Hashtags, known as hash, number or pound symbols in the past, continued to exist in obscurity on the computer keyboard till the start of the 21st century. It was only in 2007 that the fate of this humble keyboard symbol changed.
The man responsible for this revolutionary change was Chris Messina, a product designer working with Twitter. Says Chris Messina on his website: “Then in 2007, I invented the hashtag, changing the social media landscape forever by providing a means to galvanize popular social movements.”
The Twitterati swore by hashtags; so did the Instagrammers. The other leading social media platforms where hashtags have found a home are Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest.
Hashtags and their purpose
So, what does hashtag mean in social media parlance and what is its purpose? Technically speaking, hashtag is the symbol # that nestles cozily on all devices used for typing.
When the # symbol is inserted before words and numbers in a social media post, it becomes a powerful tool to categorize and track content on social media. It works as a clickable, searchable link and helps social media users connect and find conversations on social media platforms.
The two most popular hashtags that took the world by storm in recent years are #metoo and #blacklives matter.
How to find trending hashtags?
The best way to locate topics that are being browsed by a large number of users at a given time is through trending hashtags.
These trending hashtags can help you increase your visibility and reach on social media platforms especially Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Platform X (formerly Twitter): Click the “Explore” button on the left sidebar to see the top hashtags trending in your country or region. The trending hashtags are also showcased under the “What’s Happening” tab in the right sidebar.
Platform X allows you to customize your trends settings to see hashtags that are more relevant for you.
Instagram: Click the “Explore” page to see the most popular posts and hashtags related to your interests. You can also use the search function to type a keyword or a hashtag and see the related suggestions and results.
Facebook: Check the “News Feed” to see what topics and hashtags are being discussed. You can also use the search function to type a keyword or a hashtag and see the related suggestions and results. However, hashtag is not as effective on Facebook as on Instagram.
Hashtag trackers: You can also use third-party tools or websites that track and analyze the top trending hashtags based on genre or topic. Some of the popular tracking tools are: Hashtagify.me, Brand24.com, Awario.com, Keyhole.co, Ritetag.com, Tagstagram.com and Sproutsocila.com.
All these tools charge a price for their service. You should choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.
Hashtag Generators: You also have the option of using hashtag generators to generate hashtags. Some of the free hashtag generators are: SeekMetrics.com, TagsFinder, Allhashtag and Sistrix.
There are several paid hashtag generators also. You can choose them based on your budget.
How to find the right hashtag for your posts
There is little doubt that a hashtag can push your post to a wider audience and increase engagement rates. The challenge is to find the right hashtag. When choosing a hashtag, you must ensure that it is relevant to your content, audience, and business. It’s also important to analyze the performance of your hashtags to gauge what is and isn’t working for your brand.
Depending upon your post, you can choose broad hashtags, niche hashtags or specific hashtags.
Broad hashtags are the ones that are used by many users and have a large reach. Good examples are #SEO or #marketing.
Niche hashtags are the ones that are more specific to your industry or topic, such as #seotips or #contentmarketing.
Specific hashtags are associated with a company’s brand name, slogan, product, service, campaign, event, or theme, such as #tajhotels or #unacademyseocourse. They increase visibility, clicks, mentions and overall reach. They also create a consistent image and voice for the brand.
For example, if you create a video tutorial on characteristics of an internet report, you can add hashtags like #internetreportcourse #internetreporttutorial to make it easier for users to find your course on platforms such as YouTube or Instagram.
How is hashtag different to a keyword?
Content creators often get confused between hashtag and keyword. Both terms help users search for specific content. However, there are four key differences between the two terms.
- Use of symbol: A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol, such as #G20 or #Asiaworldcup. In contrast, keywords don’t use any symbol. They are used as standalone words or phrases such as G 20 or Asia World Cup.
- Place of use: Hashtags are used on social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, to find and join conversations about a certain topic. Keywords are search words that are used on search engines, such as Google or Bing, to find web pages.
- Communicate mood: Hashtags can convey emotion, opinion, or humour such as #iloveyou or #greatachievement. Keywords are straightforward and communicate user’s intent.
- Work for different masters: A hashtag is read by humans who can understand the context and meaning behind them. Keywords are studied by search engine robots, who use algorithms and ranking factors to determine the relevance and quality of content.
5. Impact duration: Hashtags are largely used to achieve short-term goals, such as creating buzz around an event, increasing engagement, or joining a trend. A keyword is more permanent. It is a key component of search engine optimization and is used to improve the visibility and ranking of web pages.
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