The hashtag symbol (#) has been around for generations. It was previously used as a stand in for a number and also referred to as a “pound key” or “hash key” on phones and keyboards. On social media, a hashtag is used to identify a post with a particular topic. Perhaps the most prominent example of a hashtags going viral on social media is “#metoo”, used to raise awareness around sexual harassment and sexual abuse.

Why Use Hashtags?

Using hashtags can help you organize your posts and reach your target audience. By staying in touch with trending hashtags and choosing relevant hashtags for your posts, you can increase the likelihood that someone interested in that subject will find your content. Searching by hashtag is one of the most common search queries on social media apps. Leaving hashtags off of your posts is taking potential views, shares and other engagement off the table.

How Many Hashtags Per Post?

Choosing how many hashtags can feel like walking a tightrope; a couple hashtags too many can leave your posts looking like spam. Here are some tips for how many hashtags to use on various social media apps:

• Twitter: This is where the modern hashtag got its start. In fact, the first Twitter hashtag was included in a post from 2007. You can add as many hashtags as you like to a Twitter post (within the character limit of 280) but Twitter recommends up to two hashtags per post. Adding too many hashtags risks making each of them less visible in searches and other algorithms on the platform. 
• Instagram: While hashtags were introduced in their current form by Twitter, it can be argued that Instagram took them to new levels of importance. On Instagram, it is a good idea to add a branding hashtag to your bio, perhaps “#YourFirmName”. You can use as many as 30 hashtags on an individual post and 10 on a story, but you risk casting too wide a net. Our recommendation is to use 10 or less hashtags. 
• TikTok: You only have 60 seconds to make an impact on TikTokand you have even less time than that for your hashtags to grab a user’s attention. We recommend using no more than five hashtags per TikTok video. 
• Facebook: Unlike Twitter and Instagram, Facebook does not have a strong cultural history of using hashtags. One hashtag to aid in the searchability of your Facebook post is plenty. 

Contact Above The Bar Marketing today for help making sure you are making the most of your social media marketing.