Hashtags have become a ubiquitous part of today's digital culture. From social media platforms like Instagram and X to newer players like TikTok, hashtags play a vital role in content discovery and engagement. If a company wants to enhance the visibility of its campaign and connect with a broader audience, it's essential to understand how to use hashtags effectively.
Why use hashtags?
Hashtags help content reach a broader audience. When users search or click on a hashtag, they can see all the posts associated with it. This means a brand's content can be discovered by people who aren't already following that brand. Hashtags also help categorize content. They provide context for posts and make them relevant to specific topics or trends. Trending hashtags are an excellent way to join conversations about current events or popular culture. By using relevant trending hashtags, content can gain traction quickly. If a company creates a unique branded hashtag, the audience can use it to share their experiences with the brand's products or services. This user-generated content can boost a brand's visibility and credibility.
Before posting on Instagram, research the most relevant and popular hashtags for that type of content. Tools like Instagram's search bar, RiteTag, or Hashtagify can help brands find trending and suitable hashtags. Make a list of both broad and niche hashtags. Brands can use their names or the names of their campaigns to create unique, branded hashtags. Encourage the audience to use this hashtag when sharing content related to the brand or campaign. It's a good practice to use a mix of popular, moderately popular, and niche hashtags. This approach can help brands reach a broad and engaged audience. Don't use irrelevant hashtags just to gain visibility. Instagram's algorithm can penalize accounts for this behavior. Make sure the hashtags used are directly related to the content. To maintain a clean look, companies can hide the hashtags. After writing the caption, click the "..." button, and then type the hashtags. Instagram will hide them under a "More" button.
TikTok
TikTok's algorithm relies heavily on hashtags, making them a crucial part of the platform's content discovery. TikTok's Discover page highlights trending hashtags. This is an excellent way to discover what's currently popular and relevant. Users can click on a hashtag to see the top videos using it. Challenges are a significant part of TikTok's culture. Creating a branded challenge with a unique hashtag can encourage user-generated content. It's an effective way to increase brand engagement and awareness. TikTok users often look for specific content. Similar to Instagram, use a mix of popular and niche hashtags. Don't go overboard as TikTok recommends using about 3-5 hashtags per video.
X
X, formerly known as Twitter, is where hashtags gained their initial popularity. The platform is all about real-time conversations and trending topics. Keep an eye on the trending topics tab on X. These are hashtags or phrases that are currently popular. Joining these conversations can help brands reach a broader audience with their content. Unlike Instagram or TikTok, it's not necessary to use multiple hashtags in a single tweet. One or two relevant hashtags can suffice. Tweets that are too "hashtag heavy" can appear spammy.
