Hashtags do more than add describing keywords to your social media posts. They can also connect you with a wider audience, including customers and contacts in your market.
The social media trend is not new, but the hashtags that have sprouted up in recent years are significantly increasing your reach online. Hashtags are used to organize content by a keyword or topic, and they’re a way for you to connect with people you don’t know about and align with them on similar topics. (And if you do know them, it’s easier than ever to find them.)
Whether you’re looking for customers or contacts in your chosen market, joining the conversation is easy using hashtag marketing.
What is the purpose of a hashtag on social media?
Hashtags encourage people to share information with other users who want to read it. It’s a way of letting people know that you want them to see your tweet, post, or status update by adding just two characters at the beginning of your statement. They’re like an invitation for others to ask questions or engage with you about the topic you’ve included in your statement.
How can social media teams successfully use hashtags to engage their audiences?
If you don’t use hashtags when you’re adding your social media posts, your content might get lost in the massive sea of content on the web. If it’s not getting attention, it’s time to try something different. Here’s how you can create more successful social media posts by using hashtags:
Other posts of interest:
Use Market-Specific Hashtags – You want to make sure that your social media audience is able to find and engage with you. While you may think that a hashtag like “#greatday” is appropriate for a wide variety of people, it’s important to use a hashtag that speaks specifically to people in your market.
If you’re a small business that sells food for cats, then #catfood and #catslovesfood are better matches than “#greatday”. It’s easier to attract people who have an interest in the topic at hand, rather than trying to attract everyone in the audience.
Give Users Something to Chat About – If you want people to talk about your content, you need to give them a reason to do it. The better your content is, the more likely they are to engage with it and share it with others. To use a few examples: If you’ve published an article about animal adoption, then you could add hashtags like #petadoption or #petnewhome.
What is the benefit of using hashtags?
It helps to organize and promote the content of your social media page. Using a topic or keyword can help your audience learn and engage with what you do more easily. It can also make you stand out from other businesses.
The first thing people will see if they are searching on a specific hashtag is what similar businesses said about the same topic. That tells them that other companies have something valuable to say, so it encourages their customers and contacts to read or share this information as well.
If they come across someone else’s post using the same hashtag, then they’ll be able to join in the conversation more quickly than they would otherwise. You’ll get more engagement by having them in your niche do the work for you.
How do you use hashtags correctly?
Using hashtags correctly is key to them working for your business. Here are a few tips:
1. Don’t overuse them – Excessive hashtagging comes across as spammy, and will make your content seem unnatural. Stick with a few hashtags that align with the topic of your post.
2. Be careful about what you include – Keep your hashtag marketing in context. Otherwise, you’ll get too many messages about something that is not in relation to what you’re trying to say online.
3. Don’t overuse any specific hashtag – If you want to be seen by a wide variety of people, don’t go overboard with one specific hashtag. You’ll limit the potential reach of your content by being too specific on any one topic.
How do you make sure your social media posts get noticed?
Matching hashtags with your content helps other people find your digital footprint. It can also help you become a recognized and trusted resource in your market by having real customers and contacts share your information. Hashtags also give you the opportunity to engage with other businesses and people who are interested in the same topics as you, so you can form relationships organically online before ever meeting face-to-face.
How do I know if a hashtag is working?
If your post is getting engagement or shares, then the hashtag is working. Different social media networks use different metrics to quantify engagement, but the most important thing to consider is that you’re reaching an audience you didn’t previously have access to.
How do you know if a hashtag is banned?
If a hashtag is banned, it just means that no one can use it when they’re updating their social media pages. It doesn’t mean that your business should avoid those topics entirely. Instead, you might want to rephrase the statement and modify the hashtag for your specific audience. What’s more important is that you stay on topic and engage people in a way that keeps them coming back for more.
Stay ahead of your competitors by using a powerful hashtag and caption tool
If you don’t already use hashtags effectively in your social media marketing, it’s time to start doing it! KeyHashtags is a valuable tool that can help people in all industries gain better exposure for their social media posts. Get your tool here: https://keyhashtags.com/product/hashtags-and-captions-generator-tool-for-multiple-niches-and-social-networks/