Hashtags are words or phrases that start with a # sign and help you group your social media posts by topic. They have many benefits for social media users and marketers, such as reaching more people, joining or starting conversations, showing off your brand, and tracking and measuring your results.
But how do you use hashtags effectively? Here are some tips and best practices for using hashtags on different social media platforms.
Reaching More People with Hashtags
Hashtags help your posts show up when people look for a certain topic, theme, or event. This can help you grow your audience and get new followers or customers. To use hashtags well, you should:
- Use words or phrases that match your content and your target audience. For example, if you are a travel blogger, you can use hashtags like #travel, #wanderlust, #bucketlist, or #travelgram to attract people who are interested in travel
- Check how popular and competitive different hashtags are and choose the ones that have a lot of engagement and not too many posts
- Don’t use too many hashtags or irrelevant hashtags. This can make your posts look spammy and reduce your reach. For example, don’t use hashtags like #follow4follow, #like4like, or #instagood, as they are overused and not specific to your content
Joining or Starting Conversations with Hashtags
Hashtags let you join or start discussions around a certain topic, theme, or event. This can help you connect with your existing audience, share your thoughts or tips, and make friends with other users or influencers. To use hashtags well, you should:
- Use catchy and interesting phrases that make people curious and want to join in. For example, you can use hashtags like #AskMeAnything, #DidYouKnow, #ProTip, or #FunFact to start a conversation with your followers
- Follow the conversations around your hashtags and reply to comments and questions. This can help you build relationships and trust with your audience. Use online tools to monitor and manage your hashtag interactions
- Don’t hijack trending hashtags or use them for unrelated purposes. This can damage your reputation and annoy your audience
Showing Off Your Brand with Hashtags
Hashtags can help you show your brand personality, values, and voice. You can use hashtags to show what makes your brand special, promote your products or services, or create a catchy slogan or tagline for your brand. To use hashtags well, you should:
- Use consistent and unique hashtags that show your brand identity and message. For example, you can use hashtags like #JustDoIt for Nike, #ShareACoke for Coca-Cola, or #BecauseYoureWorthIt for L’Oreal to reinforce your brand slogan
- Encourage your customers and fans to use your branded hashtags and share their content on your profile. This can help you generate user-generated content (UGC), which is more authentic and engaging than branded content. For example, you can use hashtags like #AerieReal for Aerie, #MyCalvins for Calvin Klein, or #RedCupContest for Starbucks to collect UGC from your customers
- Don’t use generic or common hashtags that are not related to your brand. This can make your posts look boring and unoriginal. For example, don’t use hashtags like #love, #happy, or #photooftheday, as they are too vague and not specific to your brand
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