In the world of social media, #hashtags are king! Hashtags are most commonly used on Twitter and Instagram but are starting to gain popularity on other social networks like Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
So why are hashtags so popular? Hashtags allow for posts to be categorized based on a commonly searched phrase. This makes it much easier for people to find your content if they’re doing a phrase-specific search.
From a business perspective, it is a chance to be noticed by a wider audience. Hashtags can help you build a brand by taking part in the conversations your customers are in.
When using hashtags, make sure they are relevant to your post because those will be the ones that increase organic reach the most.
Also, be aware of how many hashtags you can integrate into posts per platform. On Instagram, you’re allowed 30 hashtags. Pinterest allows 15. Although there isn’t a limit, it’s recommended to use one or two hashtags on both Facebook and LinkedIn. Twitter currently limits posts to 280 characters, so it’s best practice to limit your posts to include one or two hashtags. Hashtags with 18 characters perform the best on Twitter.
Three Reasons Hashtags Are a Must for Businesses
1. Hashtags make it easy to engage with your audience and monitor your reputation.
Social media is a prime area where engagement with your audience comes naturally and allows for real-time interactions. By engaging with one customer, prospecting customers can see this engagement and are more likely to interact with or purchase from your company.
Customers like to see real people on social media because real people mean real emotions, which eliminates the sales aspect from the conversation. Consistent engagement also allows you to monitor how people are reacting to your company both negatively and positively.
In return, reputation management becomes easier when a hashtag is used, and you can easily search that hashtag. Don’t leave your online reputation to the wolves!
2. Hashtags make it easy to keep an eye on your competition.
When you see brands using branded hashtags, it makes it easier to narrow down all the content that’s under that hashtag with a simple search. This also makes it very easy to keep an eye on your competition without them knowing.
Make a list of the hashtags your competing brands are using. Review which materials worked for them and which ones didn’t by filtering through their content via hashtags. You now have an added leg up on their strategy and data metrics. Use that information to connect with their followers, create more unique posts, and build conversations around what your ideal customer would want to discuss.
3. Hashtags make it easy to follow industry trends.
Want an easy way to find out what the latest industry trend is or new strategies your competition are using? Hashtags!
By following the hashtags that are popular within your industry, you’ll never need to ask yourself what the newest strategy or tactic is – you’ll have it already. For instance, if you’re a photographer for weddings, you can potentially find new clients, new trends, and what poses are currently “in” for that season with hashtags like #WeddingPhoto #WeddingPhotoIdeas #WeddingPhotography #Engaged #SheSaidYes #ISaidYes
Increase Your Hashtag Game
Are you ready to build a following that craves your content, gather leads on autopilot, and stay on top of conversations like a pro? Union Leader is ready to help you with your hashtag and social media strategy. Contact Union Leader today!
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