A couple months ago, I posted a photo to Instagram, added all my hashtags and waited with glee for the likes and comments to roll in.
Come on, admit it. You do this too.
But instead of my daily dose of affirmation, I got this: a post from my friend that read “#hashtag.”
Hmph. That’s not very nice. I presume you’re referring to all my hashtags? Well! I’ll have you know that all those hashtags are very necessary for getting likes. And I’ll point out that I’m trying to run a blog business here, and I need those likes.
What I actually said was more along the lines of “haha.” But that was when I realized that hashtagging is totally different across social media platforms, and also that the way you approach hashtags really depends on your goals. Are you running a business? Making connections? Chatting about your toddler?
Well I’m here to give you the rundown on:
- How hashtags work on different platforms.
- How many hashtags you should use on different platforms.
- How to select hashtags.
Scccreeeeeechhhh!! If you’re like, “Hold up, what is a hashtag exactly?” this is the part where I explain it. Hashtags are just like the subject headings in a library. You click it, and you see everything else that has been marked with that category. That’s why they’re valuable for marketers and brands: they attach your little bit of information to all the other little bits of information on the same topic.
So whether you’re looking for a thousand more followers or you just want your voice to be heard (or, you know, your Tweet to be read), then download my ULTIMATE Guide to Hashtags.
And just for fun, Tweet us @Skillcrush using our new hashtag, #CodewithConfidence, so you can join a conversation with other women taking names and launching careers in code.
Randle Browning manages content and works on product development for Skillcrush. Randle got her start in tech in a Skillcrush 101 class. Since then, she has become a freelance web designer and co-founded a local WordPress Meetup in Waco, TX, where she lives with her husband and two rescue dogs. When Randle’s not promoting women’s tech education, she runs her food blog, Crandlecakes, and helps out at the pizza place she and her husband own. She is on a mission to make like the French and revel in food, while consuming as much olive oil as possible.
