We know what you’re thinking. “Who doesn’t know how to use hashtags anymore?” But trust us when we say, most business owners and social media managers aren’t using hashtags to the best of their ability. When used correctly, hashtags can make your post easily discoverable for people who may be interested in just what you do. They’re much more than silly tags at the end of a post – they’re a great way to conduct market research on your competitors, or to connect with other small business owners.
Here’s how to make hashtags work for you.
DO: Find an Organic Fit in Established Trends
Use your discover page to see what’s trending on Twitter or Instagram before you post. If it organically ties back to your brand, use it to debut some new content, whether it’s fresh inventory or just a service that your audience may need. Follow @itsadayreally to tap into strange Instagram holidays, like #nationalbakedbeanday or #nationalfedoraday.
DO: Tap into Daily Themes
Themed hashtags generate great interaction and give you an excuse to share your brand every day. Accounts like the Rising Tide Society use daily themed hashtags to get creatives and small businesses sharing their story on Instagram, like #TuesdaysTogether and #FridayIntroductions. Or, you can fall back on the old faithful daily themes, like #ThrowbackThursday, #FollowFriday, or #MotivationMonday.
DO: Channel Your Inner Blogger
If you have a blog for your business (and you should, here’s why) you can promote your latest content using #ontheblog, a popular hashtag to sort through all the latest content shared by bloggers around the world.
DON’T: Buy Your Way into a Useless Following
The point of social media marketing is to find your ideal customer and draw them into your product or services. If you’re using generic hashtags that don’t fit your brand, like #follow4follow or #like4like, you’re not finding potential customers, you’re finding spammers. Avoid spammy hashtags and Instagram bots by using hashtags that encourage real engagement.
Keep your hashtags inbound and your ideal customers will find you! To learn more about how you can use inbound marketing in your blog, on social media, and more, download our free Inbound Marketing Checklist here:
