Creating a Hashtag Strategy

When it comes to using hashtags for increased engagement there are certain strategies to follow. You may find yourself asking the following questions: Are hashtags really effective? Where should I use them? Where can I find successful hashtags for my industry? The list goes on!If you’re not so sure how this little guy works, let’s explore some helpful steps to take in implementing an effective hashtag strategy to help grow your brand and increase business.

Why You Should Use Hashtags

Hashtags are used on many social platforms for networking, gaining followers, and building engagement. The hashtag has become one of the most popular means of making your content discoverable and categorizing your business on social media. The more specific your hashtag is, the more successful and targeted it will be for your audience. You should have a hashtag for your own business to help engage your followers and increase traffic. If you are creating your own branded hashtag then keep it short, as longer hashtags are not as successful. They can be harder for people to read and most users avoid typing in that many characters, especially when using a smartphone. You’re better off with something short and to the point. So keep it simple.

Why They Aren’t Relevant on Facebook

The platform itself does practice the use of hashtags. Are they useful? No. I know… you may be shocked. Think about it this way; when you go through your newsfeed the information and interests you have liked show up regardless. The things you are interested in “come to you” in your feed. The probability of you surfing through various pages at a time is slim. When using Twitter, your feed will include hashtags of your favorite things. When clicking and scrolling you are jumping through pages and making connections with groups that also like that subject. During this process you tend to surf and make some new connections!

What are the Most Popular Hashtags?

When searching for hashtags, using the most “popular hashtags” may not always be the best strategy to follow for your industry. Understanding your audience and relating your hashtags to your content is key. There are different types of hashtags to use in an effective way. In addition to using your branded hashtag, you want to include those that bring interest into building a community. According to later.com, “Community hashtags are hashtags that connect like-minded users around a specific subject. They’re a great way to connect with others, improve the searchability of your posts, gain followers, and grow your own community.” When creating your list, don’t forget to include any holidays or campaigns you are launching. Add in any special events, new products, partnerships, or giveaways. For some additional ideas, take a look at what your followers and audience are already using.

Places to Find the Best Hashtags For Your Account

Marketers have found success by using hashtags that are “trending” to increase reach. One of the best places to find daily hashtags is Twitter itself. The only negative to Twitter’s trending hashtag list for the day is that it is limited to the top ten trending. Find existing hashtags to include that are relevant to your brand, your story, and photos. Using local hashtags and tagging products will show support and engage you in conversation with people of interest. Search your company’s competitors and neighbors for useful tips and the best practices to help you achieve connections. Some helpful sites and tools to check are RiteTag, Hashtagify.me, Tagboard, Hashtracking, Tagdef, and Tweetbinder.Not sure what hashtags to use or don’t have the time to target your specific audience to bring in traffic results? Request a social media audit and let us do the work for you! It’s kinda our thing.