First used in the 70s and 80s for computer programming language, it took decades for Hashtags to make their social media breakthrough. Blogger, Stowe Boyd first called those infamous little pound signs “hashtags” in a blog post in August of 2007. At that time it was the only thing that showed up when someone Googled the term “hashtag.”

According to Lifewire, by July of 2009, Twitter formally adopted hashtags, and anything with a # in front of it became hyper-linked. This move was later underscored when Twitter introduced “Trending Topics,” placing the most popular hashtags on its homepage.

When it comes to promoting your brand on social media, hashtags are a marketing staple to help your business reach more people and to help users find posts about specific content. 

Hashtag Basics

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or keyword phrase, preceded by a hash symbol (#). It’s used on social media sites to make it easier to find information with a theme or specific content. When using a phrase or name as a hashtag, spell it out without spaces like #FineViewMarketing or #onlinestoragerental. It can be placed in the beginning, middle, or end of your post or comment. Using a hashtag allows your post to be indexed by the social media network your using and located by people who are not followers.

What is the purpose of a hashtag?

Hashtags enable people to cut through digital chaos and find your content. Using relevant hashtags drives traffic to your content so that you can boost views, likes, and shares. The key is finding the right hashtags to match your content and appeal to your audience.

What is the best way to design your hashtag strategy?

A successful hashtag strategy starts with knowing your audience and understanding what works on each individual platform. Choosing specific hashtags is more likely to attract your target audience, and using capital letters in front of each word clarifies your message. 

What Makes a Hashtag Effective?

If you want your hashtags to be effective, here is some key information that you need to know.

• Don’t overdo it. The number of hashtags you can use depends on the social media platform that you’re using. We’ll talk about that in detail toward the end of this post. For now, know that in most cases one to three hashtags has more impact than too many.
• Keep hashtags short and memorable. Remember #TigerKing? People were captivated not only with the concept of actually owning tigers but the conspiracies attached to this show.
• Don’t try to be overly clever and choose hashtags that are unusual or obscure. Choose hashtags that people will search for so that your marketing benefits.
• Hashtags that are specific will lead to the best results. Broad terms are unlikely to be searched, and your content will be lost in a flood of unrelated content. For example, #BoatStorage will be far more effective than #SelfStorage.
• Hashtags not only attract your target audience but can be used to research your competition. If you search using competitors’ hashtags, you may uncover relevant content related to your topic.

How Do Hashtags Work on Different Platforms

Facebook: Using hashtags on Facebook can boost your organic reach. Using only one or two hashtags is recommended on Facebook as too many can seem unprofessional and annoying to those reading your posts. You can find relevant hashtags by simply typing a keyword into the search bar.

LinkedIn: Hashtags aren’t as commonplace on LinkedIn because the platform only started using them in 2018. There are still people that think it’s unprofessional or simply question the worth of using hashtags on this platform. That is a misconception because, according to Hootsuite, 91% of business executives report that LinkedIn is the best source for content relevant to their industry or profession. As of now, LinkedIn doesn’t allow clickable hashtags in the body of your article, so you need to get them into the body of your post to get your article discovered.

Instagram: Instagram is the best platform for multiple hashtags. You can use up to 30 hashtags on a regular Instagram post. To reach the widest audience it’s ideal to use 10 or 11 relevant hashtags for your posts, photos, and comments. Use the search box to see what hashtags competitors are using.

Pinterest: On Pinterest, posts using hashtags are placed in chronological order, which puts the latest content first. This is great for fresh content that you want to get seen instantly. If you’re using Pinterest for business, use hashtags that are specific to your topic. Broad terms don’t work well on this platform.

TikTok: At first glance, TikTok looks like a platform for comedy sketches and dancing grandmas. However, there is a lot of potential for reaching your audience in a fun and creative way with TikTok for Business. The first thing to do is create a small business account. Bear in mind that TikTok is mostly for amusement. People are searching for entertainment, so use hashtags strategically to engage your audience. For more details, read How to Use TikTok to Boost Your Small Business. 

Takeaway

Whether you’re new to social media or a seasoned veteran, hashtags are easy to use, and mastering the hashtag is a powerful way to engage your audience and increase your social media impact.