The Importance of Hashtags

Hashtags... you have seen (#) this little symbol everywhere on Instagram, Twitter and everywhere else but what is the actual purpose of them? Using specific hashtags on social media platforms actually serve a purpose and can help you engage with current and potential customers. The use of hashtags gives people the opportunity to discover new accounts/brands through topics they are already showing interest in. 

If you are thinking about upping your Instagram game and wondering why you are not gaining the engagement you deserve on your posts then you might want to consider including hashtags when you post and gain knowledge on why this specific symbol plays a crucial role in your social media game. 

First off, what exactly is a hashtag? A hashtag is a label used on social media sites that make it easier for other users to find posts or information with a theme or contains a specific topic. For example, when you might be looking for an Instagram post that falls under the Fall aesthetics, you might want to search up #fall #autumn #halloween, etc. where you can find everything you are looking for in just one hashtag.

Hashtags serve a huge purpose in engagement because users can quickly get information overload and with hashtags, it makes it easy to cut through the digital clutter to focus only on the information we really want. What’s great about hashtags is that they're universal and are not geared towards one specific audience. Hashtagging specific things allows people from all over the world see your post and allows you to engage with a larger audience.

4 Reasons to use hashtags

1. Simplify the process of reaching your desired audience. It makes it easier for people to find you and vice versa.

2. They compel an action because when users see a post that interests them, chances are they will also spend time looking at your profile resulting in more likes or a follow.

3. Hashtags are evolving and it is important to know what is popular and up to date so you are using it to the best of your ability. Hashtags are being used across more platforms on a daily basis which directly impacts the amount of information put directly in front of users.

4. Hashtags are EASY and anyone can include them in their social media. As a brand, by creating a unique hashtag it can make your message stand out even more and showcase everything your brand has to offer all in one simple hashtag.

Now that you are a bit more familiar with hashtags and why they are important, it’s time to talk about how you can incorporate them into your posts. For Instagram, we recommend putting 4-6 hashtags at the end of your caption. This is your core hashtags that mostly relates to your brand/personality and can also include 2 hashtags that relate to the post itself. After, it is recommended to add a set of hashtags in the comments section right after you post that consist anywhere from 10-15 hashtags. These tags can be a bit broader but do keep in mind that it should make sense! Have a couple of sets of hashtags saved so you can interchange them every other post so you can reach a bigger audience. 

The world of social media is huge and little things like hashtags in a post can make a big difference in the social media algorithm and engagement. 

If you would like to hear more about tips and tricks about social media we post blogs about anything and everything monthly. If there is a topic you would like us to discuss, feel free to shoot us a DM.