In light of our last post on Google’s new experimental use of Twitter content in search results, because of the importance of developing a social media presence today, we thought it would be a good time to take a closer look at one of the fundamentals of using Twitter (and other social media networks) – the hashtag.

In fact, although hashtags have been in use online since the 1990s, if you don’t really know why they are used or why they are important, you aren’t alone. Hashtags are a relatively new concept for marketers, and using them has generated a lot of questions and confusion.

Shedding some light on this, below and in a second part of this blog series, we will explain just what hashtags are, why you should be using them and what they can do for you. While the info herein is enlightening, however, don’t hesitate to contact the trusted industry professionals at Epic Web Results when you need experienced help realizing the best results from your social media internet marketing efforts.

What Are Hashtags?

A hashtag or # is a symbol put before text to categorize or classify that text. By using hashtags, people can find and follow certain discussions or topics in social media and online. While hashtags were largely popularized via Twitter, their use has spread, as people use them on various social media platforms these days.

Hashtags, however, can do much more than assist in the classification and tracking of content. They can also help:

  • Track the performance of certain campaigns and/or promotions
  • Increase engagement among an individual’s or business’ followers – In fact, some research has indicated that the proper use of hashtags by a business can double their engagement with online followers.

Hashtag Use for Different Social Media Platforms

While you may know what hashtags are, did you realize that hashtag use across different social media platforms can have different impacts on users? In other words, not all hashtags are equal. Using hashtags in some platforms will not have the same effects or engagement as it can in others – particularly when it comes to the number of hashtags used per post.

The following highlights just some of the emerging trends in hashtag use across different social media platforms.

Twitter Dos:

  • 1 or 2 hashtags per tweet sees a 21% higher engagement with users
  • When used right, hashtags can double the chances of tweets being retweeted.

Twitter Don’ts:

  • 2+ hashtags per tweet sees user engagement drop by about 17%

Instagram Dos:

  • Unlike Twitter, with Instagram, more hashtags are usually better per post.
  • 11+ hashtags per post tend to have the highest engagement

Instagram Don’ts:

  • 10 or less hashtags per post shows a significant drop off in engagement with users

Facebook Dos:

  • Hashtags should be used sparingly, only to categorize posts or build a community
  • Too many hashtags on FB tends to lead to fewer interactions

Facebook Don’ts:

  • Using hashtags on every post is off-putting to followers
  • The more hashtags used per post, the less likely users will be to repost/comment on a post.

Effective Internet Marketing Solutions at Epic Web Results

Are you ready to realize the best results from your website and/or internet marketing investment? If so, it is time to contact Epic Web Results. At Epic Web Results, our skilled industry professionals are up to date with the latest advances in Internet marketing and SEO best practices, and we are highly adept at designing and maintaining optimized websites that will soar to the top of search engines.

To learn more about our customized, innovative Internet marketing solutions, contact the professionals at Epic Web Results by calling (800) 501-9724 or by emailing us using the contact form on this page.