Hashtag Strategy: Amplifying Your Reach
Discover the power of an effective hashtag strategy.
You’ve likely invested considerable time and effort into your social media marketing. However, the question still remains: How can you make your content stand out from the crowd?
Hashtags are the key to expanding your reach and connecting with a wider audience. If you’re looking to maximise your social reach and engagement, implementing an effective hashtag strategy is essential.
Let's delve deeper into the world of hashtags, understanding how they work, the ideal number of hashtags to use, leveraging search results, creating branded hashtags, and much more.
Benefits of using hashtags
Using hashtags in your social media posts can offer several advantages, including:
Increased content visibility
Improved search results placement
Enhanced engagement with social media algorithms
The primary advantage of utilising hashtags is that it enhances the visibility and discovery of content. When a hashtag is clicked, it directs users to a collection of content associated with the hashtag. By doing so, individuals can easily explore all related posts, making hashtags an effective method for locating content that aligns with their interests. Hashtags also attract followers within a specific niche and bolster a brand's image, aiding in reaching their desired target audience.
Through the utilisation of hashtags, you have the ability to connect with individuals who have a genuine interest in your content, resulting in increased rates of interaction. As indicated by Sprout Social, the algorithm strategically positions posts in the feeds of other users based on their engagement with the hashtags featured in your post.
Hashtags for different social platforms
In order to make the most of hashtags on different social media sites, it is crucial to understand the audience and proper manners for each platform. Each platform has its own unique guidelines.
While Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post, it may not be the most effective way to utilise your time or hashtag feature. It is recommended to keep the number of hashtags between 3 and 5 per post.
You can also place hashtags in your profile description as shown below. This would be a perfect place to add a branded hashtag (explained in more detail later) to promote and collect user-generated content.
While Facebook does offer the option to include hashtags, they are not as commonly utilised as on other social media platforms. Facebook users typically employ fewer hashtags, with some professionals and entrepreneurs claiming that they have limited effectiveness in comparison to Instagram.
Make the most of your time by restricting the number of hashtags on Facebook to just one or two per post.
Twitter is the pioneer of hashtags and arguably the most widely used platform to employ them. Nevertheless, incorporating hashtags in promotional tweets can be challenging and might result in the opposite outcome you desire, as it may not generate the desired level of interaction. A useful tip is to employ hashtags in Tweets that initiate a conversation.
For the simplest method, you can incorporate a hashtag in the middle of a sentence or place it at the end in order to promote conversation.
As an illustration, Apple generates a hashtag when discussing their event in order to prompt individuals to interact with the hashtag and discover associated posts.
Twitter recommends using two hashtags per tweet. Of course, you can use as many hashtags as you like, but this is best practice.
Using hashtags on LinkedIn is very easy. When you make an update or post on LinkedIn, you have the option to include hashtags in your content.
You also have the option to:
Utilise the platform's search bar to look for hashtags.
On the home page, the "news and views" section will display popular LinkedIn hashtags.
As you compose an update, LinkedIn will provide you with hashtag recommendations.
You can use as many hashtags as you want, but it is recommended to use between one and five. Remember that LinkedIn is a platform designed for professionals, so make sure that the hashtags you use align with the platform's purpose and do not include any offensive words.
TikTok
In the past few years, TikTok experienced a significant increase in its number of users. Similar to other social media platforms, TikTok utilises hashtags to categorise content and enhance its search-ability.
TikTok stands out because its users combine widely popular hashtags with specialised hashtags or branded hashtags, which attract a smaller but more dedicated audience.
For instance, Adidas utilise common hashtags like #exercise or #fitness in addition to their own brand hashtag, #Adidas.
In this image, Adidas is leveraging trending hashtags like #workout and #training alongside specialised hashtags like #lesmills and their own label, #Adidas.
TikTok's popular hashtags drive trends and challenges. Brands can tap into these hashtags to join viral trends, making their content more relatable and captivating for the platform's users. This can result in higher user engagement and content sharing.
When users see that a brand is actively participating in popular TikTok trends and challenges, it can create social proof that the brand is relevant, up-to-date and in touch with their audience.
Understanding How Hashtags Work
Hashtags are a way of labelling and categorising your content, allowing social platforms to serve your posts to a relevant target audience.
When you include hashtags in your posts, it allows your content to become searchable, appearing in relevant searches and explore pages. This leads to enhanced visibility and helps you reach a wider audience beyond your followers, which is particularly beneficial for small businesses who are trying to grow their following.
Leveraging Search Results
Before selecting relevant hashtags, make sure you understand what your target audience are searching for and how they go about it. Whilst it may be appealing to use popular hashtags that will expose your content to a larger audience, there is a chance of your content getting lost in the sea of posts. According to InstaSize, using niche and specific hashtags can help your posts reach a more engaged and targeted audience.
Creating Branded Hashtags
Branded hashtags is a phrase associated with your brand. They are unique to your business and help create a sense of community among your followers. This can be your business name, tagline, or a specific campaign name.
It should be a word or phrase that encourages your audience to get involved and use these hashtags when sharing content related to your brand. This fosters engagement and user-generated content as well as boosting your brand’s visibility. Ensure consistency by utilising branded hashtags across all social media platforms.
For example, Fenty Beauty - Rihanna makeup and skincare brand - started using the hashtag #fentyfam to make users feel part of a community and promote their experiences with Fenty products.
Target your Audience with Relevant Hashtags
Your hashtag strategy should be tailored to your target audience. This will enable your content to be found by the right people. Research and identify the hashtags that your audience are already following or using.
These could be related to their interests, industry or location. Take a look at your competitors, what hashtags are they using to reach their target audience? Consider incorporating these hashtags into your content and see how your posts’ performance changes.
Tap into Trending Hashtags
People are drawn to current topics and trends, especially Gen Z! Ensure that you stay current by incorporating trending hashtags into your posts, provided they are relevant to your delivered content. Trending hashtags can expose your posts to a wider audience and therefore attract new followers. However, just make sure that your use of trending hashtags align with your brand's voice and overall message.
The Explore Page: A Gateway to New Audiences
Strategically using the right hashtags can land your content on the Explore Page, a prime spot for gaining exposure. The Explore Page shows users recommendations such as photos and reels based on their interests and interactions to help them discover new things from accounts they do not follow.
By using relevant and popular hashtags, you increase the likelihood of your content being displayed on this page. By incorporating these hashtags into your content, there is a higher chance that users who employ the same hashtags or interact with posts featuring the same hashtags will encounter your content on the Explore Page.
Other Types of Hashtags
Location Hashtags
Using precise geotagging location hashtags is crucial for social media users. These hashtags enhance discoverability by allowing users to easily find your content based on location. They also help you connect with your local community. For example, #belfastfoodie combines location and topic, making it useful for those looking for food recommendations in Belfast. Such hashtags organize your content and boost discoverability.
National holiday hashtags
National holiday hashtags boost social media engagement by fostering connections, building communities, and raising awareness for social causes. Brands should choose relevant holidays, aligning with their goals and audience. For instance, Paramount+ celebrates #WorldPhotoDay, sparking conversations and user-generated content.
Utilise Social Media Tools
If you are stuck and want to find more hashtag options, tools such as Hootsuite Hashtag Generator and All Hashtag can generate hashtags based on a single keyword and description. These tools streamline the process of generating relevant hashtags by providing suggestions based on the information you provided.
Key Takeaway
A well-crafted hashtag strategy is key to amplifying your reach on social media. It’s not just about adding as many or random hashtags as you can to your posts; it's about strategically selecting the hashtags that are relevant and provide consistency.
By monitoring trends in your industry and use of hashtag generator tools, you can unlock the full potential of hashtags to connect with your target audience and boost your brand’s visibility. So, start refining your hashtag strategy today with these tips and tools.
Require further help? Get in touch with our team today and we can help you maximise your digital strategy.
