How to Find the Right Hashtag Strategy for Your Brand

Your social media channels are not growing and have low engagement? Here are some of my tips about finding the right hashtag strategy.

I’ve been working in content marketing for over 10 years, and I’ve had my fair share of clients asking me why their social media posts are not getting enough (if any) traction. Even if they are using hashtags, they don’t seem to be getting any results. So, what’s their problem?

What brands overlook in their social media strategy is using the right hashtag strategy can increase the discoverability and engagement of your content with people who don’t follow you on social media but are searching for hashtags that align with your target audience.

Here is the thing: all hashtags are not created the same, and also, there are different types of hashtags that should be used for different content. Not all hashtags have the same impact.

That sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? In some ways, it is, but there are a few ways to make hashtags work for your content better.

Hashtags 101

I like to classify hashtags as?broad, medium, and small.

Broad hashtags?are those that are popular and very broad in their range: # travel, #food, #cats, #dogs, just as an example. They are not specific, but everyone will use them.

Medium hashtags?are popular hashtags and a bit more specific. The idea here is that your post or video will have a higher chance of reaching users who are looking for your specific hashtag and will be a lot more interested in your content: #travelblogger, #organicfood, #funnycats, and so on. Also, they don’t need to be two words.

Small hashtags?are very specific hashtags — some call them “niche hashtags.” They are specific to certain campaigns, e.g., #ShareaCoke, or a day #Internationalwomensday or a specific event

How to create your hashtag strategy

Is there a hashtag formula? I’d like to say yes but I’m afraid there isn’t.

But here are some tips based on my own experience as a social media and content strategist:

1. Have the main point of the hashtag in the beginning, for example: #follow4followback or #regrann
2. Avoid very long hashtags; people won’t want to type those
3. Use a combination of broad and medium hashtags
4. Don’t use too many hashtags or your post or tweet will look spammy. In my experience, 4 or 5 hashtags per post gives the best results.

Think how the biggest brands use their hashtags — yes, I’m talking about Coca-Cola, Nike, Netflix and other global brands. What all of them have in common is they are attuned with what their consumers want and / or talking about and it’s reflected in their hashtag strategy.

You should think what your consumers are talking about — you don’t need to be a global brand to know that.

Also, don’t be disappointed if your followers are not growing a lot in the beginning. Growing a relevant social media following takes time and consistency. But with the right strategy, you might get there faster.

This post was originally published on Better Marketing