How do I make the best use of hashtags to generate greater reach on social media?
Hashtags ensure a higher reach and thus more interaction. We have compiled some recommendations for action in order to be able to use hashtags optimally.
It's not as easy as you might think to use hashtags in a way that gets you the most reach and interaction. You need to find the right number, the right keywords and the right length. Below are four rules we've laid out to help you figure it all out for your business.
1. Adjust the number of hashtags to the account size
Hashtags provide a higher reach, but what is the optimal number? This is probably the most controversial question when it comes to using hashtags on social media. There is no blanket answer here, and most importantly, recommendations vary extremely between different social media platforms. Therefore, we have listed the recommended actions for LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook separately.
Here hashtags are quite useful, but you should rather start with 1-3 hashtags and check which number is optimal for your account. You should not use more than 5 hashtags, because from 6 hashtags there is a risk that LinkedIn could classify the post as spam.
Since opinions vary widely, especially on Instagram, when it comes to the number of hashtags in posts, we have staggered various study results into account sizes and can therefore give the following recommendations for action:
Up to 1000 followers: 10+ hashtags
1000-100000 followers: 1-3 hashtags
From 100000 followers: 1-3 hashtags, however, large accounts usually achieve high reach & interaction even without hashtags
Here, hashtags should be completely dispensed with, as they do not generally ensure a higher reach on Facebook. Some sources even state that hashtags in Facebook posts have a negative impact on the reach and interaction of the post.
2. Choose niche terms
It's important to choose hashtags that are aligned with your target audience. The more niche the term, the more likely you are to reach people who are potentially interested in your business or account. Avoid using very well-known hashtags that are not directly related to your post. Hashtags like #followforfollow will probably get you more followers, but they will not be interested in your account and will not interact with you.
3. Vary hashtags
You should definitely not use the same hashtags on every post. They should be tailored to the respective post and optimally describe the content presented. In this way, users who specifically search for the keywords of your post will become aware of your post and will most likely become very high-quality followers, which will increase interaction and engagement.
4. Do not use long hashtags
Optimally, use only one keyword for each hashtag. Try to avoid long strings of letters, as this quickly becomes unreadable and also looks unserious.
In general, it can be summarized that you should test yourself what works for your account. First, vary the number of hashtags and test out which keywords etc. optimize your social media posts for your company. For this, you should first test different variants until you have found your strategy. Our rules can be a guide for you.
