Serge's Bag o' Trix: iOS Shortcut for Randomized Hashtags List

Get a Random Set of Hashtags

I'm lazy. I'd rather spend a bit of time automating repetitive tasks once so it saves me work later. I'm currently testing out how IG's algos respond to randomizing my hashtags rather than using the same ones in every post.

If you're an iOS user, you can create a Shortcut, then link it to a Siri command. This lets me grab my hashtags mid-workflow even if the app doesn't support share/action extensions (like Buffer). I know some apps, like Preview, have hashtag groupings, but you still have to maintain those groupings manually.

With my iOS Shortcut, I grab a random set of hashtags from a list. iOS Shortcuts still can't grab items from Notes (or external files), so, unfortunately, I have to create the list inside the Shortcut itself. Not ideal, but workable for now until they update additional Notes/Files actions.

Please note that I make sure the resulting hashtags are relevant for my post. Any that aren't, I delete. It's not a good idea to keyword/hashtag spam your posts. I also add hashtags that might be pertinent to the post that aren't in my source list.

You'll notice from the video I'm mid-workflow in Buffer, issue a command to Siri, which grabs a random set of hashtags, and places them in my clipboard. Then I just paste. Compare the two sets of business hashtags and you'll see they're different, from the same command to Siri.

I have different Siri commands for different hashtag lists. For example, I have travel ones that I use for my @GEEXnomad IG account.

Okay, my geekitude went over 9,000 on this post. Give it up, though, you know that's dope.

Click here to get my iOS Shortcut - Get Random Hashtags.