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How To Create a Hashtag Strategy for Social Media



So you want to start using hashtags? Great! Hashtags are an easy way to start a conversation and keep track of what’s trending. They’re also great for discovering new content on social media. But how do you create effective hashtags without making everything complicated?

First, don't overthink it. Keep your goal in mind: get people talking about what you're promoting or discussing. As long as your hashtag is simple and descriptive, it will be easy to remember and use in conversations with others on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.




Figure out which hashtags work best for you.

Before you can start using hashtags, you'll need to figure out which ones work best for your audience and type of content. For example, if you're posting a picture of a sandwich, use #sandwich or #lunch. If it's an article about lunch, use #foodie or #foodporn. These are broad categories that will allow users who follow those hashtags to see your post.


Less is more.

Remember, less is more. It's better to be under-hashtagged than over-hashtagged! As a general guideline, try to keep your hashtags at 10 or fewer per post.

If you're not sure which hashtags will work best for your content, it's okay to experiment with different options—just keep in mind that the more specific your hashtag choices are (and therefore less common), the more useful they'll be to people searching for content similar to yours.

It's also important not to overuse trendy hashtags just because they're popular at the moment; while these might lead to some additional engagement or visibility on their own, they won't help build up any sort of following or loyal fan base around your brand as a whole.


Leverage popular hashtags.

The use of hashtags on social media platforms has exploded over the last decade, and they are now used to categorize content, engage users and measure popularity. Hashtags work to increase your audience’s engagement with your posts because they make it easier for people to discover what you post.


As more people use popular hashtags in their posts, the more likely you are to gain new followers and generate traffic back to your site. Popular hashtags can also help you find other users who may be interested in interacting with you based on shared interests.


There are many ways brands can benefit from using popular hashtags:


Use a hashtag tool to find relevant hashtags.

You can use a hashtag tool to find relevant hashtags. These tools come in handy for finding new, popular hashtags that are being used by your audience. Here are some of the best options:

  • Hashtagify

  • RiteTag

  • Tagboard

Take advantage of trending hashtags and events.

When you're ready to tweet, be sure to search for the right hashtags. You can do this on Twitter by going to your profile page and clicking "what's trending?" in the top-right corner of your screen. You'll see a list of popular tags from people around the world who are posting updates about that particular topic. If you want to post about food trucks (a current event), keep track of what's hot on Twitter at that moment using this method!


Also, be aware of politically charged events that might affect how people feel about certain topics or issues being discussed online—or even offline—at any given time in history. In previous years, there have been protests against police brutality and racial profiling after incidents like those involving Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin became major news stories; hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter have arisen as ways for people who are speaking out against these injustices to express themselves online more easily than ever before.


All of this is to say that you must be up to date on recent news and use these hashtags with care. It is important that your support of social causes be genuine and meaningful as performative allyship will not only cause you to become a target for derision, but is the wrong thing to do.


Make sure your hashtags match your content.

  • Ensure that your hashtags are relevant to your content.

  • Don’t use hashtags that don't relate to the topic of the post or product you're promoting.

  • Your goal is to make sure people who click on one of your posts can find related content easily, so make sure it's easy for them to do so by choosing relevant hashtags and tagging existing ones as well!


Create your own hashtags for your brand or campaign.

If you're creating a branding or marketing campaign, try creating your own hashtags. You may want to use one word or phrase that is easy to spell and remember. If you're targeting teens, consider using a fun word they would be more likely to use in their social media posts as opposed to something more formalized such as "#mondaymorningmotivation".


Creating your own unique hashtag gives you more control over how it is being used and can help keep track of which posts are connected to each other. It also adds an extra layer of relevancy in case someone searches for something related but not exactly what was posted by you!


Test out different types of hashtags, like branded, trending and unbranded.

Test out different types of hashtags, like branded, trending and unbranded.

A branded hashtag is one that's directly related to your business. It might include the name of your company or products, like "#CoorsLager" or "#FiatCabrio."


A trending hashtag is more general than a branded one; it's not specific to you or anyone else in particular. They're often used by people who are looking for something specific right now—if they know what they're searching for (like #coffeetime), they'll use this type of hashtag when they post their own content on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram.


If there isn't any kind of trend going on at the moment then don't worry about using them—just go ahead and use whatever seems natural for you!


Use geo-specific hashtags to engage with a local audience.

Geo-specific hashtags are useful on both Twitter and Instagram. If you’re a local business, geo-specific hashtags can help you connect with your target audience. They can be used for events, campaigns, or just general engagement.


Hashtags are still the best way to increase the visibility of your content on social media, so use them wisely!

Using hashtags in your posts will help you reach new people who may not have seen your post otherwise. If you’re looking to grow and build a community around your brand, using relevant hashtags can be an invaluable tool. By using relevant hashtags, you can attract new followers who are interested in what you offer—and also get involved with other users who share your interests and might become potential customers or brand advocates.



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