Using Hashtags (The Right Way!)
Hashtags are used frequently throughout social media platforms, but they can be difficult to apply in an effective way.
Is there even any point in learning about them? Is it just another fad that will be over soon? Actually, they’ve been around for a while already and we are pretty certain they’re here to stay. Their purpose is to draw in an audience, place posts in specific categories, build up brand awareness and promote engagement.
Continue reading for ways in which you can learn to use hashtags to your advantage.
Your Hashtags Must Be Relevant
Don’t just use a hashtag for the sake of it. Spending a little time researching keywords that might be useful for your intended audience. It needs to appear authentic and natural, relating properly to the content you are sharing on social media.
Your Hashtags Must Be Specific
When you are looking for the best hashtags to use, try to find hashtags that are specific to your particular niche, even if they are popular. This puts some people off as they feel that you are less likely to stand out. However, even in a busy market, your chances of being seen are higher and you’ll benefit from the hashtag’s popularity.
Check Out Related Hashtags
Check out hashtags that are related to your niche. Of course, it is essential to ensure that they will work well for you. To do this, there are tools on Instagram that can help. Alternatively, you could try using a service such hashtagify.me, which will make life easier for you.
Avoid Repetition
Just as you shouldn’t use keywords too often on the pages of your website, you should also avoid repetition when it comes to hashtags on social media. Repeating the same hashtags in the same way on your posts will appear as spam to search engines. Try to use a variety, instead. Of course, if you have your own business hashtag for a Wednesday perhaps, this is ok as it is not in constant use.
Track Trends
Data on social media platforms can be utilised to show how well your hashtags are working for you in terms of engagement. If you discover that particular hashtags are performing better, you should consider other related hashtags and creating content around this in order to increase engagement.
Add Hashtags to Your Bios
Another easy way of getting the most out of hashtags is to add one in your bio that leads to a landing page, giving details about everything linked to the keyword in that hashtag.
Use Enough Hashtags
People moan if there are too many hashtags, and that is understandable. However, using too few can be just as damaging. Using nine hashtags on Instagram at the moment will ensure you receive more views than a fewer number. Use up to thirty on a standard post and ten for a story.
Search for Hashtags
Making up hashtags isn’t always the best approach. Conduct keyword and hashtag research so that you ensure that the ones you use will perform the best.
Hide Hashtags When Appropriate
On some social media platforms, it is possible to add hashtags but then hide them from plain view. Do a little research to see how this works on your preferred platforms. This way, your potential clients won’t be put off by the hashtags and will be focusing more on the content. At the same time, you still get the bonus of search engines helping people find you through the hashtags.
Hashtags really do have the power to make or break a marketing campaign, so spending a little time on them is worthwhile. Hopefully, these tips will have given you an overview of how you can improve your strategy.
