Gender Differences in Instagram Hashtag Use

TLDR

Instagram hashtag use reflects gendered communication patterns, yet the influence of uses‑and‑gratifications and James–Lange emotion theory on these patterns remains underexplored. This study investigates gender differences in Instagram hashtag use by applying uses‑and‑gratifications and James–Lange emotion theory. The authors analyzed 1,382 Instagram posts containing #Malaysianfood, categorizing each post as informative or emotional and as positive or negative. The analysis revealed that female users employ more emotional and positive hashtags, that a higher hashtag count correlates with increased followers and likes, and that positive and negative hashtag usage signals high satisfaction with Malaysian foods, thereby extending Instagram and gender‑behavior literature and suggesting that brands should tailor hashtag strategies to gender preferences.

Abstract

This article draws on two theories—uses and gratification and the James–Lange theory of emotion—to investigate gender differences in Instagram hashtag use. The study content analyzes 1,382 Instagram posts with the hashtag #Malaysianfood and categorizes them as informative/emotional and positive/negative. The results show that compared to male users, female users tend to use emotional and positive hashtag descriptions. This study also finds a positive relationship between the number of hashtags used and both the number of followers and likes. Finally, the results suggest a high satisfaction with Malaysian foods based on the number of positive and negative hashtags. Academically, this study adds to the limited Instagram and hashtag literature, expands the online gender behavior literature to hashtags, and introduces hashtag sentiment to measure user satisfaction. Companies should consider gender preferences in Instagram, and other social media, hashtag use to attract and keep target customers.