Hashtags are everywhere on social media—#InstaGood, #Throwback Thursday, #ViralContent, and so many more! Today, these hashtags have become a primary element of the prevalent social media culture. But have you ever wondered why these are considered so powerful and popular? And if you are an influencer, a business, or someone just trying to gain more traction on social media, how can the use of these hashtags help you? 

In this post, we explore how hashtags can facilitate your social media strategy, why they work, and how you can use them across various social media platforms. Let's get started!

What are Hashtags?

Hashtags can be regarded as the ultimate social media shorthand. They are usually the words or phrases that follow the pound symbol (#). Hashtags are used to categorize, keep track of, and discover content. In simple words, they are like tags that enable you to search for topics of your interest. When you use hashtags, your posts become a part of a bigger conversation, thereby making them discoverable to a wider audience beyond your existing followers’ network. 

You can add hashtags to your social media posts, profile bios, or even the comments section. When you click on a hashtag, you are basically getting access to a stream of relevant content. Whether it is Instagram, Twitter, or any other platform, hashtags act as the glue that ties millions of posts online. 

But that is not all there is to hashtags. Let’s go beyond the basic definition and consider how they impact your content. But first, a little peek into the history of hashtags!

A Brief History of Hashtags

It is a well-known fact that a hashtag was not always a symbol of viral content. In fact, the journey is quite fascinating. The official name of the hashtag's symbol is octothorpe. This term first came to the surface in 1971 when telecommunication organizations introduced the symbol # to their touch-tone dialing keypads.

On social media, the first hashtag appeared on Twitter (now X in 2007), thanks to Chris Messina, a product designer. Messina’s idea was to use the # symbol to categorize various topics and conversations. At that time, it seemed like a simple solution to help Twitter users find similar tweets. Messina had no idea that his simple invention would one day become a universal tool across all social media platforms. 

Since its introduction, hashtags have evolved considerably and become a vital component of social media strategy, be it individuals or businesses. What initially started as a Twitter innovation has grown to dominate platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, among others.

Why Do We Use Hashtags?

To the average social media user, hashtags may seem like a fun trend. But in reality, they are a tool that can help increase the visibility of your content. Here are some reasons why you should also consider incorporating hashtags into your posts. 

Community Engagement

Hashtags can help bring people together! Be it a brand-specific hashtag like #TeamSephora or a movement-based hashtag like #BlackLivesMatter, hashtags can bring together people from different walks of life with shared interests or mutual causes. This can help create a sense of belonging and community, which in turn strengthens relationships and drives engagement. 

For instance, if you are posting about a local charity event, you can use a specific hashtag for that event to make it easy for people to find and interact with your posts. This sense of belonging is important for building a loyal and engaged following. 

Increased Discoverability

Hashtags can help expand the reach of your posts by a considerable margin. Regardless of the platform you are using, when you use the right hashtags, your content becomes visible to a wider audience, even beyond your current followers. For instance, if a musician is promoting a new song, using the hashtag #NewRelease on Instagram or Twitter will enable people who are interested in new releases to find your post and engage with it.

Campaign Tracking in Real-Time

Hashtags provide a useful way to track campaigns. If you create a custom hashtag for your brand or event, you can monitor how it is being used across the internet. You can also use tools to track the performance of hashtags. It can help you understand how well your content is being received by your audience. 

Leveraging Trends

One of the best things about hashtags is their role in keeping your content relevant. When you jump on a trending hashtag, you can ensure your content is relevant and in line with what is happening in the world. This is particularly important for platforms like X and TikTok, where trends evolve quickly, but it is important to stay on top.

Take the #MetToo hashtag for instance! This hashtag became a viral social movement and gave people a platform to share their stories and bring awareness to an important and sensitive cause. Hence, when used effectively, trending hashtags can greatly boost your content’s visibility and may even make it go viral. 

Audience Targeting

Finally, hashtags are an effective means to find your target audience. For instance, if you are a dance instructor and want to attract new students, you can use a niche hashtag like #DanceForBeginners. It may help connect you with the people who are specifically looking for content related to beginner-level dancing. This helps you stand out in the crowded market and enables you to engage with an audience that may be valuable for your brand.

Finding the Best Hashtags for Your Brand

You may have seen several hashtags, like #TacoTuesdays or #SiblingsDay, etc., trending now and then. They may be very popular, but are they the right fit for your brand? Not necessarily!

So, before you start adding hashtags to your posts, it is important to first figure out your goal. Are you looking to boost your engagement rate? Gain more visibility? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can do some hashtag research. To help you, here are some tips on how to find the perfect hashtags for your brand.

Use a Social Media Listening Tool

If you want to understand what is buzzing around your brand, a social media listening tool can be your best friend. Platforms like Hootsuite feature advanced tools that can give you access to real-time conversations so you can track keywords related to your industry and see what people are really saying. 

A social media listening tool can give you a bird’s eye view of relevant hashtags in your niche. You can easily find out what your target audience is talking about and which hashtags are trending. It is like eavesdropping on the most interesting conversations happening online—but only in an ethical way!

With these tools, you can also track the performance of hashtags that you are already using. You will be able to see how often your hashtags are mentioned, how much engagement they are getting, and even what people are saying about them. This kind of data can help you tweak your hashtag strategy and enable you to decide when it is time for a change.

Use Trending Hashtags

If you want your content to stand out, keep an eye on trending hashtags. These are the hashtags that are gaining traction at any given moment, and jumping on them can give your posts a considerable visibility spike. 

Trending hashtags are not only good for getting attention, they are also a great source of inspiration for content creation. You can tap into conversations and become a part of them, too, which means that your brand is showing up where people are already engaged.

So, how do you find trending hashtags that actually fit your brand? You could start by using a hashtag tracking tool or manually researching trending hashtags on different platforms. Look for hashtags in these categories to get some ideas.

• Products or services- For instance, if you make handmade jewelry, hashtags like #HandmadeJewelry or #EcofriendlyJewels are a good match
• Community-based or Industry specific- For instance, if your niche is health and wellness, you can consider the use of hashtags like #FitnessCommunity
• Timely or Seasonal- If your content is tied to seasons or events, hashtags like #SummerVibes and #ChristmasEve can be used.
• Location-based- If you want to target and connect with a local audience, you can use hashtags with the city or area mentioned in them, like #DublinEats, etc. 
• Acronyms- Similarly, short hashtags like #SMM (social media managers) can help you target a niche community. 

Also, do not forget to check out the trend-specific pages on your social media platform. For instance, on Instagram, you can use the Explore page to see which posts are making rounds. Take note of the hashtags they are using, and if they suit your brand, consider using them in your content, too.

There are also many hashtag research tools that help you find trending hashtags according to your niche. Use them where you can, and remember that events, special occasions, and holidays are all great opportunities to tap into trending hashtags.

Check Out Your Competition

You may not think much of it, but your competition can teach you a lot about which hashtags work and which do not. You can examine their hashtag strategy and find out what is working out well for them and how you can improve your game.

Start by identifying the brands that are targeting the same audience as you and have the same business values. Look at the hashtags they are using in their profiles and posts. What themes or topics are more prevalent in their content, and are they using any industry-related hashtags that you should consider adding to your posts?

Pay attention to the engagement of your competitors' posts. If a hashtag that they are using is garnering a lot of engagement, it might be worth giving it a try. However, do keep in mind that just because something works for them doesn't mean that it will work out for you, too. It is all about finding that sweet spot for your unique voice and audience. 

The key, then, is to track how these hashtags perform for you. If a hashtag that is working wonders for the competition is not bringing the same results for you, it is time to rethink your approach. Try to use more targeted hashtags that are a good reflection of your brand's voice and cater to your audience's interests. 

How Hashtags Work Across Different Platforms

Each social media platform has its distinctive approach to the use of hashtags. Some platforms, like Instagram, rely heavily on hashtags for improving discoverability, while others, like LinkedIn, approach them differently. Here is how hashtags work across different platforms. 

Hashtags on Instagram

While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, research shows that using between 9 and 12 hashtags yields the best results. Too many hashtags can clutter your posts and make them look like they are spam.

In this regard, a good strategy is to use a combination of widely used or popular hashtags like #Fashion and more niche-specific ones like #Handmadejewelry. This helps ensure that you can reach a broad audience as well as a specific group that is more likely to engage with your content.

To keep your caption clean and engaging, you can put your hashtag in the first comment instead of in the caption. And don't worry! Instagram algorithm still counts them, but your post will not look cluttered.

If you are looking to promote a specific campaign or contest, consider creating a unique hashtag to encourage your followers to get involved. Similarly, if you are attending or hosting an event, you can always create an event-specific hashtag like #NYCFoodFestival24 to bring everything related to the event in one place.

If you want to offer your audience some peeps from your work life or creative processes, you can use hashtags like ##OOTD (outfit of the day), #GRWM (get ready with me), or #BTSwithMe, etc.  

Hashtags on Twitter

Twitter is the birthplace of hashtags for social media. This is why it is no surprise that they are such a vital part of the platform’s content creation and discovery process. 

Since Twitter’s character limit is just 280 characters, it is vital to keep your hashtags brief. One or two well-placed and well-chosen hashtags are enough to get your posts discovered. Twitter is known for its real-time conversations. Using trending hashtags like #TechTrends, etc., enables you to join larger, ongoing discussions and conversations.

You can also use hashtags like #MotivationMonday, #TGIF, etc., to join a larger conversation happening in a community. These daily hashtags are often trending and offer users an easy way to find interesting content.

Moreover, you can create unique hashtags for your brand that are easily recognizable, like #AppleEvent, #ShareACoke, etc. 

Hashtags on TikTok

TikTok is all about trends, and hashtags are important for getting your videos featured on the For You Page (FYP). This is the space where viral content is available, and getting your posts there can give a massive boost to your view count. 

You can use trending hashtags on TikTok to gain more visibility, for instance, #Viral, #FYP etc. If they are a good fit for your content, then add them for more visibility. 

At the same time, it is important to keep it relevant. Do not overload your posts with hashtags, and stick to only three to five relevant hashtags that match your content. 

If you are looking for creative ways to use hashtags on TikTok, one idea is to use challenge hashtags. TikTok is known for viral challenges, and participating in these challenges and using the associated hashtags can increase your chances of going viral, too. You can also use specific hashtags like #DIYDecor to target a niche community that will be interested in your content. 

Hashtags on Facebook

When it comes to using hashtags on Facebook, it is important to employ a strategic approach since the platform is not as hashtag-driven as Instagram. However, when used wisely, the use of hashtags can be very beneficial.

Consider using around one to three hashtags in your posts, as the fewer hashtags you use on Facebook, the better. Stick to a few relevant hashtags and keep your posts looking clean and engaging without feeling too promotional.

Also, use hashtags that tie into current events, holidays, or trends; for instance, if there is a sale, you can use tags like #HolidaySale or #NewArrival, etc. Another idea that works for Facebook is using the hashtags in your conversation instead of listing them—for instance, “Do not forget to check out our #BlackFridaySale, starting this week!” When you add hashtags, do not stop after adding them. Actively engage with others using the same hashtags to build a connection to your niche and boost your visibility. 

Hashtags on LinkedIn

Like Facebook, LinkedIn is not exactly hashtag-driven, but it does not mean that you should ignore them. Hashtags on LinkedIn can help you get discovered in professional circles and ensure your content is in line with industry-specific trends. 

It is advisable to stick to two or three relevant hashtags at a time. Ensure that they are a good fit for your professional content. You can also use industry-specific hashtags like #Entrepreneurship, #Freelancing, or, #DigitalMarketing, etc. Use of such hashtags can help you reach out to the right audience. 

Some Do’s and Don’ts of Using Hashtags

Now that you have a preliminary understanding of how Hashtags work on prominent social media platforms, here are some do's and don'ts you may want to consider when using hashtags to maximize their effectiveness. 

• Research before you use- Before using a hashtag, do some research. Check what hashtags are currently trending and which ones are most relevant to your content, and see what your competitors are using. You can also use tools for this purpose.
• Create branded hashtags- Branded hashtags are an excellent way to create recognition and encourage user-generated content; encourage your followers to use your branded hashtags, be it for content, a product launch, or just general engagement. 
• Monitor your hashtags’ performance- Use analytical tools to track the performance of hashtags. This will help you understand which hashtags can bring in the most engagement, thereby helping you refine your strategy. 

Here are some don’ts to keep in mind when using hashtags:

• Do not stuff your posts- It is easy to get carried away and add dozens of hashtags, but too many may make your posts look cluttered, crowded, and confusing. So, focus on quality instead.
• Do not use irrelevant hashtags- Do not use trending hashtags just for the sake of visibility if they have nothing to do with your content. This will only frustrate your users and hamper your credibility. 
• Do not repeat hashtags- Avoid using the same set of hashtags over and over again in your posts. This may give the impression that your content is either dated or automated, and none of the scenarios goes in your favor. 

Final Note

Hashtags can be an integral element of your social media strategy. They can help organize your content, make it more visible, and enable you to connect with your target audience. Regardless of which purpose you want to use hashtags for, they can help you improve your content’s reach greatly. 

When you understand how to ensure hashtags work effectively across various social media platforms, you can strengthen your social media presence. So, if you have not been using hashtags until now or have not employed them strategically, it is time to shuffle things a little. Experiment with different hashtags in your social media posts and see the difference they make in your online social media visibility.