The role of hashtags in social media marketing is still a hot debate in 2024, and for good reason. The number of hashtags deemed effective has considerably gone down over the years.
Additionally, every social media platform has an ever-evolving algorithm that makes it difficult for marketers to settle on a single hashtag strategy. This, among many other factors, makes this a necessary topic in 2024.
However, there is no debate that a well-thought-out hashtag strategy can significantly influence a campaign’s visibility, engagement, and overall success. Therefore, finding that sweet spot is essential.
Let’s unpack all you need to know about social media hashtags to keep your brand’s socials at the forefront.
What is a Hashtag?
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol. It’s used on social media to categorize content, making it easier for users to find posts related to specific topics.
When you add a hashtag, your post becomes discoverable to anyone searching for that topic, even if they don’t follow you. Hashtags can be placed anywhere in your post—at the beginning, middle, or end—and are a powerful tool for reach.
Benefits of Hashtags in 2024
- Increased visibility and reach
Hashtags can significantly boost your post’s visibility by making it discoverable to a wider audience beyond your followers. This can lead to higher engagement rates as more people interested in topics connected to your product can find your content.
A notable example is the #TacoTuesday hashtag, widely used by individuals and brands to share their love for tacos. This hashtag has helped countless food posts gain visibility, driving engagement and creating a popular weekly trend that restaurants and food bloggers alike can capitalize on.
- Community building and engagement
Hashtags help create and foster online communities, providing a sense of belonging among users with shared interests. Brands can use them to encourage user interaction and generate conversations.
A prime example is Coca-Cola’s #ShareACoke campaign, which encourages users to share photos of personalized Coke bottles. This hashtag drove user-generated content and strengthened the connection among fans. It also increased U.S. sales by more than 2%, reversing over a decade of declining Coke consumption.
- Discoverability and trends
Hashtags enhance content discovery and help brands stay on top of trends. Using trending hashtags can boost your content’s chances of going viral, align your brand with current conversations, and increase its visibility during major events or cultural moments.
A prime example is the #IceBucketChallenge, which went viral and raised significant awareness and funds for ALS research.
- SEO benefits
Hashtags contribute to social media SEO by improving the searchability of your posts within social platforms. Targeted hashtags can enhance your content’s ranking in search results, making it easier for a larger audience to find and engage with your posts.
However, it’s also important to consider the challenges and potential downsides of hashtags.
Disadvantages of Hashtags in 2024
While hashtags offer many benefits, there are also significant challenges and potential downsides to consider.
- Algorithm challenges
Social media algorithms have evolved, affecting the performance of hashtagged posts. Platforms like Instagram can identify posts with excessive or irrelevant hashtags as spammy, leading to decreased visibility in feeds and searches.
In fact, according to recent user reports, Instagram is already testing a feature that limits certain users to adding only five hashtags per post. If users try to add more, a message appears saying, “You can only add 5 hashtags.” This is just one clear example of the algorithm discouraging hashtag overuse.
- Shadowbanning
Chronic misuse of irrelevant or excessive hashtags can lead to shadowbanning. This is where your reach is limited by a social media platform without your knowledge. Your content might not appear in searches or on your followers’ feeds, causing a significant drop in likes and comments.
While social media platforms often deny the existence of shadowbanning, they do acknowledge hiding posts that violate their guidelines or appear inappropriate.
- Negative user experience and perception
Overusing hashtags can clutter posts, making them hard to read and negatively impacting user experience. Additionally, users who click on a hashtag expecting specific content but find irrelevant posts are likely to feel misled and disengaged. This can lead to fewer likes, comments, and shares, and even cause unfollows.
How to Select the Right Hashtags in 2024
Here are some strategies to help you select the best hashtags in 2024:
- Analyze successful hashtags
Keep track of which hashtags have worked well on previous posts. Review your most popular posts and identify any trends in the hashtags you used. If specific hashtags consistently appear in your top-performing posts, make a point to include them in your future content.
- Keep up with trending hashtags
Stay updated on current trends using tools that show trending hashtags on social media platforms. For instance, when you log in, Twitter displays a list of trending hashtags. While not all trending hashtags will be relevant to your brand, using a trending hashtag that aligns with your content can increase visibility.
- Use related hashtags
If you already know which hashtags are working well for your brand, consider using related hashtags. These can be more specific to help you connect with a more targeted audience or they can be broad to help you connect with a wider audience.
Start typing your hashtag into the platform’s search bar to see suggested search terms. These related terms are all viable options for new, relevant hashtags to add to your posts.
- Create a unique hashtag
Consider creating your own unique hashtag to start a conversation or campaign around your brand. A catchy, unique hashtag that resonates with your target audience can help build brand recognition and encourage user-generated content. Ensure the hashtag is clear and directly relates to your campaign or event to avoid any confusion.
How to Use Hashtags on Social Media Platforms
Understanding how to effectively use hashtags on different social media platforms is key to maximizing engagement. Here’s a breakdown of how hashtags perform and best practices for each platform.
Instagram is a powerful platform for hashtag use, significantly boosting engagement and visibility. Unlike platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram generally allows people to use more hashtags per post. It is not uncommon to find posts with more than 10 hashtags.
Apart from the number of hashtags, hashtag length matters on this platform. It is widely believed that hashtags with 21 to 25 characters tend to perform better.
Placement of hashtags is an additional consideration. Captions seem to be the most effective place to put hashtags, with up to 89% of brands preferring to use hashtags in their post captions.
- X (formerly Twitter)
Twitter is a dynamic platform where hashtags can significantly enhance engagement and visibility. In fact, hashtags on this platform can increase engagement by about 50% for brands and businesses.
When picking hashtags, consider participating in trending conversations by leveraging popular hashtags, especially during live events or breaking news. This can drastically increase the reach of your tweets.
Additionally, create branded hashtags for specific campaigns to foster cohesive conversations around your brand and encourage user participation. However, when using hashtags on Twitter, you must be careful about the number of hashtags used. Aim for only 1 or 2 relevant hashtags per tweet.
Tweets with more than two hashtags see about 17% less engagement. Use Twitter analytics tools to identify which hashtags resonate best with your audience and refine your strategy accordingly.
Using hashtags on Facebook is less prevalent compared to other platforms, and their impact varies, necessitating a careful and strategic approach. To maximize engagement on Facebook in 2024, use hashtags sparingly and aim to include only one relevant hashtag per post.
Unlike Twitter and Instagram, Facebook posts with one hashtag see the highest average engagement, around 593 engagements per post. Using more than three hashtags can significantly reduce engagement, with posts featuring over ten hashtags averaging only 188 engagements per post.
Furthermore, specific and relevant hashtags improve discoverability, especially in Facebook groups and pages dedicated to particular interests. By focusing on quality over quantity, you can effectively use hashtags to enhance your social media presence on Facebook.
- TikTok
On TikTok, Posts with at least 3-5 hashtags tend tohave more reach, so having a minimum of 3 hashtags is recommended. To optimize engagement on TikTok in 2024, consider trending hashtags like the popular hashtag #fyp (For You Page) has amassed almost 35 trillion views.
TikTok trends play a huge role in content distribution and are a contributing factor to virality. An example of a viral challenge is the Cuff It Dance challenge, which went viral during Beyonce’s Rennaisance Tour. Engaging with trending hashtags and challenges can help you significantly boost visibility.
LinkedIn is a platform where strategically using hashtags helps establish credibility and reach a professional audience. For the best reach, consider using three hashtags per post.
Also, consider combining one niche hashtag with two broader industry hashtags. This ensures your content is discoverable to people with wide topical interest and people who are looking for specific topical content.
Conclusion
Do hashtags work in 2024? Yes, they do and they remain an essential part of social media strategy. By adapting your strategy to each platform, you can maximize reach, engage your audience, and enhance your social media presence in 2024.