What a Hashtag Is And Isn't

Are you a business owner, or do you work for a business? Do you know what a hashtag is? Do you know what a hashtag isn’t? Understanding this could be the key to optimising your social media output and putting your business on the map. As you’ll soon discover, hashtags are significant when it comes to navigating the world of social media as they make posts more visible and boost engagement. Read on to learn more!

What A Hashtag Is:

Used on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

A label for content. You can follow hashtags to stay updated on a current topic or trend, or keep up with an event. Think #GBBO (The Great British Bake Off), #Wimbledon, or #PresidentialDebate.

A way to discover new content. If you’re particularly interested in Game of Thrones, by searching #GoT you’ll be able to find other accounts posting about it, who may turn out to be accounts that you want to follow.

A method for growing your following. Using relevant, targeted hashtags is one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram. To this end, use hashtags every time you post. Hashtags help you get your posts seen by more people.

Trackable. If you have an Instagram Business account, you’ll be privy to Instagram Insights. This gives you access to analytics and performance statistics. For instance, the feature can analyse how effective groups of hashtags are at bringing you more post views.

What A Hashtag Isn’t:

Dead. Some people have argued that hashtags aren’t as ‘cool’ as they used to be, due to the prevalence of spam hashtags and the misuse of hashtags. However, they are still essential tools in reaching broader audiences, tracking campaigns, and branding social content.

Compatible with spaces or punctuation. If you add either of those, the hashtag won’t work properly.

An afterthought. It’s important to carefully consider which hashtags to use. If you choose hashtags that are too popular, your post could get lost in a sea of content. By the same token, if you use overly niche or obscure hashtags, people won’t search for them. The key is to use keywords or phrases that are specific to your product or audience.

Magic. Hashtags are powerful. They help users find posts about specific topics, and help you reach more people who are interested in your content. However, simply using hashtags is not enough to get people’s attention. You should also thoughtfully select appealing imagery and craft Engaging, Exciting, and Educating captions. Hashtags are the cherry on top, guiding users to you.

Used in the same way on every platform. On Twitter and Facebook, the optimal number of hashtags is two to three. On LinkedIn, you should aim for three to four, and on Instagram, you can use up to thirty. The more hashtags you use, the more chance you have of your content being discovered. The greater exposure you get, the better.

In Summary

So there you have it; a comprehensive guide to what a hashtag is and isn’t. As a business owner or employee, I hope that these tips will help you to put these ubiquitous symbols to good use in your quest to make your posts more visible, boost engagement, and grow your following.

If you're still stuck about hashtags, or want to learn more about how they relate to your business, Social Fireworks offers 1:1 tailored 60min training sessions. Enquire now: www.socialfireworks.co.uk/contact