Hashtags: Why You Need Them and How to Use Them
What is a hashtag?
A hashtag is a way to group social conversations around a certain topic so that users can easily find content that interests them.The hash symbol or hashtag symbol on your keyboard (also known as an octothorpe) was originally used to mark numbers.
It was first used for hashtags by Chris Messina in the summer of 2007, when a web marketing specialist visited the Twitter offices with an idea. Due to the platform's brevity, he suggested that the company use the hash symbol to group related tweets, forever changing the answer to the question "What does a hashtag do?"
Since then, hashtags have only grown in use, reach, and effectiveness. Now, hashtags aren't just for X/Twitter. They are used on almost every social platform to connect content to a specific topic, event, motif, or conversation.
A good social media strategy should include a combination of popular, relevant, and brand-related hashtags.
Hashtag Basics
- Always start with #, but don't use spaces, punctuation, or special characters.
- Make sure your account is public, otherwise any hashtags you write won't be visible to anyone other than your followers.
- Don't add too many words; the best hashtags tend to be relatively short and easy to remember.
- Use relevant and specific hashtags. If it's too obscure, it will be hard to find and other social media users will probably stop using it.
- Limit the number of hashtags you use. More isn't always better, and it can actually look spammy.
Why use hashtags?
Hashtags are a great way to connect with like-minded people and can be used for just about anything. For example, if you run a small business, you can use hashtags to promote your products or services.You can use hashtags to raise awareness and start conversations. They're also a great way to stay up to date on trends and breaking news.
Here are some more reasons to incorporate hashtags into your social media strategy:
Increase Follower Engagement
Using hashtags in your posts allows you to join ongoing conversations on social media. And most importantly, your posts will be visible in these conversations.This will increase engagement and increase your brand's social media engagement through likes, shares, comments, and new followers.
Increase Brand Awareness with Branded Hashtags
Creating a branded hashtag can be an effective way to promote your business and drive conversation. Creating a branded hashtag is easy, just use your company name or incorporate a slogan into the hashtag.Adding Context to Your Social Media Posts
X/Twitter doesn't give you much space to write a caption - just 280 characters to be exact.Longer captions aren't always the most effective on Instagram. The same is true for Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other platforms. Sometimes less is more. Hashtags are an easy way to contextualize what you're talking about without using up precious characters or repeating your caption. For example, Google capitalized on Pi Day traffic by including the trending hashtag #PiDay in their captions.
Help your target audience find you
LinkedIn and Instagram allow users to follow hashtags and other users. Using some popular hashtags is another way to help new users find your brand.For example, if you use #travel in an Instagram post, your latest post will appear in the feed of people who follow that hashtag. You might even gain some new followers this way.
How to use hashtags on all social networks
Here are some simple and easy-to-follow tips for using hashtags on different social media platforms.Hashtags on X/Twitter
The best number of hashtags to use:1-2
Where to find hashtags on X/Twitter:
Hashtags can be used anywhere in your post. Use them at the beginning for emphasis, at the end for context, or in the middle of your post to highlight a keyword.
Hashtags can also be added in comments, retweets, replies, and in your X-bio. Or, search for hash tagged content by entering a hash tagged keyword in the Twitter search bar. You can also check out trending hashtags in X's Trending Topics.
X/Twitter Hashtags Top Tip:
Technically, you can use as many hashtags as you want in your tweets, within the 280-character limit. However, the platform recommends limiting it to a maximum of two.
Instagram Hashtags
The best number of hashtags to use:3-5
Where to find hashtags on Instagram:
After you've written a great Instagram caption, insert your hashtags. Some brands use spacers (. (It works line by line). This will make the hashtag appear after the headline is shortened.
You can have up to 10 hashtags in your Instagram story. However, your Instagram story will not appear on the hashtag page and will not be visible to users who follow the tag.
This means that hashtags don't necessarily help expose your story to a new audience, but you can use them to add context to your content.
You can also insert hashtags into the bio of your Instagram profile. You can search for and follow hashtags in the Tags tab of the Discover section of Instagram. This means that any creator's content will appear in your feed as long as it includes the hashtag you follow.
Top tips for hashtags on Instagram:
- Consider posting the hashtag as the first comment on your post so your followers can take note of any great headlines you've written.
- With an Instagram business account, you have access to Instagram Insights. You can then see how many impressions your profile has received from hashtags.
- Avoid adding hashtags in the middle of a caption or comment, as adding hashtags can make your content less accessible to people using text-to-speech readers.
- It’s safest to group hashtags at the end of a caption (or within a comment).
Facebook Hashtags
The best number of hashtags to use:2-3
Where to find hashtags on Facebook:
Hashtags can be inserted into any part of a Facebook post or in a comment.
Hashtags are also useful for grouping content by topic in private Facebook groups.
You can also use Facebook's search bar to search for hashtags. Or, click a hashtag to see a feed of Facebook posts with the same hashtag.
You can use the "Search this group" bar (the magnifying glass on the right side below the banner and menu items) to find hashtags used in private Facebook groups.
Top tips for hashtags on Facebook:
- Since many users' profiles on Facebook are private, it's hard for brands to track how users interact with hashtags.
- Monitor your brand's hashtags and see which public profiles are joining the conversation using the URL facebook.com/hashtag/[keyword]. Finally, add the keyword you want to search for.
YouTube hashtags
The best number of hashtags to use:3-5
Where to find hashtags on YouTube:
Add hashtags to the title or video description of your brand's YouTube videos.
Don't use more than 15 hashtags. YouTube ignores all hashtags and may flag your content for spamming.
YouTube hashtags aren't the only way to help users find your videos. Here are 12 strategies to get more views on your branded videos.
Top tips for YouTube hashtags:
- Hashtags are marked as hyperlinks in the title and description so your followers can find other content with the same hashtag by clicking on one of the hashtags.
- If you don't include a hashtag in the title, the first three hashtags will appear in the description above the video title.
- You can find popular tags on YouTube by typing "#" in the YouTube search bar.
LinkedIn Hashtags
Best number of hashtags to use:1-5
Where to find hashtags on LinkedIn:
Incorporate hashtags throughout your LinkedIn posts. You can also search for hashtags using the platform's search bar. Trending hashtags on LinkedIn appear in the "News and Views" section of your homepage.
Top tips for LinkedIn hashtags:
- LinkedIn is a professional platform. And make sure you use hashtags in a professional manner.
- When you follow a hashtag on LinkedIn, recent posts containing that hashtag will show up.
- LinkedIn will suggest hashtags for you when you write your caption. Use them!
Pinterest hashtags
The best number of hashtags to use:2-5
Where to find hashtags on Pinterest:
Pinterest is considered more of a keyword engine, but hashtags can really amplify your content if used correctly.
If you use Pinterest for business, include Pinterest hashtags in your pin description or re-pin description.
Pinterest also offers hashtag suggestions when you create a new pin (mobile only).
Top tips for hashtags on Pinterest:
- Think of Pinterest as a search engine. Use hashtags that are searchable, specific, and contain relevant keywords.
- Don't use more than 20 hashtags in your pin description.
