The power of hashtags: Are they still relevant in social media?

Hashtags are a great way to expand your reach beyond your followers, but today they are at the heart of much debate questioning their relevance. Too many hashtags can turn people away from a conversation, and changes in algorithms have led to concerns that they may no longer be as effective as they once were. However, hashtags are still a valuable tool to drive views, likes and shares.

So, are hashtags a thing of the past? The way I see it, certainly not! and here is why. They are still a relevant and powerful tool for any business trying to reach a specific audience on social media, and their core purpose of organizing content remains unchanged. With a strategic and creative approach, hashtags can make your content easier to discover. They can start new conversations and help you build a vibrant online community. To harness their full potential, remember that quality and relevance should always be prioritised over quantity. So, yes, hashtags are still relevant, and they’re here to stay.

And to help you maximize the impact of your hashtags I have gathered my top tips and tricks:

• How many hashtags should you use? Less is more. Guidance on how many to use will vary according to platform and it’s easy to overdo hashtags, but it is recommended to use only a handful of them. Keep in mind that hashtag clutter can distract from your message and eventually hurt your reach, use them wisely and appropriately.  

• Quality over quantity: Hashtags are of way of categorising and organising content around a topic or a conversation. Focusing on relevant and specific hashtags will add clarity to your message, complement it and make it easier to find. This will not only maintain the integrity of your content but also prevent it from being perceived as spam.

• Research and trends: Stay up to date with trending hashtags and incorporate them into your content when appropriate. You can use hashtag analytics tools to help you get the latest trends in the industry you want to reach and have your message reach a wider audience. Trending hashtags will boost the visibility of your posts.

• Branding and consistency: Creating and promoting your own branded hashtags is a great way to spread the word about your business, to foster community engagement and brand loyalty. Make sure to use your hashtags consistently in all your marketing material and across platforms to help establish a strong online presence.

• Platform-specific strategies: Be mindful that hashtag effectiveness can vary from platform to platform. Do your research to understand what works best on each platform, make sure you stay up to date with their latest dos and don’ts and tailor your strategy accordingly.