Social Media Hashtags: How do I Pick the Right Ones for my Business?

Hashtags have become an integral part of the social media landscape, serving as a powerful tool for businesses to increase their online visibility, engage with their target audience, and strengthen their brand identity.

Originating on Twitter and now widely used across various social media platforms, hashtags help categorize and filter content, making it easier for users to discover and join conversations relevant to their interests. For businesses, leveraging the power of hashtags is crucial for effective social media marketing, as they can significantly improve the reach and impact of their content.

Whether you are new to social media marketing or looking to refine your hashtag strategy, this blog post should equip you with the knowledge and insights necessary to harness the potential of hashtags and drive growth for your business.

What are Hashtags?

• Hashtags are keywords or phrases preceded by the hash sign (#) used on social media platforms to categorize and filter content.
• By adding a hashtag to a post, users can make their content easily discoverable by others interested in the same topic.
• When users click or search for a hashtag, they can view all public posts containing that hashtag, fostering a sense of community and enabling them to engage in conversations related to their interests.

The concept of using hashtags on social media was first introduced by Chris Messina, a former Google employee, in a 2007 tweet. He proposed using the pound sign (#) to create groups on Twitter. The idea gained traction, and the first widely used hashtag, #sandiegofire, emerged during the San Diego wildfires later that year.

Over time, the use of hashtags expanded beyond Twitter, becoming a staple feature on several social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Check out our post: How to Use Facebook to Grow Your Customer Base.

How Social Media Hashtags Work on Different Platforms

Twitter

Hashtags on Twitter help users follow and participate in trending topics, events, and conversations. They can be used in tweets, replies, and even in Twitter bios.

Including relevant hashtags in your tweets can increase their visibility, attract more followers, and spark engagement. Twitter’s trending topics section often showcases popular and newsworthy hashtags, providing a snapshot of what’s currently capturing users’ attention.

Instagram

Hashtags play a vital role on Instagram too, allowing users to discover new content, connect with like-minded individuals, and grow their following.

Users can include up to 30 hashtags in a single post, and they can be added to the caption or as a comment. Instagram’s search and explore feature allows users to find posts containing specific hashtags, as well as follow hashtags to see content from various users in their feed. For businesses, using a mix of popular, niche, and branded hashtags can help boost their posts’ visibility and engagement.

Facebook

Although hashtags are not as widely used on Facebook as they are on Twitter or Instagram, they still serve as a useful tool for content discovery and organization.

Users can include hashtags in their posts, comments, and even Facebook groups. Clicking on a hashtag on Facebook will display a feed of public posts containing that hashtag. While Facebook’s algorithm doesn’t rely as heavily on hashtags for content visibility, using relevant hashtags can help users find and engage with your content more easily.

LinkedIn

Hashtags on LinkedIn are primarily used to categorize and discover professional content. Users can add hashtags to their posts, articles, and even their profile’s ‘About’ section.

LinkedIn’s algorithm suggests hashtags to include in your posts based on the content. Following hashtags on LinkedIn allows users to see content from other professionals and join industry-specific conversations. For businesses, using relevant and industry-specific ones should increase the visibility of their content among potential clients and partners.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a highly visual social media platform but it also utilizes hashtags to help users find and save content related to their interests.

Users can include hashtags in their pins’ descriptions, making their content more discoverable. Clicking on a hashtag in a pin’s description will display other pins containing the same hashtag. For businesses, using relevant hashtags on Pinterest can help attract users interested in their products or services and increase the visibility of their pins.

Understanding the nuances of hashtag usage on each platform should help you to tailor your strategy to the specific needs of your audience and leverage the benefits that hashtags offer.

Benefits of Using Hashtags

One of the primary benefits of using hashtags in your social media posts is the increased visibility and reach they provide. By including relevant and popular hashtags, your content becomes more discoverable to users who are interested in those topics, even if they don’t currently follow your account. This can lead to a larger audience, more followers, and higher engagement rates for your posts. In turn, this increased visibility can help boost brand awareness and drive more traffic to your website or online store.

Hashtags help you connect with your target audience by allowing you to participate in conversations that are relevant to your business and industry. Look out for social media hashtags related to your niche so you can engage with potential customers, showcase your expertise, and demonstrate your understanding of their needs and interests. This helps foster trust and credibility, encouraging users to engage with your content and ultimately become loyal customers.

Look Out for Trending Social Media Hashtags

Trending hashtags represent topics and conversations that are currently popular on social media. By using these in your posts, you can join in on the current buzz and gain visibility for your brand.

This could help you stay relevant and demonstrate that your business is up-to-date with the latest trends and news. Additionally, participating in trending conversations can expose your brand to new audiences who may not have previously been aware of your business.

Branded Hashtags

Creating and using unique branded hashtags can help you build a consistent brand identity across social media platforms. Branded hashtags can be based on your business name, tagline, or specific marketing campaigns.

By encouraging your followers to use your branded hashtags, you can create a sense of community and generate user-generated content, which can serve as valuable social proof for your business. Moreover, branded hashtags make it easy for users to find and engage with content related to your brand, helping you to monitor and manage your online reputation more effectively.

Hashtags also serve as a useful tool for tracking the success of your marketing campaigns. By creating campaign-specific hashtags, you can easily monitor the reach, engagement, and user-generated content associated with your campaign.

How to Choose the Right Hashtags for Your Business

Several hashtag research tools are available to help you discover popular and relevant hashtags in your industry. Tools like Hashtagify, RiteTag, and Keyhole can provide valuable insights into hashtag trends, usage, and performance. By researching and analysing popular hashtags in your niche, you can identify the most effective ones to use in your social media marketing efforts.

Studying the social media hashtags used by your competitors can also provide valuable insights into which hashtags are effective within your industry. Analyse the hashtags used by successful competitors in their social media posts and take note of the ones that generate the most engagement. This can help you identify relevant hashtags that are already resonating with your target audience.

Keeping an eye on the hashtags used by industry influencers and experts can also help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and conversations in your niche. Incorporating these hashtags into your own content can help you join relevant discussions and increase your brand’s visibility among users who follow these influencers.

How to Create Branded Hashtags

While they can take time to bed in and become popular, it’s well worth developing your own branded social media hashtags.

Creating branded hashtags based on your business name or tagline can help you build a consistent brand identity across social media platforms. Encourage your followers to use these hashtags when they post about your products or services to generate user-generated content and foster a sense of community around your brand.

Campaign-Specific Hashtags

For specific marketing campaigns, create unique hashtags that represent the campaign’s theme or message. This can help you track the success of the campaign, monitor user-generated content, and encourage users to engage with your campaign by using the hashtag in their own posts.

User-Generated Content Hashtags

Encourage your followers to share their experiences with your products or services by creating hashtags specifically for user-generated content. This quickly allows you to build a library of authentic content that can serve as social proof for your business and encourage others to try your products or services.

Local and Community-Based Hashtags

For businesses with a local focus, using local hashtags also helps you connect with potential customers in your area. This can be particularly effective for small businesses and brick-and-mortar stores that rely on local clientele.

For example, if there is a local event taking place that everyone is excited about you can join in the conversation and get more visibility. This type of approach works much better, however, when you don’t try to openly sell your products or services as it can make you look opportunistic.

Monitoring Your Social Media Hashtags

Track the performance of your hashtags by monitoring the reach, engagement, and conversions associated with your social media posts. This can help you identify which hashtags are most effective for your business and refine your hashtag strategy over time.

Best Practices for Hashtag Usage

• Avoiding Hashtag Spamming: Use a reasonable number of hashtags in your posts to avoid appearing spammy. Overusing hashtags can make your content look unprofessional and may deter users from engaging with your brand.
• Keep Your Hashtag Count Reasonable and Platform-Specific: Adapt your hashtag usage to the specific platform you’re using, as different platforms have different norms and best practices regarding the number of hashtags per post.
• Incorporate Hashtags Naturally: Ensure that your hashtags blend seamlessly into your captions and content, making them appear organic and intentional.
• Engage With Users: Monitor and engage with those who use or interact with your hashtags, as this can help foster community and encourage further engagement with your brand.

Summary

Hashtags play a crucial role in enhancing your social media presence, increasing your content’s visibility, and fostering engagement with your target audience. By researching, selecting, and strategically using the right hashtags for your business, you can optimize your social media marketing efforts and drive growth for your brand.