Since Twitter introduced the hashtag in 2007, social media posting has been completely transformed. Hashtags play a huge role when you post something new as they make your posts easily discoverable. In addition to that, hashtags bring more interaction. According to statistics, Instagram posts with at least one hashtag, tend to increase interactions by 29%.
Now that we established the fact that hashtags can be used as a marketing tool it’s time to learn more about them. Hashtags play different roles on different social media channels and that’s why we are here to shed some light on that topic.
If you are looking to expand your knowledge on hashtags and learn how to use them effectively across all social media platforms, read on as we are going to delve deep and share useful tips.
Keep it short and simple
You probably heard about the KISS principle and that principle applies here the most. Hashtags that are too long and hard to spell aren’t that effective. Always make sure that your hashtags don’t exceed more than ten characters.
You can always check what’s trending so that you create/use hashtags that are relevant to your audience. Additionally, you can make use of online tools to help you up your hashtag game. For example, you can improve your hashtag strategy with a reliable hashtag generation Instagram tool that will quickly identify the most relevant hashtags for your industry and content. Gone are the guessing days, simply insert the keywords and post away with captivating hashtags.
Regardless of the platform, try to use pertinent hashtags that speak to your audience and let you expand your reach.
Make a small background check
We lost count of how many times we have seen hashtags being used incorrectly and interpreted negatively. Open up the search bar, get your analytic tools and start the background check.
Take a look at the people using that hashtag for and how they are responding, is it offensive, and can it be interpreted negatively? If the answer is no, you are free to use that hashtag and boost your reach.
Make your own
We’ve talked about hashtags created by other people, now it’s time to talk about unique and branded hashtags. The branded hashtag should always be associated with your business, it can even be your business name. If you want to get creative, create a tagline and use that as a hashtag.
After you have created your unique hashtag, check the feed daily to see the reputation surrounding that hashtag. Now that you know how to monitor your brand’s reputation via hashtags, you can acknowledge the positive posts and address any complaints in a timely manner.
Different channels, different strategies
The rule of thumb when using hashtags is to avoid generic ones, but there are some other factors to consider depending on the platform:
The birthplace of the hashtag is very conservative when it comes to characters. 280 characters per post are not enough and you don’t want to go overboard with hashtags. Stick to no more than two hashtags per Tweet as that allows for a better engagement.
Instagram is more liberal when it comes to hashtags. With a limit of 30 hashtags per post, we can conclude that hashtags are the driving force behind Instagram; however, using 30 hashtags can seem a bit exaggerated. Keep it under 10 so that the audience isn’t overwhelmed and will actually remember your hashtag choices for future recognition.
Facebook isn’t really known for the usage of hashtags but they still serve some purpose there. Hashtags can make posts on Facebook easily searchable, but remember to use only one or two hashtags on Facebook as more than this number can be annoying for some Facebook users.
Let the hashtag do the work
When a hashtag develops to new heights and becomes associated with your brand, it’s time to take the next step. Your audience loves the hashtags you use and relates to them. You can feature photos of your followers with a sign that has the hashtag written on it or you can hand out brochures or even design your own merch that contains your hashtag.
Final thoughts
Different goals require different hashtags. With the proper help of keywords and a generator, you can boost hashtag effectiveness so that your posts regularly pop up on everyone’s feed. It’s not wrong to take a look at what others are doing so that you get the creativity flowing. Let the hashtags do the work and watch as your content grows in popularity.