The #hashtag game is an evolving game where the rules change all the time. Driven by trends, more companies are focusing more on where they place the tags and how they style them rather than picking the trending hashtags that will more likely make the post go viral. We at Ignite Search recommend using a #hashtag library, so let’s talk about why hashtag libraries are an important social media tracking tool for your brand.
#hashtags are more organic in nature; it can be relevant one day and then irrelevant the other. It can be quite frustrating, we know. As an extra challenge to navigate, #hashtags can also be repurposed.
Take for example #launceston in 2022. Businesses based in Launceston, Tasmania, would use this tag, believing it was for their local area, as it had always been. What they didn’t know was that a dog breeder in Launceston, England, had posted a flood of dog images with the #hashtag. This temporarily led to the tag being more about dog breeding in Cornwall, England, than about a trending cultural city, the home of great Australian food and wine. Locals in Tasmania who noticed the change began to use the tag #launcestontasmania instead, to stay on point.
How Do You Make A #Hashtag Library?
First you can create a spreadsheet and list the columns according to the following categories: #Hashtag, Mentions, Interactions, Reach, Shares, Context of Mentions, Top Influencers, Languages, Countries, Social Platforms, Related Hashtags, Description of recent posts with tag.
Once you have added these headings, you can list in the rows below all the #hashtags you have been using and as you research their value for your business or brand image, you can mark them as to either not be used or to be used less.
#Hashtag Research Resources
There are free tools available online such as https://app.brandmentions.com/ which allows you to research up to 9 free hashtags each day, anything more and you will need a paid subscription. It’s great for getting maximum information for specific time periods.
Another good one is http://best-hashtags.com/ which is great when you want to add as many relevant hashtags as you can about a topic and gain maximum reach on Instagram and Facebook. It can also let you know in an instant how many people in the world that very second have used the #hashtag you queried.
Social media planner apps like Planoly and Hootsuite have built-in features that suggest #hashtags for your posts based on current trending hashtags. These options are usually complimentary with your paid subscription.
How Often Do I Need To Update My #Hashtag Library?
To keep it relevant and on point, we recommend checking back every 3 to 6 months or so, while it is possible that #hashtags can change overnight, it doesn’t often happen that quickly. Hashtags can change over a matter of months due to others helping the trend along via their social feeds.
When you notice a #hashtag’s purpose or trend has changed, update your library and remember to add new ones. Also, don’t forget hashtags with emojis in them; they are fun and are often on the move in social circles.
Do You Need Help Finding The Right Social Media Strategy?
If you need a helping hand with getting your business noticed on social media and securing more followers and likes, we can help. Contact the Ignite Search team today to request a quote. You can follow our blog for more helpful tips on social media management and strategy planning.
