How to Use Hashtags Like a Pro Pt 2: How to Use Hashtags on Social Media
- by Alyson Shane
Do you wonder how to use hashtags on different social media networks?
Then you've come to the right place! In the second instalment of our "How to Use Hashtags Like a Pro" series, we'll cover:
- How to use hashtags on Instagram
- How to use hashtags on Twitter
- How to use hashtags on LinkedIn
- How to use hashtags on Pinterest
- How to use hashtags on Facebook
How to use hashtags on Instagram
Hashtags may have started on Twitter, but they've become one of the most important ways to find and connect with others on Instagram.
Once you've figured out which hashtags to use (for more info on choosing the right hashtags, click here), keep these tips in mind:
- Add hashtags in your post captions. Type the related hashtags into the caption section of the photo. Add your hashtags below the image caption whenever possible.
- You can also add more hashtags in the comments if you'd like.
The maximum amount of hashtags you can add to an Instagram post is 30, though we don't recommend maxing out your hashtags every time you post.
If you want to use an aggressive hashtag strategy to help more people find and follow your account, go nuts - just don't post 30 hashtags with every post.
Instead, space out the posts with lots of hashtags in-between posts with limited numbers of hashtags. This helps your content feel more authentic overall.
Using blended hashtags on Instagram
Here at Starling Social, we like to use a "blended" hashtag strategy to help our clients' content be seen by the maximum number of people. It works like this:
When choosing which hashtags to post, use a combination of popular and somewhat-popular hashtags (vs. focusing only on high-performing hashtags.)
This tactic helps your posts be seen by a large number of people right away. But because content gets buried quickly in the Timeline, those additional, less-popular hashtags will mean your posts will stick around at the top of those feeds for a lot longer.
For less-popular hashtags, we suggest choosing niche hashtags related to your brand or geo-location. These tend to be less popular by virtue of being more niche, but still allow you to connect your content with people who may be interested in seeing it.
How to use hashtags on Twitter
Twitter is the easiest place to get the hang of using hashtags.
You can get started by checking out the 'Trending' column on the right-hand side of your desktop view. This is a great way to stay on top of the hottest topics and trends.
You can add hashtags to your Tweet as you compose it, and as you write, Twitter will suggest hashtags based on what you've typed, like this:
This makes discovering new hashtags super easy!
As for where you should put your hashtags in your Tweet - the jury's still out on this one. Some brands love to embed hashtags into their Tweet text, like this:
But lately, we've been seeing lots of Tweets that are adding hashtags at the end of the post, which is an interesting way to keep followers focused on the content. Check it out:
Which way do you prefer? Tweet at us and let us know.
How to use hashtags on LinkedIn
Since LinkedIn is a professional network, the best hashtags are the ones that are content focused, or specific to a topic.
When writing an update from your LinkedIn homepage, you can add hashtags to your post by typing # and the combination of words/terms you'd like to use, or you can click on any of the suggested hashtags next to the the 'Add hashtag' button.
Like with other social networks, hashtag suggestions will pop up when you start writing your hashtag.
You can also add hashtags to articles you publish on LinkedIn. Just follow these steps:
- Write your article.
- Click 'Publish' in the top-right corner
- A pop-up window will appear
- In "Tell your network what your article is about" field, add text and hashtags to help readers find your article.
The hashtags you choose won't show up in the article but can be found in the description that shows above your article on users' feeds.
Important: you can't edit, add, or remove hashtags after you've hit 'Publish' - so choose wisely!
How to use hashtags on Pinterest
Hashtags are an essential way for your Pins to be categorized and seen by the right people, so don't leave them out! Make sure to add them to your Pin descriptions whenever possible.
When adding hashtags on Pinterest, be specific and descriptive. Use hashtags that are closely related to the topic of the article you're Pinning, or your brand hashtag.
Related: we covered how to create a brand hashtag in part 1 of this series.
Like Instagram, make sure to add your hashtags at the end of your description. This helps keep your reader's attention focused on your content and prevents them from accidentally clicking away to a hashtag feed before they can click through to your website.
To add a hashtag on Pinterest, follow these steps:
- Create your Pin and type "#" followed by a keyword or phrase in the description.
- If you're Saving a Pin using the Share button, you'll see the suggested hashtags pop up as you're sharing.
Pinterest recommends adding no more than 20 hashtags per pin, but similar to Instagram we want to keep our "spammy" use of hashtags to a minimum.
Ideally, try to use 4-8 high-quality hashtags per Pin.
How to use hashtags on Facebook
Despite being available for use since 2013, hashtags on Facebook have never really exploded in popularity.
One reason is that most Facebook profiles are private, compared to other social networks like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, which are public by default. People with private accounts can't be involved in public hashtag conversations, so their use is quite limited on the platform.
Another is that Facebook hasn't really promoted their use or published a lot of material on "best practices" to date - clearly it's not a priority.
Do hashtags work on Facebook?
There's a lot of conflicting information about whether or not hashtags increase or decrease your reach on Facebook, but generally they don't seem to have a net positive effect.
If you choose to use hashtags on Facebook, limit yourself to using one or two. Bonus points if one of them is your brand hashtag since this will help users see all the posts about your brand on Face.
How to use hashtags like a pro: conclusion
Hashtags are one of the most important ways to help new users discover your brand, and to engage in relevant and timely interactions with your followers.
If you're just getting started with using hashtags, check out our first post in this two-part series, called How to Use Hashtags Like a Pro Part 1: The Basics for all you need to know.
Do you have a fav way to use hashtags in your social media marketing? Tweet it at us!
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