We’ve all seen that video of Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake, hashtagging like crazy, or seen a post like this, with a million hashtags:
Going to the zoo today! #zoo #animals #daytrip #cantwaittoseelions #dayout # giraffe #elephant #savetheanimals #animallover
Yes, hashtags can be super annoying. BUT, they can be an easy way to expand your reach beyond your followers. Let’s check out the wonderful world of hashtags.
What is a Hashtag?
In simple terms, a hashtag is a hash or pound sign immediately followed by a keyword or phrase. By adding the # symbol to the beginning of your keyword or phrase, you are instantly turning it into a searchable link. This allows you to categorize the content you share by keyword.
Say you share a post about your new giveaway and tag it #giveaway. Your post will now show up in search results for #giveaway, on that platform.
On Twitter, you can join chats and conversations using hashtags. You can click on the hashtag for a twitter chat and see all the tweets related to that topic in real-time.
How do I use Hashtags?
There are a couple ways to use hashtags. You can use them as a word in your copy – “New post on the #blog today!”
Or you can put them at the end of your post – “New post on the blog today! #blog #blogger”
They key is to make sure you’re using words that your target audience would be searching for. You want them to be popular keywords for your niche, not just popular words.
For example, I write about online business and blogging, so I might use the #ladyboss hashtag instead of just #blog.
At the time of this posting there were over 16,000,000 posts tagged with #blog on instagram and a little more than 800,000 tagged with #ladyboss.
Using a vague and popular hashtag like #blog, you’re post is more likely to be lost in a sea of other posts than it would be if you used the more specific #ladyboss tag.
Where can I use Hashtags?
Hashtags started on Twitter, but have spread to other social media platforms over the years. Here’s a quick rundown of how to use hashtags on different platforms.
Twitter – Data from Buddy Media shows that tweets with hashtags received 2 times more engagement than those with out hashtags. BUT… only use one or two hashtags per tweet. Buddy Media’s data also suggests that tweets with more than 2 #’s showed at 17% drop in engagement.
Instagram – Love #hashtags? Instagram is your jam. Research shows that posts with 11 or more hashtags receive the most engagement. Hashtag away, my friend!
Facebook – I personally don’t usually use hashtags on Facebook. Maybe one #, once in a while. That’s it. The general consensus, backed by this report from BuzzSumo, is that posts without hashtags perform better and get more interaction.
Google+ – You can add hashtags to posts and comments on G+, which doubles your chances of being found in a search. Plus, Google automatically adds them to your posts, based on the content. You can edit them or add your own.
Pinterest – There’s no need. Pinterest is basically a search engine and will display results for the tagged keyword whether you use the # or not. Pinterest actually recommends not using them.
Time saving hashtag tips
Especially if you’re active on instagram, these time-saving tips will be super useful.
Tip #1 Check the list below to find the hashtags you think you’ll use most. Then, create a note in your phone with these tags. Instead of trying to remember and type every hashtag every time you post, you can just copy and paste the whole list and you’re done!
Tip #2 If you’re an iPhone user, you can use your phone’s Text Replacement feature to create a shortcut that, when typed, will insert all of your hashtags. Here’s how:
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement
You’ll have two sections to complete. Under “phrase”, enter all your hashtags. Under “Shortcut”, enter your simple shortcut text. I used SMChashtags.
Hit Save and you’re done!
Which hashtags are best for my blog or biz?
Methods for finding hashtags – one simple way to find hashtags relevant to your niche is to check out the posts of other influencers in your niche and see which hashtags are they using.
Or you can use hashtag tools to find and track which hashtags perform best for your blog or biz. Check out Hashtagify.me, Keyhole, and RiteTag.
Gaining Followers – I don’t recommend using these tags. While you will most likely gain a few followers, they won’t be part of your target audience and may unfollow you if they realize they’re not really into the type of content you share.
#f4f #follow #followme #ff #like4like #likeforlike #followforfollow #follow4follow #instafollow #follows
Most Popular – I’m not a big fan of these either. Just because a tag is popular doesn’t mean it performs well. Think about what your target audience is searching for. Would they search for #cute? Probably not. Move on.
#love #instagood #hot #cute #selfie #photooftheday #fun #tbt #beautiful #happy #blessed
Blogging
#blogger #bloggervibes #blogsociety #blogbffs #bloggersofinstagram #bloggerlife #ontheblog
Entrepreneurs
#entrepreneur #ladyboss #girlboss #bosslady #bossbabe #boss #business #ladypreneur #fempreneur #womeninbiz #entrepreneurlife #womenwhohustle #savvybizowner #dowhatyoulove #sayyestosuccess #solopreneur #smallbiz
Creatives
#creativebiz #makersgonnamake #calledtobecreative #chasinglight #flashesofdelight #creativepreneur #designingthedetails #makersmovement #puruepretty #thatsdarling #ohwowyes #livecreatively #etsy #etsyshop #etsyowner #handmade #supporthandmade #createmore #iamcreative
Travel Bloggers
#travel #wanderlust #fromwhereistand #beautifuldestinations #tasteintravel #instatravel #travelgram #tourism #passportready #ilovetravel #travelblogger #travelwriter #traveltheworld #postcardsfromtheworld #getaway #travelblog #travelpic #aroundtheworld #traveler #darlingescapes #girlswhotravel #travelgram #lovetotravel #traveldiary #viewfromthetop #simplyadventure #ABMTravelbug #WeAreTravelGirls
Food Bloggers
#food #foodie #yummy #yum #noms #nom #nomnom #delicious #forkyeah #foodgasm #foodoftheday #eats #indulgence #instayum #dairyfree #veggie #vegetarian #vegan #fooddiary #recipeoftheday #foodporn #chefmode #hungry #cleaneating #eatclean #glutenfree #paleo #healthyfood
Mom Bloggers
#momblogger #mommyblogger #mompreneur #wahm #sahm #momlife #parentingblog #pregnancyblog #momitforward #letthembelittle #motherhoodunplugged #momproblems #mommyproblems #mytinymoments
Fashion Bloggers
#style #fashion #swag #fashionista #ootd #outfitoftheday #fashionblogger #instafashion #fashionaddict #styletips #lookbook #streetstyle #styleinspiration #outfit #outfitinspiration #stylefile
Beauty Bloggers
#beautyblogger #beautyblog #beautytips #beautyguru #instabeauty #makeup #nailart #makeupartist #makeupaddict #makeupmafia #makeupfan #instamakeup #hairgoals #hairinspiration
Fitness Bloggers
#fitness #fitnessblogger #fitnessblog #trainhard #fitspo #getstrong #fitspiration #transformationtuesday #girlswholift #training #personaltrainer #noexcuses #fitnessgoals #nopainnogain #gainz #youcandoit #crossfit #exercise #yoga #yogi #running #girlswhorun #marathon
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