Do hashtags really work?
Do hashtags work? Can they increase my businesses following on Instagram? What benefits do they hold?
Every man and his dog these days is asking these questions and asking them to anyone and everyone who will listen. The problem is hashtags are very much subjective and opinion based, some people believe hashtags are the bees nees and others, well... don’t think they contribute to engagement and success of any form. The basic hashtag has developed and evolved over the years, with it being now more about incorporating uniqueness, humour and customisation to your audience rather than generic words. Don’t get me wrong, generic words are still incredibly beneficial to a business as you get the opportunity to target a wider market of users.
Keeping the balance
There’s a fine line between applying to many and too little hashtags into your posts. Keeping a balance is important, to many hashtags can turn potential followers and clients away from your business and your Instagram page. To little hashtags can reduce the ability of your posts being able to reach and engage with an appropriate audience. The real question is when do you cross this line and how am I meant to know when the line has been crossed.
The benefit
Research has revealed that incorporating just one hashtag into your posts can enhance your engagement and audience reach by 12%. Now, imagine what five or ten hashtags could do to your business profile and reach on social media?
Every platform is unique
No social media platform is the same. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn are all effective in their own unique ways. Each audience on these social media platforms expect and utilise a certain level of hashtag standards. For example when using Instagram and Twitter hashtags are very common and the use of them is very widespread. But these platforms are the only ones where hashtags perform effectively and it is the other platforms raising the question of if hashtags actually work properly or if they’re just a waste of time.
Hashtags can be helpful for your online digital presence in so many extraordinary ways. Do not get left behind in the digital world, if you need assistance in any form, Marketing Eye is your best friend.
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comments ( 2 )
Rinaldo
17 May 2019Personally, I believe that hashtags are very important for social media marketing schemes. You're certainly right about the effectiveness of them and how they can either specifically target an audience or appeal to a wider customer base. The popularity of hashtags are definitely growing and nowadays I can see that Facebook and LinkedIn have popularised them on their platforms. Keeping the balance is key as you have mentioned, as a customer I will feel less attracted to a brand if it has an exceeding amount of hashtags or if they aren't using enough.
Replymia
19 Feb 2019You often see many businesses (on Instagram particularly) draining their captions with hashtags just to generate likes and engagements. Truth is, these hashtags don't usually bring in the right customers anyway. You're right, there needs to be a balance!
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