Social media never sleeps. Every day a bounty of content is uploaded on multiple social media platforms. If I talk about the world’s largest video platform YouTube, then according to the research, more than 500 videos are uploaded to the platform per minute, which is quite impressive.
Not just YouTube, Facebook also spilled beans over the stories statistics and revealed that over 1 billion stories are shared daily on the platform. Around 95 billion posts are shared on Instagram each day. These numbers show a cut-throat competition for all marketers.
With the fierce competition on every platform, it can be pretty challenging for small businesses and brands to stand out and promote their products. Just to help our brands to make their content visible and get more eyeballs rolling on your content, the right social media hashtag can do the job.
Social media hashtags have been there for a long decade. Remember the first-ever hashtag? A product designer, Chris Messina, was the first to bring the hashtag idea to the table. The main goal behind this idea was to categorize specific topics so they could spark meaningful conversation on certain topics. Hashtags were first introduced on Twitter and gradually became a secret weapon to boost your posts on multiple social media platforms.
Let’s be honest, hashtags on social media are one of the effective ways that make your posts more discoverable. Talking about popular celebrities like Khaby Lame and Dixie D’Amelio, never miss out on hashtags on their social media posts. The reason is they are well aware of the fact that hashtags hold power to go viral on all social media platforms.
Just to make things easier for us, here I have done the homework for you. Presenting you with a full-fledged guide on social media hashtags, so you can boost your reach and engage with your new followers. Moreover, a perfect caption with relevant hashtags, scheduled at the best hour of the day, can make a huge difference, believe me. The right social media management tool can help you to get your brand’s message out and drive high engagement around trending topics.
Social Media Hashtags – A Quick Recap
When it comes to using social media for marketing, hashtags are the key to unlocking social media’s power and ensuring your content reaches the right people. They are the one-stop shop for finding content related to a particular topic or event. You have seen them everywhere: on your favorite TV shows, in your favorite books, and of course, all over social media.
From Twitter to Instagram, hashtags are used to help categorize, organize, and promote content. These pound symbols hold a strong power as they can help you reach new audiences, increase engagement, and build relationships with your followers. Whether you like it or not, they have become integral to the social media landscape and will stay longer.
Social media hashtags are super helpful. You can create an eye catching caption and add the relevant hashtag with it. This will help users to see a vast collection of related content when they click on a specific hashtag. For instance, if I create a post on social media for business, I will use relevant hashtags like #socialmedia or #socialmediamarketing to make my post more discoverable. So, when someone searches for social media or social media marketing content, my posts will appear on their search list. That’s how hashtags are making waves in the world of social media.
Just another example, you can use some evergreen hashtags like #Throwbackthursday or #MondayBlues, or #OOTD to boost your post visibility. The best part, hashtags have the power to widen your reach. According to research, tweets with relevant hashtags receive twice the engagement of tweets without hashtags.
In the end, the right hashtag can lead to a successful social media marketing strategy, and the wrong one can even ruin your brand’s reputation. To make things easier for you, look at the categories of hashtags, so you can know which hashtags can go right with your post.
- Brand Awareness: Examples – #Duolingo, #SocialChamp
- Drive Higher Conversation: Example – #GrammyAwards2023
- Run Contests: Example – #GoProMillionDollarChallenge
- Social Issues: #StopAsianHate
Related Article: Hashtag Campaign: How to Amplify Your Brand Reach in 2023
How to Use Hashtags in Social Media
Hashtags are the little pound signs that can make or break a post. They are essential to any social media post, whether trying to increase engagement, reach a wider audience, or make your content more discoverable.
But with so many hashtags to choose from, it can be tricky to know which ones to use. So, let’s explore how to use hashtags in your next social media post.
Keep it Simple & Relevant
I know social media hashtags can be a little tricky. You want to use them to draw attention to your posts but don’t want to overdo them. Too many hashtags can make your post look spammy and unprofessional. So, how do you find the right balance? Well, the answer is: keep your hashtags simple. That’s right; just a few simple hashtags can make a huge difference in your post’s perception. This will help your content get seen by the right people and make your post look more professional. The main key is to keep your hashtags simple and relevant to your audience.
For instance, look at the hashtag examples from Duolingo.
https://www.tiktok.com/@duolingo/video/7199731894961917226?lang=en
#DoItRight With Our Hashtag Manager
Manage, organize, and save your favorite hashtags with Social Champ’s Hashtag Manager for easy reusability in the future
Don’t Overuse Hashtags
What will you do if you have been scrolling through your social media feed and come across a post with excessive hashtags? Of course, you will scroll it right away because it may look unprofessional or annoying to you. Right?
Hashtags are one of the effective ways to get your content out there. But there’s a fine line between using and overusing social media hashtags. If you use too many, then there are chances you are annoying your followers and wasting valuable space in your post. Two to three hashtags are enough in a single post.
Overusing hashtags can lead to a messy post, confusion for your followers, and can even be an indicator of spam.
For instance, I know at some point you have come across your feed and witnessed such posts with countless hashtags. #ThisPost #IsSoHashtagHeavy #ItMakesYourHeadSpin #WeveAllBeenThere #ThisHashtagIsSimple. Looks annoying and confusing at the same time, No?
Here’s how your post looks when you overuse hashtags.
Research for a Hashtag
Of course, we all can agree that these pound signs after the captions are an important part of social media marketing. They can help you gain visibility, increase engagement, and build your brand. But before you start using hashtags, it’s important to do a little research. After all, there’s no point in using a hashtag if it won’t help you achieve your goals.
So, it’s important to research it. When researching for a hashtag, cross-check the following:
- How many times have other users used it?
- The number of posts using the hashtag.
- Any potential associations the hashtag may have.
- If this hashtag is related to the topic, you want to discuss.
It is also important to ensure that the hashtag is not being used maliciously or as a way to spread false information. Additionally, check if the social media hashtags have been trademarked or copyrighted so as to avoid legal issues.
Be Specific
With the sheer number of hashtags out there, it can be tricky to know which ones to use. The key is to be specific. Think what your post is about and who your target audience is. Then, create a hashtag that is both descriptive and relevant to your content.
If you use generic hashtags, like #cook or #movie, your post won’t stand out from the crowd. But by using more specific hashtags, like #lovecooking or #happyhumpday, you can target a more engaged audience and get more likes and comments.
For example, if you post about a recipe for vegan lasagna, you can use hashtags like #VeganLasagna, #VeganRecipes, or #ItalianFood. Avoid generic tags such as #vegan or #Yum.
Popular Hashtags for All Times in 2023
It’s a foremost priority for brands and influencers to stay on top of the latest trends and hashtags to ensure the right people see their content. From funny memes to inspiring quotes, these social media hashtags will help you stay on top of the trends and get noticed by your followers. Let’s have a look at some of the best-performing hashtags on social media.
Instagram
Here, I have rounded up the top 10 popular hashtags for Instagram that you need to know about. From #tbt and #ootd to #goals and #love, you can find the perfect hashtags to help you get more likes, followers, and engagement on your posts. So, whether you want to increase your followers, start a viral trend, or just get your post noticed, these hashtags will help you do that.
- #love
- #instagood
- #art
- #photooftheday
- #cute
- #tbt
- #followme
- #travels
- #friends
- #fitness
Twitter
The bluebird platform is the main hub for connecting with people, sharing your thoughts, and getting your message out there. But one of the most important social media part for making the right people see your posts is the hashtag. No matter what kind of message you are trying to send, a hashtag likely goes along with it.
So, if you want to get more out of your Twitter experience, you need to look at some of the most popular hashtags.
- #competition
- #influencer
- #influencermarketing
- #Mondaymotivation
- #FridayMorning
- #tbt
- #traveltuesday
- #vegan
- #fitness
- #FIFAWorldCup
YouTube
You are not alone if you have ever felt lost when trying to figure out the best hashtags for your YouTube videos. It’s a common struggle for content creators to find the right hashtags to help them get more views and engagement.
Just to give you a helping hand, here have done the hard work for you and rounded up the top 10 hashtags for YouTube that will help you get the most out of your content. From #vlogger to #youtubetips, these popular hashtags will surely get you the reach you want.
- #youtube
- #youtuber
- #subscribe
- #like
- #gaming
- #love
- #youtube community
- #nurseryrhymes
- #kidsongs
- #babysharkchallenge
LinkedIn
Whether you are looking to build your brand, increase your reach, or just stay up to date with the latest trends in your industry, using hashtags on LinkedIn is like getting the right card in your hand. Here’s a list of the most popular hashtags for LinkedIn, so you can get started right away. From #Marketing to #Entrepreneurship and everything in between, these hashtags will help you stay connected and increase your engagement.
- #innovation
- #management
- #humanresouces
- #technology
- #creativity
- #future
- #futurism
- #careers
- #market
- #startups
Featured Article: How To Use Instagram Branded Content for Business in 2023
5 Best Tips for Choosing the Right Hashtag
We all know hashtags are the main ingredient to increase your reach and visibility on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But how do you choose the right hashtags? It can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with the platform. To help you out, here are the five best tips for choosing the right hashtags. From researching popular hashtags to saving the important ones for future use, these tips will help you get the most out of your hashtag strategy.
Explore Popular Influencers
From Instagram to TikTok, they are essential for content discovery and engagement. While researching the best hashtag, I quickly realized these popular Instagram or TikTok influencers hide hashtag secrets. They know the exact drill of using the trending and relevant hashtags that makes their post discoverable. With their vast reach and engaged audiences, popular influencers can be a great source of inspiration for choosing the right hashtags for your content.
Look at what popular influencers in your industry are using. By exploring the popular hashtags among influencers, you can better understand which keywords and phrases your target audience is interested in. You can get which hashtags will likely be the most effective for your content. Explore the popular influencers, see their hashtags, and understand what works for them. This is one of the effective ways to get ideas for social media hashtags that will help you reach your target audience.
For instance, the top Instagram influencer Khaby Lame uses hashtags in every video. Take notes from him.
Use Hashtag Generator Tools
Hashtags help your content to get noticed on social media, but it can be difficult to know which ones will be the most effective for your posts. That’s where hashtag generator tools come in. These tools help you find the right hashtags for your content and ensure the right people see your posts.
These tools are a great way to find the best ones for your content quickly. They can help you identify the most popular ones, see your competitors’ hashtags, and suggest new ideas. You can use generator tools like Hashtagify, Rightag, Sistrix, etc.
Moreover, Social Champ can even help you get the right one with auto hashtag suggestions, and you can find the trending hashtag to use in your caption.
Implement Easy and Clear Hashtags
The goal is to use social media hashtags that will help you reach more people, but if you use too many, your post will get lost in the shuffle. You won’t get the exposure you need. It’s a delicate balance. They can quickly become a jumble of words that make little sense to anyone but you. That’s why it’s important to use clear and easy hashtags that are easy to remember and understand.
So make sure your hashtags should be short and easy to remember. Try to use terms that people can easily recognize and comprehend. You can choose hashtags that are related to your post and industry. A user looking for posts related to a certain topic might search for that hashtag.
Additionally, you can experiment with different variations of the same hashtag to see which one gets more engagement or likes. The most important thing is to double-check for typos in your hashtags before finalizing your post. This will help avoid any confusion or incorrect search results.
@chipotle Now that we have your attention… use code QUESO23 to get FREE QUESO BLANCO online or in-app through 2/12/23. Entrée purchase required. Full terms: chipotle.com/freequeso #chipotle #food #foodtok #queso #cheese #trending
Avoid Spam Hashtags
Yes, hashtags can also be a source of spam. You can blow away some popular hashtags and hope to get the desired results, but if you don’t research, you could end up with some pretty nasty results.
While too many hashtags seem like a good way to get more eyes on your post, they can actually do more harm than good. So make sure to do your research and be sure the tags you use are relevant to your content and audience. You need to balance out popular tags with more targeted ones to help you reach the right followers.
Also, when applicable, you can include location-specific hashtags to help bring more local attention to your posts. Don’t stuff hashtags in the comments of your posts. Keep your comments focused on engaging with followers rather than loading them with dozens of tags in hopes of a greater reach.
Save Hashtags to Reuse Later
These little symbols can make or break a post. If you are a social media enthusiast, you know the importance of having the right hashtags. Coming up with the perfect hashtags can be time-consuming and tedious. I have a solution for you; Social Champ offers a Hashtag manager feature to organize and save your favorite hashtags to reuse them later. You no longer need to go through a million posts to find your high-performing hashtags.
With this easy feature, you can save time and avoid the hassle of creating new social media hashtags every time you post.
Benefits of Using Hashtags on Social Media
From increasing engagement to helping you find the right audience, hashtags can be a great way to boost your social media presence. Here’s a quick rundown of the benefits of using social media hashtags
- Increased Discoverability: These pound sign symbols can help you find your content and can even be used to join conversations and connect with like-minded people.
- Target Specific Audience: Hashtags are powerful enough to target a specific audience, reach potential customers and increase engagement on social media.
- Categorize Content: They organize events, campaigns, and conversations around a topic. Hashtags allow users to easily identify topics of interest and quickly follow and engage with related content.
Hashtags Are Everywhere!
With simple social media hashtags, you can get greater reach, foster engagement, and increase visibility. Just be sure to do proper research first and then use them strategically in a sparing manner.
Moreover, try using them to engage your followers in conversations and host competitions to increase overall user engagement. Using the right hashtags, a core component of your social media strategy will help you obtain real results that will drive growth and success.