You might think you are creating great content that makes you different as an influencer competing with others in the industry, but if your hashtag game is weak, getting actual followers might quickly turn into a struggle. Hashtags are essentially what give you online visibility, and they are more or less everywhere. But how exactly do you use hashtags effectively?
It’s not just about slapping a few random words together and hoping for the best. Detailed research and a strategic approach are often in play, in addition, you need to think creatively.
In this guide, we will delve into the world of hashtags and uncover the secrets to utilizing them to their full potential. From understanding trending hashtags to creating your own unique ones, we’ll explore the best practices that will help you stand out from the crowd and mastering the hashtag game to increase your online visibility like never before.
How hashtags make you visible on different social media platforms
Hashtags have become an integral part of many different social media platforms, they allow users to categorize and discover content based on common themes or topics that they want to see. Each social media platform treats hashtags differently, and understanding how they work on each platform is crucial if you want to be visible online.
To name a few popular examples, we can look at how Instagram utilizes hashtags. Content creators use them so that non-followers can find their content and add something new according to their interests to their feed. Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post, so it is important to choose relevant and popular ones to increase your chances for being found.
Twitter also relies heavily on hashtags. When you include a hashtag in a tweet, it becomes clickable, allowing users to see all other tweets that include the same hashtag. Keep in mind Twitter’s character limit often forces users to be concise with their hashtags, you would not want to cut from your content to include tags.
Facebook’s hashtags feature is relatively recent when compared to other platforms, and the use is again to follow related content.However, the use of hashtags on Facebook is not as prevalent as on Instagram or Twitter. It’s still a good idea to include relevant hashtags in your posts to increase visibility though, just be mindful not to overdo it.
LinkedIn, being a professional networking platform, also supports hashtags. Including relevant hashtags in your LinkedIn posts can help increase visibility among professionals in your industry. However, it’s important to choose hashtags that are appropriate for the platform’s professional tone.
Why You Should Also Use Hashtags to Boost Your Online Visibility
Increased Visibility
Perhaps the primary benefit of hashtags is the fact that it helps immensely with being discovered. By using relevant hashtags, you can expand your reach beyond your existing followers and attract new ones.
Categorization and organization
Hashtags help categorize and organize content based on common themes or topics. This makes it easier for users to find and engage with content that aligns with their interests.
Enhanced engagement
Using hashtags can lead to increased online engagement on your posts. When users search for or follow a specific hashtag, they are actively looking for content related to that topic. By using relevant hashtags, you increase the chances of your content being seen and engaged with.
Overall, hashtags are a powerful tool in social media marketing that can help you reach a wider audience, increase engagement, and build brand awareness. Incorporating hashtags into your social media strategy is essential for maximizing your online visibility and achieving your marketing goals.
Popular and Relevant Hashtags For Your industry and Where To Find Them
Now that you are aware of the benefits and the usage of hashtags on different platforms, you might be thinking how to find the right ones. We have included below some starting tips.
Learn from your competitors:You can use some inspiration from them. Analyze their posts and engagement to identify hashtags that are popular in your industry. This can give you insights into which hashtags are resonating with your target audience.
Explore trending topics: Keep an eye on current trends and popular topics in your industry. Use tools like Google Trends, Twitter Trends, or social listening platforms to identify hashtags that are currently trending. Including these trending hashtags in your posts can help increase your reach and visibility.
Stay in your own industry: Research industry-specific hashtags that are commonly used by influencers or thought leaders in your field. These hashtags can help you connect with your target audience and establish your credibility within the industry.
Befriend Tools: There are several tools available that can help you find popular and relevant hashtags. Tools like Hashtagify, RiteTag, and Display Purposes provide insights into hashtag popularity, related hashtags, and suggestions for your content.
Best practices for using hashtags effectively
Using hashtags effectively goes beyond randomly selecting a few words. To make the most of hashtags, it is crucial to be aware of some practices such as being specific as possible (so that you will let people who are actually interested find your content), mixing popular and niche tags together for a more natural and balanced look, keeping it simple and not overdoing it.
Another thing you can employ is engaging with hashtag communities. Participate in conversations and engage with users who are using the same hashtags. This helps you build relationships, gain exposure, and increase your visibility within specific communities.
Always remember the fact that using hashtags effectively requires a combination of research, creativity, and strategic thinking.
Using branded hashtags to increase brand awareness
Create a unique branded hashtag: Develop a hashtag that is unique to your brand and aligns with your brand identity. Make it memorable and easy to spell, ensuring that it accurately represents your brand.
Consistently use your branded hashtag: Incorporate your branded hashtag into your social media posts consistently. This helps users associate your content with your brand and encourages them to use the hashtag when engaging with your brand.
Encourage user-generated content: Encourage your followers and customers to create user-generated content using your branded hashtag. This not only increases brand visibility but also creates a sense of community and engagement around your brand.
Run hashtag campaigns and contests: Launch hashtag campaigns or contests that revolve around your branded hashtag. This encourages users to engage with your brand, share their experiences, and spread awareness about your products or services.
Analyzing hashtag performance and adjusting your strategy
Track engagement metrics
Monitor the engagement metrics of your posts that include hashtags. Look at metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of your hashtags.
Analyze reach and impressions
Keep an eye on the reach and impressions of your posts that include hashtags. This helps you understand how far your content is reaching and how many users are seeing it.
Identify high-performing hashtags
Identify hashtags that consistently perform well in terms of engagement and reach. These are the hashtags that resonate with your audience and should be incorporated into your future posts.
Experiment and adjust
Continuously experiment with different hashtags and analyze their performance. Based on the insights gained, adjust your hashtag strategy accordingly to optimize your visibility and engagement.
Regularly analyzing and adjusting your hashtag strategy ensures that you stay up-to-date with the changing trends and preferences of your audience. By optimizing your hashtags, you can continually improve your online visibility and achieve your social media marketing goals.
Common mistakes to avoid when using hashtags
Using irrelevant hashtags
Using hashtags that are not relevant to your content can lead to low engagement and may even annoy your audience. It might be tempting and look easier to copy-paste whatever the generators gave you under your post, but this would not be very conscious and dedicated of you.
Overusing hashtags
Using too many hashtags can make your posts look spammy and decrease engagement. Stick to a reasonable number of relevant hashtags that enhance your content.
Neglecting to research hashtags
Failing to research hashtags can result in using ones that are not popular or relevant. Invest time in researching hashtags to ensure that you are using the most effective ones for your content.
Ignoring analytics
Neglecting to analyze the performance of your hashtags can prevent you from optimizing your strategy. Regularly track and analyze hashtag performance to refine your approach.
Conclusion
Hashtags are powerful tools when it comes to increasing online visibility as well as engagement if you are an influencer or someone who has a curated online persona. They make your content stand out from the crowd of posts with similar purposes. That being said, hashtags are not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Experiment, analyze, and refine your hashtag strategy to find what works best for your content and target audience.
With a strategic and creative approach, you can increase your online visibility too.
