A Beginners Guide to Hashtags: What They Are, and Why You Should Use Them
Hashtags are difficult-to-understand, hard-to-use social media features that can cause people to just avoid them instead of using them to their advantage. Let’s just be honest, we all have that one person on our social media pages that well… can be a little aggressive with their hashtag use!
This blog is going to break down the basics of hashtags on social media, and why you should use them.
You’ll also learn:
- Why you shouldn’t use the most popular hashtags
- How many hashtags to use to be effective
- Tips for using hashtags on social media
What are Hashtags?
Originally the “#” sign was just known as the number sign, but with social media rising in the early 2000s, hashtags quickly became a thing. In 2007, Chris Messina created the concept of tagging social media groups or topics with a hashtag. Since then, the use and effectiveness of hashtags have only grown.
Why Use Hashtags?
Hashtags are still very relevant today for social media; however, their usage is not the same as it was originally intended. They are proven to show 12% more engagement because they help increase your audience reach. Hashtags are a great way of connecting with like-minded people but also a way to promote your brand or service, elevating your brand awareness.
4 Ways to Increase Reach with Hashtags
- Limit the number of hashtags you use. The more hashtags you use do not always mean it will be more effective. Using too many hashtags can confuse the algorithm in categorizing your content incorrectly.
- Use relevant hashtags specific to your niche. If you are using random hashtags that are irrelevant to your target audience, it is going to be difficult for people to find, and use.
- Use basic words or phrases. Be sure to not combine too many words together. Short, yet effective.
- Use language your clients would use. Think about what your ideal client would be searching for. They are most likely not going to be searching the technical term/phrase.
Check out Understanding the Basics of In-Feed Posts, and use some of these hashtag tips in your next post!
