How to Use Hashtags Effectively on Social Media?
What is a Hashtag?
A hashtag is simply the pound sign (#) in front of a word, words or phrase you use to categorize your social media update. Social platforms hyperlink them, so if used properly they can make your posts more visible. If a user searches for a social media hashtag or clicks on one it brings up updates that contain the same hashtag. For example, for a social media update about this blog post, I could tag it with #SocialMediaMarketing or #HashtagTips. Anyone who searches for these tags or clicks on one in another social media post will be able to find this article.
Why use Hashtags?
There are a number of reasons why you want to use social media hashtags in social media.
Hashtags help you get found by your target audience. When you use hashtags, your posts become searchable by anyone on that digital platform. Many people search specific hashtags, so by using hashtags that are of interest to your ideal customer, you increase the chances of being found.
Hashtags improve your clickthrough rates (CTR). According to research from Buddy Media, tweets with hashtags receive twice as much engagement as those that don’t. Put another way, you can double your engagement and increase clickthrough rates by including hashtags.
Hashtags are great for research. If you are doing digital research, it’s easy to find great and relevant marketing content by searching specific hashtags. I’ve found that tweets with hashtags are generally more focused on a topic than a tweet that just mentions the phrase.
Hashtags bring like-minded people together. Users with similar interests are able to interact with one another on social media; when they search hashtags of their interests, they are able to join a bigger conversation, and connect with others on that topic.
Different types of hashtags
Content Hashtags – As the name suggests, these are hashtags related to your content or industry. They are not trending or brand-specific and they are your best way to join new conversations and reach new users.
Trending Hashtags – Trending hashtags are related to a recent popular conversation. These can help you increase your reach but be careful with joining trending hashtags. Make sure you do your research to find out why something is trending before you start using the tag so you don’t misinterpret why something is trending which can lead to some major social media blunders.
Branded Hashtags – Branded hashtags are your brand’s hashtag that you create and use. It’s important you encourage your audience to use them as well. You can use these on all of your posts or you can create event or promotion-specific hashtags too.
How To Use Social Media Hashtags On Twitter
Twitter has forever changed the way people see the hashtag symbol (does anyone even call it a pound sign anymore?). Here are some things to keep in mind when using them on this platform.
- Hashtags using relevant words relating to broad topics allow you to break up information into smaller chunks, making the most out of a social media platform that thrives on brevity.
- You can use as many hashtags as you want (within the character limit of course), but Twitter’s help section recommends using no more than two in an update.
How To Use Social Media Hashtags On Facebook
Although Facebook allows hashtags, this social media platform is the one you want to be the most selective about using them on.
- Trending hashtags on the platform are typically created by influencers and brands since most people have their personal accounts set to private.
- Use up to three specific hashtags per update and place them at the end of the post. Doing this will catalog your message without having the tags distract from what you have to say.
How To Use Social Media Hashtags On LinkedIn
- Place hashtags at the end of your update, keeping your main message clean without the distraction.
- In general, stick to three relevant hashtags at the most. Again, this is a site for career and business marketing interactions; don’t muddle up your post with a bunch of random tags.
- If you need ideas for which hashtags to use, keep an eye out for LinkedIn’s suggestions when you write your post. They’ll appear underneath the social media update itself.
How To Use Social Media Hashtags On TikTok
- Mix popular hashtags with less competitive ones to get the most views.
- Use five to seven hashtags per video.
- Use the Discover feature on TikTok to search for hashtags that are trending.