Whatever the platform, effectively using hashtags is a quick, efficient way to boost your brand’s social media engagement, and attract not only more (and new) attention. In fact, some studies show that posts including hashtags get over 12% more interaction, according to an article from HuffPost. With the right strategy, hashtags can attract not only more visibility on your content, but the right visibility. The right hashtag usage is about attracting the right audience, not necessarily the biggest reach. Read our tips for incorporating hashtags into your marketing strategy below.
Why Hashtag?
Hashtags are an important way to group together content to a specific topic, theme, event, or conversation. Using a hashtag properly can make it easy to discover posts, since hashtags aggregate all posts with that same hashtag. By using hashtags in your content, you’re taking a step towards participating in an online conversation with your brand, which can lead to increased engagement and visibility, and possibly more customers. Using hashtags also allow you to engage in conversation with your online community, and it lets others see how people are using your product.
How to Hashtag
If you’re just starting out using hashtags, we recommend using a combination of trending hashtags, industry-specific hashtags, niche hashtags, and of course, a branded hashtag. Let’s look at an example. In the example below, Traeger Grills uses a combination of these four hashtags to create a well-tagged post. Their branded tag, #Traeger, is prominent, and allows people looking for Traeger ideas to see all Trager-tagged content. A popular hashtag, #foodie, yields almost 15 million posts and can potentially help boost visibility. Niche hashtags like #pelletgrill and #smokedmeat help define where Traeger fits in the food/BBQ industry.
The Magic Number
Take a look at the number of hashtags the example uses, 28. Many platforms limit the amount of hashtags you can use, and we are strong proponents of using effective, relevant hashtags rather than inundating your post just to fill the hashtag capacity. We recommend using between 10-15 pertinent hashtags; 1-3 branded hashtags, a few popular or trending hashtags, and a majority of niche or industry specific hashtags. Keep in mind that if you’re using only popular hashtags, you may not get as many eyes on your post since so many people are also using those tags.
Dos and Don’ts
#noonelikesahashtagthatishardtoread. When choosing your hashtags, make them clear, concise and easy to read. Stringing together too many letters and words is not only visually unappealing, but it’s hard to decipher those hashtag hieroglyphics. And while it may be tempting to copy and paste all of your hashtags on every post, using repetitive or spammy hashtags is a quick way to have your content penalized by many social platforms.
When thinking about your hashtag strategy, remember the advice from your parents. Would you rather have a handful of great friends, or an abundance of poor friends? Almost all of us would choose fewer, great friends. Think of using hashtags in the same way: It’s better to attract a smaller audience that is actually interested in your product, than a wide audience that has no interest and scrolls right on past.
By adding a few thoughtful, curated words, you can increase your reach, improve engagement, and hopefully attract some new customers. Use these simple hashtag tips on your next post!
