Hashtags used to be a mystical being found only in the realms of Twitter. But, now, businesses and brands need to be aware of how to use hashtags successfully across all platforms.
Hashtags are supposed to be a win-win-win situation:
1. Marketers have the opportunity to expand their reach
2. Users can discover content, products, and offers.
3. Platforms generate more advertising opportunities.
I remember when hashtags first appeared on Facebook. People would #HashtagFullSentencesNotQuiteRealisingTheirPurpose. But, now they’ve caught on, and hashtags are a mainstream way for ideas to be shared. But, still, people don’t realise there are different hashtag strategies for each platform.
As marketers, it’s essential to understand and use them wisely. Whether you are posting on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter – you need to know the house rules.
So here’s how to play on FB and Instagram:
(We’ll dive into LinkedIn and Twitter tomorrow)
Facebook:
– Don’t put hashtags in your sentences.
– Use a maximum of 3 hashtags
– Use relevant keywords, including your location.
– Research your hashtags using hashtagify.me, or the Facebook search bar.
– Look at other successful brands in your niche that you admire to see which hashtags they’re using.
Instagram:
– Use all 30 hashtags
– Place 5-7 of your core brand hashtags in the post and the rest of your broader community hashtags in the first comment to avoid looking spammy.
– Make sure to use a mix of different hashtags. Although, it’s fine to use a couple regularly if they’ve proven to be successful.
– Make sure the hashtags are always relevant to your post.
– Avoid using banned or ‘dark’ hashtags (google the term for a list)
– Don’t overly reuse the same hashtags
– Encourage users to click ‘follow’ on your branded hashtag
– Run hashtag-based campaigns and promotions
LinkedIn:
– Focus on the goal you want to achieve and select hashtags accordingly.
– Use a maximum of 5 hashtags. Any more and the LinkedIn algorithm may mark your post as spam.
– Don’t use spaces or punctuation within your hashtag – it won’t work.
– Look for industry-specific hashtags to connect with people from your niche.
– Use a mix of niche and popular hashtags to broaden your audience.
– Add a location as a hashtag if you wish to speak to people in a particular area.
– Follow hashtags. Yes, that’s a thing on LinkedIn as well as Instagram. In the same way, posts using the hashtag you follow will show up in your newsfeed.
– Create a branded hashtag for your company of initiative.
– Check your analytics regularly to know which hashtags were successful for you.
– Record your results and then, reiterate!
Twitter:
– Make your hashtags relatively short to fit in with the character limit.
– Check out the trending hashtags. Twitter is all about breaking news and social commentary, so be relevant.
– As well as Twitter’s native research features, you can use the site RiteTag – a powerful tool to find strong hashtags.
– Create content around global events that are trending. But only if it’s a natural fit.
– Live tweet quotes, key insights, and pictures at events you attend and make sure to use their hashtag. Twitter is the best platform for this by far!
– Add humour and be quirky where possible to go viral. Twitter users love this.
– Use Twitter’s native analytics.
– Use Tint to track and curate your hashtags to make them more meaningful.
So there you go! Message us if you have any questions. Hashtags are a must-have tool in your marketing mix. #GrowYourTribe
#hashtagstrategy #brandbuilding #analytics #storytellers #chaidigital #Israel