HubSpot tells us an Instagram post, for example, than a post without hashtags.
So, yes, hashtagging — and social media in general — are worth your time, even if you’re doing marketing for a “boring” industry like manufacturing. prove that every day.
But enough about them — how should you be using hashtags to expand your audience on each social platform?
Hashtags: What They Are & Why Your Social Media Advertising Needs Them
For those cryogenically frozen for the last decade: A hashtag is a word or series of words preceded by a pound sign (#). It’s purpose? To identify posts about a certain topic.
— even if they don’t “follow” you.
Hashtags make it easier for social sites to categorize your posts and makes them more visible in on-site searches. So if you add #construction on a tweet, you’re telling Twitter your tweet is about construction.
To summarize: It’s a free and fairly easy way to engage your audience. Here’s how:
How to Use Hashtags for Business 101
Some general tips:
In general, there are 3 types of hashtags to be aware of:
Read more to learn how to take advantage of each type for your business.
1. Content
Consider starting out with hashtags that directly relate to the industry, product, or service you’re involved with. Examples would include #metalfabrication, #finishing, and #aluminum.
Content hashtags will expose your brand to new customers in a hurry.
2. Trending
While the exposure may be less relevant compared with content hashtagging, using trending hashtags and make your brand’s visibility skyrocket. These topic have millions of viewers in the most viral situations. Trending topics might include holidays and industry news.
Don’t hop on the bandwagon without thinking it through. Make sure your posts are adding value to the existing conversation. Value could mean offering:
If your post is valuable enough, it will be noticed by lots of users, thus .
3. Branded
Last, and probably least important to your business for now, is the brand-specific hashtag. Sometimes, using generic or popular hashtags don’t make you stand out. Brand-specific hashtags, however, are totally unique. For example, one of our clients, , uses the hashtag #PowderMetalDifferently because it’s their slogan.
These hashtags can be used for:
If you provide users a compelling incentive to use them (like a discount or prize), you’ll have better luck getting attention. Since these hashtags are shilling for your company, it’s best to offer value to the reader too.
Keep branded hashtags to a minimum until you’ve gained a large enough following to get them noticed.
Social Platform-Specific Tips
Don’t use a rigid approach to your social strategy. Each platform uses hashtags differently.
See how your hashtag use has affected your Social Selling Index:
Hashtagging: Not so Bad After All
Once you get past the “I’m too old/don’t have time for this” excuse (I’m guilty too), you’ll find that hashtagging and social media advertising in general are doable. All it takes is a little research and a touch of creativity to leverage the value of hashtagging.
To keep sharpening your social media advertising skills, you might want to check out some of these resources:
Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published on June 6, 2018 and was updated on August 19, 2019 to reflect current insights and resources.
