How to Discover and Be Discovered

Hashtags are your gateway to discovery on LavishMade. Used strategically, they help you find creations that resonate with you and help others discover your work. This guide covers how to use hashtags effectively for both discovery and visibility.

Discovering Creations You Love

The best way to find creations that speak to you is through strategic exploration of interests and hashtags:

Start with Broad Interests, Then Narrow Down

Begin your discovery journey with broader interests, then explore more specific tags:

• Broad first: Start with general interests like #photography or #writing to see what's out there
• Get specific: Then explore more niche tags like #filmphotography or #poetry to find your community
• Follow the trail: Click hashtags you see in posts you love to discover related interests
• Heart what resonates: When you find interests that align with your passions, heart them to curate your feed

Explore Trending and Active Interests

Look for interests that have active communities:

• Check interest pages to see how many creations are available
• Look for interests with recent posts - active communities mean more discovery opportunities
• Browse featured interests to find curated collections
• Use the search function to find interests related to topics you care about

Follow Creators You Discover

When you find creations you love through interests:

• Follow creators whose work resonates with you
• Subscribe to creators you want to support
• Heart their creations to save them for later
• Engage authentically - leave meaningful comments and connect

Being Discovered: Strategic Hashtag Use

To help others discover your creations, use hashtags thoughtfully and strategically:

Use Relevant Hashtags

The most important rule: only use hashtags that actually relate to your creations:

• Be honest: Don't tag your creations with popular hashtags that don't relate to them - this hurts discovery for everyone
• Be specific: Use tags that accurately describe your creation's topic, style, or theme
• Think like a searcher: What hashtags would someone use to find creations like yours?
• Quality over quantity: 3-5 well-chosen hashtags are better than 10 irrelevant ones

Mix Broad and Niche Tags

A strategic mix of hashtags helps you reach different audiences:

• Broad tags: Use 1-2 broader tags (like #photography) to reach a wider audience
• Niche tags: Use 2-3 specific tags (like #35mmfilm or #streetphotography) to find your specific community
• Community tags: Include tags that your community uses (like #quietweb or #indieweb)
• Style tags: Tag your aesthetic or style (like #minimalist or #vintage)

Example: A film photography post might use: #photography #35mmfilm #streetphotography #analog #quietweb

Research What Your Community Uses

Before posting, explore what hashtags your community is using:

• Browse interest pages related to your creations to see what tags others use
• Look at posts from creators you admire - what hashtags do they use?
• Check interest pages to see which tags are most active
• Use tags that your target audience would search for

Create Consistent Tagging Patterns

Develop a consistent tagging strategy for your creations:

• Core tags: Use 2-3 tags consistently across your creations to build your presence in those interests
• Creation-specific tags: Add tags specific to each piece of work
• Your style: Include tags that represent your unique style or perspective
• Be discoverable: Think about how people might search for your type of creation

Tag Placement Matters

Where and how you place hashtags can affect discovery:

• In post content: Hashtags in your post content become clickable links and are more discoverable
• In tag fields: For blog posts and deep dives, use the tag field for cleaner presentation
• Natural integration: When possible, integrate hashtags naturally into your writing
• End of post: You can also add hashtags at the end of your post for organization

Building Your Presence in Interests

Consistently using relevant hashtags helps you build a presence in specific interests:

Focus on 3-5 Core Interests

Rather than spreading yourself thin, focus on a few key interests:

• Choose interests that align with your creations and values
• Consistently tag your creations with these core interests
• Engage authentically with others in those interest communities
• Build relationships within those communities

Engage with Interest Communities

Being discovered isn't just about tagging - it's about being part of the community:

• Comment meaningfully on creations in interests you care about
• Share and repost creations from creators in your interests
• Connect with people who share your passions
• Support creators whose work you admire

Common Hashtag Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common pitfalls that hurt discovery:

Don't Over-Tag

• Using too many hashtags (10+) makes your content look spammy
• Focus on quality, relevant tags rather than quantity
• 3-5 well-chosen hashtags are more effective than 20 random ones

Don't Use Irrelevant Tags

• Tagging with popular but irrelevant hashtags hurts your credibility
• People looking for those creations won't engage with unrelated posts
• It makes discovery harder for everyone

Don't Ignore Niche Communities

• Smaller, niche interests often have more engaged communities
• You're more likely to be discovered in a smaller, focused interest than a massive one
• Niche communities value authentic content more

Don't Set and Forget

• Review your hashtag strategy periodically
• See which tags are helping you get discovered
• Adjust based on what's working and what your community is using

Discovery Best Practices

• Be authentic: Use hashtags that genuinely represent your creations and values
• Be patient: Building presence in interests takes time - focus on quality creations and consistent engagement
• Be part of the community: Discovery isn't just about being found - it's about connecting with people who share your interests
• Explore regularly: Check out new interests and hashtags to discover fresh creations and communities
• Heart strategically: Heart interests that align with what you create and what you want to see
• Engage meaningfully: Leave thoughtful comments, share work you love, and build genuine connections

Examples: Strategic Hashtag Use

For a Photography Blog Post

Good strategy:

• #photography (broad)
• #streetphotography (specific style)
• #35mmfilm (specific medium)
• #quietweb (community tag)

For a Writing Post

Good strategy:

• #writing (broad)
• #poetry (specific form)
• #creativewriting (community)
• #indieweb (community tag)

For a Deep Dive Collection

Good strategy:

• #art (broad category)
• #contemporaryart (specific style)
• #curation (type of content)
• #deepdive (content type)