Since the #hashtag became a popular tool on Twitter, almost all social media platforms have adopted the hashtag system.
While not a new invention, Twitter most certainly popularised the use of hashtag as a filtering system to find specific topics in the ever-growing social media world. Thought the hashtag system, people were able to find what they need faster without having to sift through a multitude of topics on the web.
The hashtag system is used in almost all social media, With Twitter still the most active user of the system. Facebook users, on the other hand, rarely use hashtags.
Does that mean it is useless to use hashtags on Facebook?
According to research, using hashtags on Facebook can increase interactions – but use it sparingly since “too many hashtags lowers engagement — and won’t help you get more likes”.
Before we go into how “sparingly” you should use hashtags on Facebook, let’s first see how hashtags work:
How Hashtags Work On Social Media
When used in social media, hashtags works like a filtering system: simply place the pound sign (#) before any string of words and it becomes a tag. People can then search for your posts with this tag by simply searching the hashtag attached to the post.
If that’s a little winding for you, here’s an example:
Say, you craft a post with the hashtag #Imawesome, so you craft your post like this:
Twitter post: #Imawesome and no one can say otherwise!
The hashtag then becomes a tag (notice how the hashtag’s a link in the picture above?) that people can use (or click on) so that people can view your post and other posts that use the same hashtag.
It’s really a great tool for both consumers and marketers: consumers can easily find what they need through the use of hashtags, and marketers can use hashtags to generate buzz and get people to engage with their brand.
Depending on the platform you’re using, effective use of hashtags vary. Both Twitter and Instagram encourage the use of many hashtags to get engagements. Each hashtag you use is a tag on your post; so the more hashtags you use, the more potential engagement on your post.
So, why do you need to use Hashtag sparingly on Facebook? Well, because the algorithm is different from Instagram and Twitter, according to sprout social:
“While Twitter might show you every recent Tweet with the hashtag, Facebook can bring up different information. This puts all the more emphasis on using hashtags correctly on Facebook because it’s not quite like the wild west of Twitter.”
How To Use Hashtags Sparingly On Facebook?
Now that we know that the correct use of hashtags on Facebook can make or break your social media campaign, here are some tips on how you can use hashtags effectively on Facebook:
Use 1 or 2 tags only- Since using more tags on your Facebook posts become irrelevant and could even decrease your interaction with audiences, it would be safe to limit your hashtags to one or two hashtags per post. This will ensure that tags don’t clash with one another and you don’t add unnecessary hashtags that will make your posts unappealing and noobish.
Make them meaningful- Since you’re limiting your use of hashtags to just one or two hashtags, make sure to make them count. Using hashtags that are relevant to your posts will make your post more relevant to those who are searching that particular hashtag, increasing your chances of getting engagements.
Use them to promote something- One of the biggest use of hashtags is to promote something, like an event or an advocacy. Hashtags that promote something is more effective than those that do not, so when you use craft hashtags to use for your marketing, try to make it advocate or promote something meaningful to your targeted audience.
Will You Use Hashtags In Your Next Fb Campaign?
Using hashtags have become a global phenomenon across all social media platforms. Whether you’re using Instagram, Twitter, or even tumbler you’re bound to see hashtags being used.
But using hashtags on Facebook requires a different approach than other social media platforms and requires being used sparingly to be efficient. If you want to fully utilise your FB marketing campaign but don’t have enough skill to properly utilise hashtags, it’s time to get an SEO team to help you out.
