With algorithms constantly evolving, there is ongoing debate about whether hashtags are still useful for social media marketing. We’ve all heard of successful hashtag campaigns, such as the #icebucketchallenge in 2014 which raised over $100 million for ALS research. In the same year, over 14 million users engaged with the Lays #DoUsAFlavor campaign, in which users across 4 platforms voted on new potato chip flavors. But can small brands have the same impact?
What is a hashtag?
Let’s start with the basics. The # symbol was first introduced on Twitter in 2007 by a user named Chris Messina. In a historic tweet, he suggested that the hashtag be used to categorize topics. Today, hashtags can be used across all major social media platforms to group related content.
Initially, hashtags were helpful for identifying which content was relevant to the users. Algorithms were less sophisticated, and the user could define their interest by searching for hashtags. Also, as in the case of the big brands mentioned above, users could generate content and post it using a consistent hashtag.
Are hashtags still useful today?
Let’s split this up by platform. Our focus is on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn because our target audience is primarily on those 3 key platforms. We’ll share how it works on each platform, how hashtags affect engagement and reach (the stuff we really care about), and our recommendations for how to use hashtags.
How it works:
The Facebook algorithm doesn’t depend on hashtags to determine what content to display in a user’s feed. However, a user can still search for content by using hashtags. A hashtag within a post becomes a clickable link that displays a page of posts using that hashtag. One big drawback is that due to privacy restrictions, the search results will be limited. Plus, FB users don’t seem to apply hashtags consistently, so they may not be a reliable indicator for categorizing content.
How it affects engagement and reach:
A 2016 report based on a review of 1 billion Facebook posts found that using hashtags actually reduced engagement. Users may be finding them spammy, and most don’t use hashtags as a search tool.
How many hashtags to use:
Since hashtags are not a meaningful part of the Facebook user experience or algorithm and may do more harm than good, we recommend skipping them altogether for Facebook.
How it works:
Currently, Instagram uses hashtags to help the algorithm determine what your post is about. For example, if you make cookies in Toronto, adding #Toronto helps Instagram better target users looking for a treat there.
Users interact with hashtags in two ways. They can search for content and view posts that use that hashtag (warm leads, anyone?). Users can also “follow” a hashtag so that as new tagged content is posted, it will automatically become part of their feed.
How it effects engagement and reach:
When used properly, hashtags can help extend your reach, increase engagement, and thus improve your rankings – so your content gets displayed even more. It’s a win-win; Instagram gets users to spend more time on the app, and marketers get access to targeted users.
How many hashtags to use:
Instagram has encouraged users to stick to a handful of hashtags, but the research is conflicted. In a 2021 study of over 18 million Instagram posts, Later discovered that posts with 20 hashtags got the most reach. And 30 hashtags got the most engagement (likes and comments)! On the other hand, Statistica shows the highest engagement for 3-4 hashtags based on 73 million Instagram posts (2022). With that in mind, we recommend a minimum of 3, but it may be worth testing 10, 20, and 30 to see what works best for your brand (and let us know what you find!).
Note: Instagram has confirmed that the algorithm treats hashtags the same way whether they are directly in the post or the first comment. So it’s a great strategy to reduce your post length and add your hashtags in the comments. We use Later, which allows us to schedule the first comment to publish at the same time as the post.
How it works:
Influencers encourage the use of hashtags for networking and professional development, and LinkedIn hashtags work similarly to those on Instagram. The main difference is that hashtags must be added to the post; comments do not get incorporated into the algorithm. Also, LinkedIn does not limit the number of hashtags.
How many hashtags should I use?
Since there is no evidence that hashtags will harm your reach or engagement (in fact, quite the opposite), it makes sense to use hashtags. We could not find a study on how many were optimal, so our best guess is to experiment or stick to LinkedIn’s recommendation of 2-5 per post.
How should I use hashtags?
In practical terms, hashtag structure is important. Hashtags can only include numbers and text, no spaces or special characters. For readability, it’s helpful to capitalize each word (which makes no difference to the algorithm). For example, #susanalbumparty is more understandable as #SusanAlbumParty (remember Susan Boyle from Britain’s Got Talent?). It’s also a good idea to keep hashtags to a few words – while being specific is helpful, we also want to be memorable.
Include a broad hashtag, like #marketing which has millions of followers, and a niche hashtag like “#socialimpactmarketing. The broad hashtag could allow your content to show up for more people, but you can also get lost in a sea of posts. The niche hashtag will allow your content to have more visibility with your potential target.
Here are some ideas for different types of hashtags to use with your content:
- Location – if you serve a specific city or region. Ex. #GrandRapids
- Branded – specific to your company. Ex: #SocialForGood
- Industry – what your company does. Ex: #NonprofitMarketing
- Community – targets users who would find your content relevant. Ex: #NonprofitLeaders
- Event – encourages participants to generate posts and responses to a specific event. Ex: #TIS23 (Total Impact Summit 2023)
- Descriptive – relates to the type of content posted. Ex: #NewEpisode
This is where analytics will play a key role. You can test different types and quantities of hashtags to see what gets the most reach and engagement. You can track results and view what is trending through Instagram, but we recommend using independent analytics tools (we use Later).
In case you were curious, our best hashtags in the last 6 months were short and sweet, with some broad and some specific: #socialmedia, #wfh, #worklifebalance, #newepisode, #podcast, #sparkchange, #onlinesuccess, and #nonprofitmarketing.
In sum
Hashtags are still relevant for LinkedIn and Instagram and can increase reach and engagement. Different types of hashtags can help you reach different groups of people. How many hashtags to use is up for debate (with a minimum of 3 recommended) and is best determined by performing your own tests. Still need help? We’re here for you – just reach out.