In August 2007, Chris Messina brought an idea to his colleagues at Twitter that revolutionised the world of online marketing!
He wanted a way for users to be able to group their tweets by topic, improve content filtering and increase ‘exploratory serendipity’.
So, hashtags were born, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Hashtags have become so ingrained in various social media channels, particularly Twitter and Instagram. But do you REALLY understand how to use them?
In this blog, let’s take a look at how we can create a hashtag strategy to drive your businesses forward and find more of those fabulous clients and customers you love working with!
Ready? Let’s dive in!
Why is a hashtag strategy so important?
Hashtags are simply labels or keywords used on posts to help reference or index them, allowing your content to be searchable and a reference point for people who are interested in finding certain information or criteria.
They can also encourage interaction and help the good-old algorithms serve your posts to the most relevant users!
Showing the hashtag who’s boss gives you the power to:
- Expand your reach beyond your immediate followers.
- Make your posts available to people interested in the same subjects.
- Engage in new conversations.
- Become more discoverable.
- Improve your brand visibility.
- Share your posts with people who will value them.
- Weed out the people who aren’t your target audience and tap into what ‘your people’ are really interested in and talking about.
Instagram posts with hashtags achieve 13% more engagement than those without. And tweets with hashtags receive twice as much!
And the great thing is… you can do all this at no extra cost! Other than the time it takes to carry out some hashtag research, develop your strategy and get posting.
You could use established hashtags that are easy to research or develop your own niche ones, remembering a couple of golden rules.
- Keep them simple, obvious, and memorable. Remember, no spaces!
- Make sure they read ok, and you’re not accidentally spelling something offensive or rude. It’s easily done! 🤦♀️
The Power of Hashtags
Every now and again, a hashtag comes along, which sparks a movement. Think #MeToo, #NotInMyName, and #BlackLivesMatter.
In 2006 activist Tarana Burke started the Me Too movement. But it wasn’t until 2017, when the hashtag was used on 12 million posts in ONE day, that it went viral. #MeToo soon spread around the globe, encouraging women to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault, hoping to end a culture of violence and patriarchy.
They can also be used to spread awareness and raise money for worthy causes. For example, in 2014, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, with celebs and non-celebs completing the freezing challenge. Raising over $2 million, this movement partially funded a new drug which is hoped to have a positive impact on those living with the devastating condition.
How to develop YOUR hashtag strategy
1. Explore your categories
It’s vital to use RELEVANT hashtags that align with your unique brand. Find out what’s popular in your industry, community, location, and niche.
2. Find tools to help
There are loads of hashtag tools out there to help. A few of our favourites at Busy Bee HQ include Methashtags, Hashtag Expert, Flick and Hashtagify.
3. Think quality over quantity
Be selective with the number of hashtags you use. You’d think it’d be the more the merrier, but quality over quantity definitely wins out.
When it comes to Twitter, one or two per tweet is sufficient. According to research, tweets with one or two have 20% higher engagement than those with three or more.
Instagram allows up to 30 but have a play around and use the analytics tool to find your sweet spot!
We think it helps to choose a mix of super popular hashtags and some specific to your niche.
Want to up your hashtag game? We love to offer a helping hand, which is why we’ve developed our FREE guide… ‘Hashtag Headache to Hashtag Happiness’.
We’ll talk you through how to effectively use hashtags within your social media, including:
🐝 What they are
🐝 How to use them
🐝 How to develop a hashtag strategy
🐝 How to find the right hashtags to use
You can grab your free copy here. 👇👇👇
Happy Hash-tagging!