A hashtag is simply a label that tells the platform what your post is about. When someone searches for or follows a hashtag, they see posts that use it.
The goal is to use hashtags that are specific enough to reach the right people but popular enough to have an audience. Very generic hashtags like #fundraising have millions of posts — your content gets buried instantly. Very niche hashtags have almost no audience.
The sweet spot is medium-sized, relevant hashtags that connect you with people who are genuinely interested in what you are doing.
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Hashtags that work for expedition fundraisers
Here are hashtag categories that work well for teen expedition fundraisers on Instagram:
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Destination hashtags: #borneo #kilimanjaro #tanzania #nepal — people interested in these places will find your content
How many hashtags to use: On Instagram, 5–10 well-chosen hashtags outperform 30 generic ones. On TikTok, 3–5 is usually enough. Quality beats quantity.
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When to post for maximum reach
Timing matters. Here are the best times to post for a UK teen audience:
Weekends: 10am–12pm and 7–9pm tend to perform well
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Consistency: Posting 3–4 times per week consistently outperforms posting 10 times one week and nothing the next
Use Instagram Insights (available on a Creator or Business account) to see when your specific followers are most active — this data is more valuable than any general advice.
✏️ Your task — build your hashtag list
Open a notes app and create a list of 10–15 hashtags that are relevant to your specific expedition. Include destination hashtags, expedition hashtags, and fundraising hashtags. Save this list so you can use it on every post.
Perfect — save that list somewhere easy to find. In Lesson 5, you will learn how to use Stories and Reels to reach even more people and keep your existing followers engaged.