Hashtags are a simple way to add context and meaning to your social media posts. Using the right hashtags can help you connect with potential followers and customers, but using them incorrectly or excessively can backfire. So how do you know when to use hashtags, and which ones are best? Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of this growing social media trend. Here we see another article about how not to use hashtags. You see so many articles like these, because people keep making the same mistakes again and again. People don’t understand that hashtags aren’t just for Twitter anymore: Instagram, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest – all of these sites support hashtags now.

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or short phrase preceded by a # symbol. They help people find your content more easily. They can also help you discover content that is relevant to your business and engage with people who might become customers. Hashtags were created on the Twitter platform, but they have evolved into a broader concept since then and are now used on many social media platforms. But not all social media sites support hashtags.

Why use hashtags?

We’ve all heard the horror stories about brands using hashtags for all the wrong reasons – but what about using hashtags for all the right ones? Think about it this way: Hashtags are search terms that your customers are already using. If you want to get your content discovered, then you need to make it easy for people to find it. With hashtags, you can target your ideal customers like never before – and you can even engage with them directly.

When should you use hashtags?

The best rule of thumb is to only use hashtags when you’re posting content related to your industry. For example, if you’re in the clothing business, don’t use the hashtag #tbt (that stands for “throwback Thursday”) because it’s not related to the industry. You’ll just look silly. You should also avoid using too many hashtags. No more than two seems to be standard for most social media sites.

How to find the right hashtags to use

There are a few ways to go about choosing the hashtags for your posts. One is to use a social media monitoring tool to see which hashtags have the most search volume for your industry. Another is to search for content related to your industry and see what hashtags appear. This can be a little time-consuming, but it’s better than just throwing anything out there. If you’re posting something on a social media site that doesn’t support hashtags, you can still use that technique. Just put the hashtag in the text of your post. For example, if you’re on Pinterest and you want to put a hashtag in your board description, simply put it at the end: “#fashion.”