By Dani Chudler, Paid Media Specialist, Speakeasy Co.

Does anyone else remember when hashtags were called pound signs? Twitter adopted the use of pound signs as hashtags in 2009, as a way to filter trending topics through a hyperlink. As we all know now, hashtags are not exclusive to Twitter and are even used on clothing or spoken aloud. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to join a conversation online by using tags.

Niche, industry tags make it easier to capture potential customers who are already thinking about a certain product or idea. For example, #DTCbrands, #gintonic, and #businesstrends each relate to Speakeasy and our audience. Leveraging trending topics and tags is also a smart way to increase your reach. #throwbackthursday is a timeless tag that is trending weekly. Catching onto trends takes a bit of extra observation on what competitors and similar industries are posting.

Hashtags are a great way to promote your brand slogans. Brands are able to create new hashtags and encourage followers to engage in the community by using them on any platform. Becoming the hotspot for advertising and organic growth, there are a few things to know before using hashtags on Meta:

Instagram

1. Research shows 3-5 hashtags per static post increases reach, while more than 5 creates clutter and does not slide through the ever-changing algorithm.
2. Keep in mind that in the past, accounts were discoverable with hashtags in stories, but this is no longer a capability on Instagram stories.
3. Follow hashtags related to your brand so content appears on your feed. As a next step, engage with the posts that appear under the tag to submerse yourself in the community.
4. With a business profile, you can view how many people discovered your post through hashtags. This is a great way to test which tags are generating a larger reach.

Facebook

1. It’s important to remember the age of Facebook users skews higher. Using 1-3 hashtags per post is optimal. Keeping it simple will expand engagement and reach.
2. Similar to Instagram, you can search for tags and see how others are using them in posts.
3. Some brands create private groups with a branded hashtag as the name or theme of the group. This is another way to create a community that is discoverable by those interested in a tag.

Overall, using similar hashtags across each of your brand’s active social platforms will keep your brand image consistent, while catering towards slightly different audiences.

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Sources:

https://www.lifewire.com/history-of-hashtags-3288940

https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-hashtags/

https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-hashtags/#How_to_find_trending_hashtags_on_Instagram