Pound these #hashtags rules into your mind

Despite many #jokes about the overuse of hashtags, when used properly, they can play a big part in your social media strategy. Hashtags can help increase engagement, build your #brand, support social issues, add context to a social media post and most importantly help your target audience find you.

So, how do you know which #hashtags to use? Short answer: trial and error. It’s important to try a variety of different kinds and monitor what works best for your brand. You can try a mix of broad hashtags with more specific ones. As a best practice, we aim to use these six types: 

1. Branded: #TRIO
2. Community: #MountPleasant
3. Industry: #Marketing
4. Content: #SocialMediaStrategy
5. Campaign: #MarketingMondays
6. Custom Events: #MixerAndMingleParty

There are a few different ways to find the best hashtags for your brand. You can monitor social media #influencers and competitors from your industry. Use their hashtags to search for even more related hashtags. There are also many helpful websites that rank the popularity of hashtags. Once you start using them more, you can begin to analyze which hashtags were most #successful on past posts.

X

Optimal number of hashtags to use: 2 max

You can use hashtags anywhere in your posts. Use them at the beginning for emphasis, in the middle of your post to highlight a keyword or at the end for context. Hashtags can also be added in a reply and in an X bio. X’s official Help page recommends using no more than two hashtags in your posts.

INSTAGRAM

Optimal number of hashtags to use: 3-5

You can include up to 30 hashtags on a regular post, but according to the social media scheduling app Later, you’re better off using just three to five. We recommend adding your hashtags to the post’s first comment so followers can focus on the great caption. It’s also important to follow relevant hashtags (like you would follow a brand or influencer), if you want to see content from new accounts you’re not already familiar with.

With an Instagram Business account, the Instagram Insights allows you to see how many impressions your profile got from the hashtags.

LINKEDIN

Optimal number of hashtags to use: 3-5

You can incorporate hashtags anywhere into your LinkedIn update or in a LinkedIn article. If you are creating a caption on the platform (instead of a third-party scheduling site), LinkedIn will suggest hashtags for you as you write. The “News and Views” section on the homepage will let you know which hashtags are currently trending. Similar to Instagram, LinkedIn allows users to add up to 30 hashtags but recommends they be used sparingly.

FACEBOOK

The jury is still out on Facebook. It’s okay to use one here and there if it makes sense or if it is for a specific campaign, but research shows that if your post has more than two hashtags, engagement significantly drops.

Not sure where to start? We will create a #winning hashtag list just for you. Email Jenny today!