Facebook introduced hashtags almost a decade ago, but are they still applicable today? Can you use hashtags on Facebook to get more visibility or reach the right people?
Here’s everything you need to know. All Facebook hashtags were crashing on Facebook when it was introduced in 2013. Can you remember posts that were followed by a long string of somewhat relevant hashtags that followed the message?
Over time, the use of Facebook hashtags dwindled and they became virtually unused. Now, however, Facebook is reviving this handy tool.
In September 2020, Facebook began recommending hashtags to add to your posts via a dropdown menu, same as to how hashtag recommendations work on other channels. At the same time, the platform also began notifying users that using hashtags on Facebook can boost organic reach, and thus improve Facebook SEO.
Facebook announced that it is re-emphasizing hashtags as a way to highlight conversations about public events, people, and topics. The world’s largest social network took a look at how people talk about popular TV shows, sports and breaking events.
To date, there has never been a more convenient or organized way to track Facebook events or discussions at large. But now, introducing hashtags should help people participate in public conversations that interest them.
How Do Facebook Hashtags Work?
Hashtags work on individual profile posts, fan page postings, group posts, event postings and all comments.
You can click on the hashtag on any Facebook post to be redirected to its feed. Note that each hashtag on Facebook has its own unique data.
How to Make Hashtags on Facebook
To create a hashtag on Facebook, start typing the first hashtag that is relevant to your post’s niche. The platform will recognize the hashtag and recommend related and interested Facebook hashtags for use. Add any relevant hashtags that Facebook suggests to the post.
How Many Hashtags to Use on Facebook
Use about two to three hashtags on your Facebook posts, but test them over time to see what works best for your particular Page. Never overdo it – you don’t want your post to look like a wall of hashtags. You want to see your copy persuade and shine.
How to Search Hashtags on Facebook
10 Hashtag Tips You Need to Follow
Online Marketers are already using hashtags to reach the right audience on Facebook. You can actually use Facebook’s own hashtag search with #hashtagtips to find great tips and ideas, including the following:
- Try starting a hashtag challenge. It allows Facebook users to instantly create a post with the hashtag you are using for the challenge and can create good engagement for the hashtag of your choice.
- Every hashtag on Facebook has its own URL. If you run a campaign with a specific hashtag, you can drive more conversational traffic to that URL from other websites. Alternatively, you can use the URL to search for user-generated content or even feed it to your site.
- Use hashtags to start a conversation with the group. Each word you create in a hashtag will be grouped in its own status update box!
- Think about your target market, industry and the hashtags you use on other social networks. Plus, follow the most popular Facebook pages in your niche to learn how they use hashtags. This research can lead you to valuable hashtags outside of the ones you already know or Facebook suggests to you.
- Make and save hashtag groups for future use. Group them by product, campaign or topic so you can quickly pull them up whenever needed.
- Use tags in topics related to your industry. Be strategic about the hashtags you use.
- Capitalize #FirstLetterInEachWord to make your hashtag more readable and avoid potential confusion.
- Don’t overload your posts with hashtags, 2-3 is enough.
- Explore and add hashtags to your best posts. Doing so will give them extra visibility.
- Find out which hashtags influencers use and add them to your list.
What About Hashtag Privacy?
You control who sees your posts, including posts with hashtags. Facebook marketing expert Mari Smith summarizes all hashtag-related privacy settings as follows:
- Like all personal profile features on Facebook, privacy settings dominate.
- If you publish posts on your profile only for friends, and the post contains a hashtag, the hashtag can be clicked to open to display all other posts on Facebook that contain that hashtag.
- However, only friends can see friend posts that appear in hashtag search.
- Public posts with or without hashtags are public.
- Private posts (friends only) – with or without hashtags – are just that: private and visible to friends only.
- Even when friends only include hashtags in comments on your friend thread, your post is private and visible only to your friends.
- With hashtags divided into private groups, a clickable hashtag will open to show public posts with that tag (as with any ‘friend’ posts with that tag), but private group jobs are available only to group members .
- Individual comments on threads do not come up in hashtag searches.
Next Steps for Effective Use of Hashtags
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. If you want to make the best use of Facebook hashtags then you have to understand the impact they are having on your posts.
Using our tips and techniques, you can easily grow the engagement trends of all your posts, which makes it easy to compare posts with different hashtags. Additionally, you can track the hashtags you use on Facebook using many different toold available on the web. If you need any help regarding Facebook ads, we can help with it. Call now to learn more for FREE.