The Significance And Power Behind Hashtags
“How the heck do I use hashtags and which ones do I use?” This is a question we get all the time. Let’s answer this question by first taking a look at the purpose of a hashtag.
A hashtag (#) serves as a topic of conversation or as a way to align a post with similar content. It allows for reaching a larger audience who are already talking about this specific topic. They essentially serve as a keyword similar to a search term you might use in Google.
Each social media platform has its own hashtag culture, if you will. Instagram and Twitter are the leading social media platforms which utilize hashtags. These platforms are great for using multiple hashtags - The more the better.
Facebook has hashtag functionality but it’s not advised to use more than one per post. Users on Facebook are less likely to use them and a post containing too many hashtags actually has its message devalued and scrolled right past.
Pinterest allows the use of Hashtags in a post’s description but you can’t use them in your profile name like you might on Twitter.
When it comes to deciding which hashtag to use, keep it short by selecting one to two words that do one or more of the following:
- Convey the emotion or sentiment behind the post
- Drive action from reading the post
- Is specific
Creating your own hashtag is great but if no one else is using it, it will take time to build a following and create a culture where followers also use it the hashtag. Be creative but not too creative. Instead, leverage an existing hashtag that is in line with company branding and messaging.
Before selecting a hashtag which hasn’t been used in previous posts, check the use of the hashtag. Search within the social platform for different hashtags that might be applicable to ensure it is being used the way you think. Some hashtags go viral quickly and people start using them right away without checking their reference or significance. Don’t be caught apologizing for being insensitive later.
Lastly, try to use hashtags throughout the post message and don’t just stack a long list of hashtags at the end of the post.
We hope this helps answer your hashtags questions to better get your content better discovered by using this powerful tool
Still have questions about hashtags? Email us at hello@chipperfieldmedia.com.
The Team at Chipperfield Media LLC.