Using hashtags is an excellent technique to broaden your social media reach and, as a result, your brand’s prospective customer base. Hashtags are a tool for boosting brand awareness through user-generated content. If you know how to use them effectively, you can attract new followers in a completely organic way.
While you should include hashtags in your social media postings, there are some set practices you have to follow. Hashtags are useful when used properly, but when misused, they can turn into a complete waste of time. And at worst, with improper hashtag use, you can damage your company’s image.
As an added bit of motivation, bear in mind that the strategies that are successful on social media today might not be as effective next month. To keep up with the ever-evolving social media landscape, it’s essential to regularly assess your hashtag strategy and adjust your postings accordingly.
Read on to learn four current recommendations that should be followed across all channels.
Select Your Hashtags With Care
The best hashtags to use are the ones that your target audience is also using, or those that enhance the value of your content. Many companies mistakenly use trending and popular hashtags just because of the large number of likes and clicks they get. However, using a popular hashtag can still help you attract a few new followers who are interested in your material. Keep in mind that this is only successful if your target audience can relate to the hashtag. If it isn’t contextual, it can do more damage than good.
To find relevant hashtags for your account, you can do a bit of research on which hashtags are popular on the specific platform you’re using. In addition, there are tools that will create hashtags for you depending on the specifics of your account and demographic. For example, if you’re using Instagram as your main digital marketing platform, make sure you use the best hashtag generator Instagram tool to find relevant hashtags within your niche.
Make Up Your Own Hashtags and Encourage Interaction
By utilizing hashtags that are closely connected to your brand, you have the potential to create a sense of communal belonging amongst your audience, thereby inciting a burst of enthusiasm that may motivate them to share your content throughout their own networks.
For example, car manufacturers often use branded hashtags to propel consumers to upload selfies with their products. BMW promotes consumer photo sharing of BMWs on social media using the hashtag #BMWrepost. In addition, Ford encourages truck owners to talk about their products online by using the hashtag #FordTrucks. Ford’s #MustangMonday campaign to get Mustang owners to share images of their vehicles online has been a huge success thanks to the clever use of branded hashtags.
You can also use hashtags as you would a call-to-action throughout your content. For example, include a call-to-action to follow the hashtag at the beginning and end of any related posts, or have the hosts of your videos or podcasts mention the hashtag when it comes up in conversation.
Use a Combination of Popular and Less-Used Hashtags to Increase Your Reach
Using a variety of hashtags allows you to connect with a larger and more varied audience. If you own a camping gear business, it’s in your best interest to connect with individuals who are interested in both camping and camping gear by using specific hashtags.
Alternatively, you might incorporate location-based hashtags to reach a more specific audience. To find out which hashtags are most effective, try using them in various kinds of posts.
Don't Overdo It
In theory, a whole tweet can be made out of hashtags. Additionally, on Instagram, you can write up to 30 hashtags in a single post. However, neither of these is a good plan.
While each platform has its own advice for the optimal amount of hashtags to use, statistically, posts with 3 and 4 hashtags perform the best. There was a time when postings would be full of hashtags, but now the trend is toward using fewer but better ones.
Start off by brainstorming a few simple ideas for potential hashtags. It’s not uncommon for one good hashtag suggestion to inspire the development of a few others. Then, revisit each hashtag and examine it more closely. Consider whether or not each hashtag you use attracts new followers and enhances your brand’s reputation. And make sure you always include something valuable in your hashtags.
Final Thoughts
It’s simple to overlook the context of your hashtags on social media or to throw them in as an afterthought. However, doing so prevents you from expanding your audience and stimulating more participation.
Due to the dynamic nature of social media, the way you use hashtags now might not be the most effective strategy tomorrow. It’s important to keep up with the latest developments in this branch of social media, and to make every single one of your characters count for marketing your brand.
