Did you know that there are 3 types of marketing strategies for hashtags? They are:
- Community hashtags
- Branded hashtags
- Content Hashtags
Community Hashtags
Community hashtags are hashtags that connect like-minded users around a specific subject. They’re a great way to connect with others, improve the searchability of your posts, gain followers, and grow your own community.
Here are 5 different types of community hashtags you can use for your business:
- Hashtags indicating your product or service, like #sneakers or #coffeeshop
- Hashtags indicating your niche in your industry, like #weddingphotographer or #yogainstructor
- Hashtags for Instagram communities in your industry, like #beautyjunkies #foodiesofinstagram
- Hashtags for special events or seasons, like #nationalpuppyday
- Hashtags using location, like #sydneyeats
We recommend using a variety of hashtags on your posts and stories so your posts can reach different communities. For instance, if you have a restaurant in Sydney, you can use #sydneyeats, but also use #foodiesofinstagram for those who are interested in your day-to-day life as a chef.
The best way to find these community-oriented hashtags is by looking to see which hashtags your audience or favourite accounts are already using.
Branded Hashtags
Brand and campaign hashtags are created to be specific tags that you are using for your own business – they’re unique to you! They market your specific products or services.
It can be as simple as your company name, tagline, or the name of one of your products or campaigns. For example, on our Instagram, we include #thecopystudio in every post.
While community hashtags are used to increase the reach of your message, branded hashtags are designed to connect themes for you and your audience. They can be used to promote a campaign or collect user-generated content (UGC).
For example, beauty brand MECCA uses the hashtag #MECCAbeauty to drive awareness around their brand by giving their followers a place to share relevant content.
Getting your Instagram followers to use your branded hashtag in their posts and stories is key to getting discovered on Instagram by new audiences. A simple trick to gain more traction through a branded hashtag is to run a giveaway. E.g: use #thecopystudio in your post to win a free social media audit for your business.
Once you create your hashtag, remind customers they can use your business’ hashtag by sharing it on your stories or calling it out in your captions. This way, your followers can tap the hashtag and see other posts about your business.
It’s also a good idea to follow your branded hashtag to keep track of new content that’s being shared!
Content Hashtags
Content hashtags are used for directly engaging a target audience. For example, if you’re a boutique coffee shop wanting to boost brand awareness, posting photos of your amazing latte art with the hashtags #latte #art #coffeeshop will draw in interested crowds. Thanks to the flexibility of the hashtag, your hashtags will translate across networks if you share your post on multiple sites.
When using content hashtags, try to think like your customer. What are they interested in? What would appeal to them? Descriptive hashtags work best.
Remember though, DO NOT #hashtag #every #single #word, #it’s #desperate.
If you’re serious about creating successful social media marketing, hashtags should be an essential part of crafting your campaigns. Need help in getting started? Contact us.