control, using the wrong hashtag could result in your post receiving little attention.
Which hashtags should cannabis accounts use?
Choosing the right cannabis hashtags on Instagram is half the battle. As a cannabis marketing network, we’ve seen it all on social media and recommend regularly researching suitable hashtags, for example.
Forbidden hashtags
Here is a selection of hashtags that (currently) may not be used on Instagram.
- #weed #weedporn
- #instaweed
- #cannabis
- #lemonkushheadband
They have a very clear cannabis reference, so it’s not surprising that they are banned.
But there are also some exotic ones, such as #lemonkushheadband. In this case, a post was reported in which exactly this keyword was used.
Permitted hashtags
Then there are also hashtags where you would think that they are also not possible. These would be the following, for example.
- #weedlover #weedgrower #weedforlive #weedstyle #weedfamily #weedcommunity
- #germanweed #frenshweed
- #cannabislover
- #thc #cbd
A pattern quickly becomes clear here. You can simply take a banned hashtag like #weed and add any word you like.
It works in theory, but is of little use in practice. The reason is that although we have a huge selection of hashtags, none of them are established and used more frequently.
Even if these hashtags are allowed and become established, if you search for them, you’ll see more memes and hardly any cannabis.
Instagram therefore filters on various levels and really does everything it can to display as little cannabis content as possible.
Trendy hashtags
Always keep an eye on popular and relevant hashtags in the community. A classic example from the last few months:
- #bubatz
So we have Christian Lindner to thank for a legal hashtag that everyone knows what it is about and which can be used without restriction.
But here, too, the content that is displayed tends to be meme- or Lindner-heavy.
Boom in broccoli emojis
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our former Drugs Commissioner Daniela Ludwig. She did the industry a huge favor with her statement in 2020: “Because alcohol is dangerous, cannabis is not broccoli.”
Of course, Insragram does not allow any flowers to be shown, let alone advertised. So they are happy for any symbolism that can be legally depicted and is directly related to cannabis.
The broccoli-cannabis comparison is not new, of course, but she has revived and further consolidated it. But back to the hashtags.
Longtail hashtag reserach
Hashtags work in a similar way to SEO keyword research. Not only do they help you brainstorm content ideas, but you can also find out which cannabis hashtags are popular and therefore which products and trends are trending.
For example, let’s say you want to promote your CBD anti-wrinkle cream on Instagram.
If you use the hashtag #cbd, you’re competing with 13.2 million other posts. Using #cbdcreme, on the other hand, not only makes you more specific, but you’re only competing with just over 1,000 other posts. With #cbdfalten it’s even less than 100 posts.
In this case, the “most popular” hashtag is not always worthwhile.
Our conclusion about Cannabis Hashtag
The use of cannabis hashtags on Instagram should be taken with a grain of salt. Instagram bans and hides some political hashtags to stop the spread of false information and content. Those in more restricted industries, such as the cannabis industry, face challenges. If one uses a banned hashtag, the post will not only not be shown to their followers, but also to other Instagram users. In addition, this can lead to the blocking or closure of the Instagram account.
Therefore, cannabis accounts should use the right hashtags that do not directly address the industry but are still related to it. Careful research into appropriate hashtags can be helpful. Although some hashtags such as #weedlover or #cannabislover are allowed, they are not particularly effective as they are rarely used.
Contact person for social media
The use of Instagram nevertheless remains a unique opportunity for companies in the cannabis industry to reach their audience and build their business, as long as they adhere to Instagram’s guidelines and the legal regulations in Germany.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us.
Contact us at
hi@420mkt.com
