Hashtags – What They Are, How to Create Them and How to Use Them on Social Media

What is a hashtag?

Hashtags are short phrases that start with the hash (#) symbol and are used primarily on social media to tag posts and other types of content.

Hashtag tagging makes it possible for others to easily find messages that contain a given topic or type of content. A search for a specific hashtag will display every message that has been tagged with it.

The meaning of the # hashtag

Hashtags are words or multi-word phrases that allow you to categorize and track your posts on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Hashtags must always be marked with the hash # symbol so that the different social networks can recognize them.

With the help of hashtags, people can easily find posts they are interested in; in other words, by using them you can quickly and easily deliver your content to your target audience. 

The hashtag symbol

Why do we use the hash (#) symbol?

The use of the # symbol can be traced back to improving the user experience. When Twitter introduced hashtags, they considered the following points:

• It is available on keyboards in different languages and is easy to reach
• It is easy to remember and learn
• It fits in well with existing user behavior
• Users did not have to be forced to learn anything radically new
• It works perfectly on all mobile devices

Why should I use hashtags?

Here are the 5 most important reasons why you should use hashtags on social media:

1. Hashtags help you find your target audience. Many users specifically search for hashtags related to the topics they are interested in on social media. If you use hashtags that match the interests of your target group, you increase the likelihood that they will find you.
2. Using hashtags improves your click-through rate (CTR). Several studies have shown that tweets using hashtags get twice as many clicks as those without. In other words, you can double your click-through rate by adding hashtags to your posts. 
3. They make research easier. Whatever topic you want to research, or if you just want to collect background material, the easiest way is to search for hashtags related to the topic. Don’t forget that the original purpose of hashtags was to create topic-based groupings.
4. Hashtags can also function as quasi links. When someone clicks on a hashtag, all posts using that hashtag will appear on the social network. This means that many more users will see your post, so your reach increases.
5. They help you emphasize your message. A well-thought-out hashtag at the end of your post can summarize the essence of the post in a single word. Similar to having the “last word” in spoken language.

How to use hashtags

Using hashtags is very simple. You only need to be aware of a few technical requirements.

1. Don’t use spaces. A hashtag can be a single word, an abbreviation, any combination of letters and numbers, or even a phrase. However, it is very important that you write the hashtag as one continuous string, without spaces! You cannot use periods or other symbols in a hashtag, with one exception that proves the rule: the # symbol at the very beginning. You can use numbers, but your hashtag must always contain at least one letter.
2. It must start with a #, the hash symbol. To create a hashtag, simply type the # symbol and immediately after it, the word or phrase you want to use. It’s that simple!
3. Create your own hashtag. Anyone can create an unlimited number of hashtags. You don’t have to register them anywhere. You just have to come up with one and start using it in your social media posts.
   Most of the time, hashtags are added at the end of posts, but there are no strict rules—you can place them anywhere in the text. Just #payattention that your #post remains #readable.
4. Use unique hashtags. If you think you’ve started using a completely unique hashtag, the easiest way to check is to search for it on any social network. In many cases, you’ll find that someone is already using it.
   Don’t worry, nothing stops you from using an existing hashtag, but the reverse is also true: anyone can use your “unique” hashtags as well. Of course, there are exceptions, usually protected brand names, trademarks, or company names. For example, it’s obvious that the #CocaCola hashtag belongs to a brand name.
5. Use simple and memorable hashtags. A hashtag should be short and simple. This is especially true on Twitter, where you only have 240 characters for a post. The most effective hashtags are clear, easy-to-understand words, phrases or abbreviations. The longer a hashtag is, the less likely users are to remember it.
6. Use existing hashtags. Instead of inventing your own hashtag, in many cases it’s more effective to use an already existing one (as well). This way, you attach your post to a given topic and signal to people interested in that topic that your post is worth reading. In other words, you draw attention to yourself!
7. Avoid hashtag “pollution”. Don’t use too many hashtags in a single post. 2 or 3 are more than enough. Even more importantly, your hashtags must be relevant to the topic of the post! Otherwise, users will conclude that you’re spamming them (and they’ll be right!).

What characters can I use in a hashtag?

First of all, using spaces is both forbidden and pointless. A hashtag only lasts until the first space. If your hashtag contains several words, group them together by using upper- and lowercase letters (#ILoveBudapest). Search for hashtags is case-insensitive, but you can use capitalization to make them easier to read.

Numbers are allowed, but there is an important rule: a hashtag cannot consist of numbers only (#2Pac). Punctuation marks are not allowed, meaning periods, commas, question marks, exclamation marks are not supported, nor are special characters such as the asterisk.

It’s also important to note that you’ll often see the “at” character, the “@” sign, in posts, which can cause confusion. On social networks, the hash symbol # is used as the standard marker for hashtags, while the @ symbol always refers to a specific @user profile. The point is that the @user tagged in the post will receive a notification about that post.

Creating your own hashtag

Do you have a slogan? If not, that’s fine too—you can use your company name or a unique phrase closely related to your work to create your own hashtag!

4 steps to creating your own hashtag

1. Brainstorming: the hashtag will represent you or your brand, and it also needs to be short and easy to remember. Write down the hashtags you would most happily associate with your business. For example: #usernet
2. Research: check whether someone is already using the hashtag you’ve chosen. If you want people to recognize you by it, it’s best to pick a completely new one.
3. Promotion: start using your hashtag in every one of your social media posts! In addition, show it on every possible platform where you appear: flyers, business cards, email signatures, and so on.
4. Analysis: keep track of how many people use your hashtag in the long term and in what context they use it. Don’t panic if you don’t see many results after a few weeks—it usually takes months before you see tangible results.

On which social media platforms can I use hashtags?

Most major social media platforms support hashtags.

Twitter: Hashtags were born on Twitter. On Twitter, hashtags are primarily used to mark the topics of posts—or more precisely, conversations. When you search for a hashtag on Twitter, you can filter the results in three ways:

1. Top: shows the most relevant and most popular posts
2. All: shows every post that uses the given hashtag
3. People you follow: shows only posts from people you follow that contain the hashtag.

Facebook: Hashtags have been supported on Facebook since the summer of 2013. However, based on how Facebook works, it’s still not one of the platform’s most frequently used features. When you search for a hashtag, it displays all posts that use that hashtag.

Instagram: By using hashtags, you can make your photos searchable and thereby increase your reach on Instagram. When you search for a hashtag, it displays all posts that use that hashtag.

Tumblr: Posts on Tumblr have a special “Tag” section where you can add tags relevant to the post. These tags make your posts searchable and allow the system to categorize them by topic. From a technical point of view, you don’t have to type the hash symbol here—the system automatically adds it in front of the tags.

Pinterest: On Pinterest, hashtags serve to label content and make it searchable. When you search for a hashtag, it displays all posts that use that hashtag.

Using hashtags on Facebook

If you use hashtags properly on Facebook, the reach of your posts can grow quickly. Here are some useful tips:

• Don’t use too many hashtags at once: on the one hand, it doesn’t look good, and on the other hand, many users consider it spam. Instead, use a maximum of 1–2 hashtags per post. According to Facebook’s own research, using more than two hashtags in a post reduces user engagement.
• Make your posts public: otherwise only people who like or follow your page will see your content. If your posts are public, users will be able to find you via your hashtags.

Why are hashtags useful on Facebook and how do they help?

• Most users use hashtags in some form in their communication. Without full sentences, you can refer briefly and concisely to brands, people, feelings, places, etc.
• If you use current, popular hashtags that are relevant to your post, you’ll reach more people.
• They can help you analyze your competitors and understand user opinions. Search for the hashtags you use or that are related to you, and you’ll instantly see what your competitors post and what people say using those hashtags.
• Your post becomes more discoverable for the algorithm, so it will reach more people, and more users will read and like it.

Using hashtags on Twitter

Tweets that use hashtags reach far more users than those without hashtags.

• Tweets that contain a maximum of 2 hashtags achieve the highest levels of user engagement
• Tweets that contain hashtags are more likely to be shared (retweeted) by users
• Never use hashtags in your Twitter ads!

Using hashtags on Instagram

Based on the above, you might think that you should use a maximum of 2 hashtags per post, but this is not the case on Instagram. The reason is that under most photos there are only hashtags and no other text to search or categorize by.

• Use hashtags under every photo
• According to Instagram’s research, the most effective number is 11 hashtags per post
• The upper limit in a single post: 30 hashtags!
• The upper limit in Stories: 10 hashtags

Using hashtags on LinkedIn

LinkedIn only started supporting hashtags in the last few years. Users can now use hashtags on LinkedIn in a similar way to the social networks mentioned above—for organizing topics and searching posts.

• Use hashtags on your profile page so more users can discover you from your profile alone
• There is still no widely accepted ideal number of hashtags per post, as hashtag usage is relatively new on LinkedIn. However, if you follow the “maximum 2 hashtags per post” rule, you’ll be on the safe side.

Types of hashtags

Content hashtags: These are hashtags that are directly related to a product, service, market or field of expertise. By using such a hashtag, you clearly indicate what your post is about. They are very important for brands: if you see #adidas, it’s immediately obvious to everyone that the post is about the well-known sportswear brand or one of its products. Likewise, if you tag a post with #SEO, it’s clear that the topic is search engine optimization.

Trending hashtags: For a business or brand, using hashtags that millions of users are using—in other words, “trending” hashtags—is a great opportunity to increase reach and visibility. However, it’s important that the post you attach to a trending hashtag is actually interesting. If it’s meaningless, people will simply ignore it. But if the post is funny or engaging and you add trending hashtags that fit the topic, many people will reshare it and attention toward your business can grow exponentially.

Brand-specific hashtags: The downside of using very generic and popular hashtags is that your post can easily get lost among the hundreds or thousands of others using the same hashtag. That’s why it’s a good idea to create hashtags specifically related to your business or brand. You can use these for branding, promotions, events, or even a separate advertising campaign. Their effectiveness lies in the fact that no one else uses them but you. They must be unique and easy to remember. Think of them as a slogan!

What kinds of hashtags help you reach more people?

• Product and service hashtags: basic keywords used to describe your products and/or services: #bag #onlinemarketing
• Event or seasonal hashtags: hashtags related to current holidays or seasons: #christmas #santa #blackfriday #winter #spring
• Location hashtags: even if you tag the location of your post, you can gain extra reach by using a location-related hashtag: #budapest #debrecen #puskásstadion
• Day-of-the-week hashtags: indicate the day you published the post in your hashtag: #boringmonday #sundayfun #fridayparty
• Acronym hashtags: use popular abbreviations: #tbt (Throwback Thursday)
• Emojis: an emoji itself can be a hashtag, but you can also add an emoji to an existing hashtag: #

Hashtags in business and marketing

Most global brands—and more and more small businesses—have multiple social media accounts. An increasing number of them actively use hashtags in their daily communication and campaigns.

Here are some tips on how you can use hashtags:

1. Use hashtags related to your business and field of expertise: Think about which hashtags best describe your business. A concrete example: Usernet Kft deals with web development, so it makes sense for us to use hashtags such as #webdevelopment and #website.
2. Follow the trends: Keep an eye on which hashtags are currently popular. If you find one that’s relevant to you, start using it.
3. Create your own hashtag: Anyone can create an unlimited number of hashtags. All you have to do is come up with one that represents you, and start using it in your social media posts.

However, I can’t stress enough that you will only see visible results from using hashtags if your profile settings are set to public, visible to everyone. Many businesses still make the mistake of having a “Private” profile and then wonder why they don’t see any change from using hashtags.

Further tips and ideas for using hashtags

Here are the three most important characteristics of an effective hashtag:

1. Be specific: the hashtag you use should always be relevant to the topic of the post.
2. Be simple: If something is simple, it’s easier to remember. That pretty much says it all.
3. Provide added value: Your hashtag should reflect the content of the post it appears in, because other users reached you by showing interest in that particular topic.

Hashtag generator and research tools

Here are a few tools that can help you use hashtags more effectively:

Ritetag

Website: Ritetag 

You get instant hashtag suggestions for your images and text based on a database with real-time data.

Influencer MarketingHub Hashtag Generator

Website: Influencer MarketingHub Hashtag Generator

Upload the image you want to post and it will help you choose the most relevant hashtags. Completely free!

AllHashtag

Website: AllHashtag

A free hashtag generator that suggests the most popular hashtags based on a keyword you provide.

MetaHashtags

Website: MetaHashtags

A free hashtag generator that suggests hashtags based on a keyword or your Instagram profile. Its biggest advantage, besides being free, is that it shows how a given hashtag is performing.