#HASHTAGS
Back in the day, it was the Yellow Pages. Then it was Google. Now, it’s all about hashtags.
Whether you are looking for someone or something...or you want to be found by someone or something, hashtags are now the fastest way from point A to point B.
Before we jump in hot and heavy into (almost) everything hashtags, let’s address a disclaimer first.
Just so we are on the same page...hashtags work the same on Facebook as they do on Instagram (or any other social media platform), the difference is this...Instagram users tend to be a little more sophistaced when it comes to what they know about social media. Facebook tends to have more basic users that are just there to post and look at pictures of babies and puppies.
That being said, everything we are about to talk about is geared towards Instagram, but you can double it on Facebook as well.
Here we go...where should we start?
How bout this...the three main ways to use hashtags.
#1 - To find what or who you are looking for.
As you search one hashtag on Instagram, it will then give you a bunch of related hashtags. As you leverage the related hashtags, you’ll find yourself deeper and deeper into what you’re looking for.
#2 - To be found by someone looking for someone like you or what you have to offer.
If your goal is to grow your business opportunities, hashtags need to be your best friend. If you choose the right hashtags (more on this down below), you will be found by those looking for what you offer. This is THE fastest way to authentically grow your following.
#3 - For branding purpose.
You should develop 1-3 hashtags that represent you, your company, your brand. These should be something that doesn’t already have a lot of posts attached to it. It will grow as you do. Pick the right ones, and this becomes free marketing as it takes off.
See above...the first picture shows the personal brand. You can see how I attached #coachkyle to my profile. I also put it on every picture. As my brand grows, I’ll be easier to find. The second pictures shows me searching #realestate. You’ll notice that you can follow the hashtag, but then you’ll notice the “related” searches below that will show you other hashtags that are also tagged with #realestate. Keep tapping on related hashtags and it will help you navigate to where you want to be.
Now that we understand the basic way in which hashtags are used, let’s dive deeper into actually using them.
You can have up to 30 hashtags attached to each post. But you want to make sure you use them the appropriate way. There are two ways to use hashtags without being annoying. See the pictures below.
You can attach them directly to the post, but make sure you create what’s called a “line break.” This means, that you make it far enough down in your post that when someone is scrolling, they won’t see it. They would have to talk “see more.” This way, it will keep it looking nice when someone is looking at your picture. The other way is that you can do your post, then comment your hashtags as a separate comment. This will ensure it’s not see by people while their scrolling, which can be annoying.
Knowing that we have 30 slots to potentially feel if needed, here are the types of hashtags you want to look for...
Popular Hashtags: 5 to 7 of these. They should have between 100k-500k posts attached to them.
Average in Popularity Hashtags: 5-7 of these. They should have between 10k-100k posts attached to them.
Niche Hashtags: 5-7 of these. They should have less than 10k posts attached. These need to be hyper local to who you’re trying to attract.
Branded Hashtags: 1-3 of these. These are your hashtags. Your motto. Your slogan. Your business name. Something you want people to remember you by.
The right combination of these will keep you relevant in the right areas for a longer amount of time.
(Side note: Most people, myself included, can get caught up in just picking all the most popular hashtags. But when we do, we are competing with millions of other posts. The more intentional we get with our hashtags, the better traction we’ll get with them.)
I hope this has been helpful in your learning of hashtags. Stay tuned for more blogs about hashtags as we continue to dive deeper. Please like, comment, or share if this was helpful for you. Thank you! :)