Hashtags have become an essential tool for social media marketers, helping to increase visibility, discoverability, and engagement. However, while hashtags are an integral part of social media marketing, it’s crucial to use them correctly. Overusing hashtags, though, can lead to unwanted consequences, ranging from reduced engagement to appearing spammy to your audience.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why overuse of hashtags is detrimental to your marketing strategy and offer actionable tips on how to use hashtags effectively across different social media platforms. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out in social media marketing, understanding the balance between using enough hashtags and overloading your posts with them will ensure that your content reaches its fullest potential.
The Problem with Overusing Hashtags
1.
Appearing Spammy
One of the most common mistakes brands make is cramming as many hashtags as possible into a post. This strategy might seem like a way to maximize visibility, but it can actually backfire. When you overuse hashtags, it can make your post look cluttered and unprofessional. It may even come across as spammy or desperate for attention, which can turn off your audience.
Social media users are savvy, and they can easily spot when a post has been over-tagged. This could lead to a negative perception of your brand, reducing trust and damaging your credibility. In a world where authenticity is key, appearing spammy can seriously undermine your social media efforts.
2.
Lower Engagement Rates
Despite the notion that more hashtags equal more exposure, studies have shown that overuse of hashtags can lead to decreased engagement rates. When you use an excessive number of hashtags, your post can become less focused, and users may be less likely to engage with it. Instead of engaging with your content, they may scroll right past it due to the overwhelming number of tags.
Platforms like Instagram have specific algorithms that take into account user engagement, and posts that seem forced or unnatural tend to get fewer likes, comments, and shares. This can hurt your overall engagement, reducing the reach of your posts.
3.
Hashtag Fatigue
Hashtag fatigue is real. When you use the same hashtags over and over again, your audience may start to tune them out. People who follow a lot of accounts may see similar posts with the same hashtags repeatedly, which can diminish their effectiveness. Over time, this leads to a decline in the visibility and impact of your hashtags.
It's important to keep your hashtags fresh and relevant to each post. Using a mix of trending, niche, and branded hashtags will keep your content interesting and engaging, while avoiding the repetitiveness that leads to hashtag fatigue.
4.
Diluting Your Message
Overusing hashtags can also dilute the message you’re trying to convey. When you cram too many hashtags into a post, the focus shifts away from the content itself. Instead of the audience focusing on your message, they might be distracted by a long list of hashtags, which can make your post feel unfocused or disjointed.
The goal is to engage your audience with quality content, and excessive hashtags can detract from that goal. It’s important to remember that your content should always come first, and hashtags should be used to complement and enhance it, not take over.
5.
Risking Being Flagged as Spam
On platforms like Instagram, there are specific algorithms and AI systems designed to detect spammy behavior. If you’re overusing hashtags or using irrelevant ones, your posts may get flagged or removed. Repetitive, excessive hashtag use can even lead to account shadowbanning, meaning your posts won’t be visible to anyone except your followers.
Avoiding overuse of hashtags helps ensure that your account remains in good standing with social media platforms and doesn’t get penalized for spam-like behavior.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use?
The number of hashtags you should use varies depending on the platform, but the general rule of thumb is quality over quantity. Instead of focusing on the sheer volume of hashtags, aim to use relevant and strategic ones that will help your content reach the right audience.
1.
Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but that doesn’t mean you should use all of them. Research suggests that using around 5 to 10 hashtags per post is the sweet spot for boosting engagement. Using too many hashtags can make your post look cluttered and less engaging.
- Best practice: Focus on a combination of popular, niche, and branded hashtags. The key is relevance—ensure that the hashtags you use are directly related to your content and your brand.
- Tip: Use a mix of broad hashtags (#marketing, #socialmedia) and more specific ones that align with your post’s subject (#contentmarketingtips, #smallbusinessgrowth). The more relevant the hashtag, the more likely you are to attract users who are genuinely interested in your content.
2.
While Facebook doesn’t rely as heavily on hashtags as platforms like Instagram, they can still be useful for discovery. However, overloading a Facebook post with hashtags can make it seem cluttered and unprofessional.
- Best practice: Limit yourself to 1 or 2 hashtags per post. Use them sparingly to highlight key topics or themes within your content. Overuse won’t necessarily improve your post’s reach and can make it appear spammy.
- Tip: Incorporate hashtags naturally into your post’s copy. For example, if you’re discussing a recent campaign, you might use a hashtag like #MarketingTips or #BrandBuilding to emphasize the core theme.
3.
On Twitter, hashtags serve as a way to join conversations or participate in trending topics. However, Twitter’s character limit (280 characters) means you need to be selective with your hashtag use.
- Best practice: Limit your hashtags to 1 or 2 per tweet. Focus on high-impact hashtags that tie into popular trends or events.
- Tip: If you’re promoting a campaign or event, create a branded hashtag to help consolidate all the conversations surrounding it. This helps improve discoverability without crowding your tweet with hashtags.
4.
LinkedIn has recently embraced the use of hashtags, but they are still a secondary tool to drive engagement. Hashtags on LinkedIn should be relevant to your industry and professional content.
- Best practice: Stick to 3-5 hashtags per post. Overusing hashtags on LinkedIn can make your post seem less professional.
- Tip: Focus on using industry-specific hashtags or hashtags related to professional development (#digitalmarketing, #entrepreneurship) to help your content reach a relevant audience.
5.
Pinterest is a visually-driven platform, and while hashtags can help improve the discoverability of your Pins, overuse can clutter the description and detract from the visual appeal.
- Best practice: Aim for 5 to 10 relevant hashtags in your Pin descriptions. Focus on using hashtags that describe the image or content of the Pin.
- Tip: Incorporate trending hashtags but also use niche-specific ones to target a more specific audience. This will increase the chances of your Pins appearing in search results.
How to Effectively Use Hashtags
Instead of overusing hashtags, focus on these strategies to use them effectively:
1.
Research Hashtags Carefully
Do your homework to ensure the hashtags you’re using are relevant to your content and your target audience. Use tools like Instagram’s search function, Twitter Trends, or Pinterest’s hashtag suggestions to find popular hashtags that align with your brand.
- Tip: Look for hashtags that are both widely used and niche-specific. Using a combination of both increases the likelihood of your content being discovered by a more targeted audience.
2.
Monitor Hashtag Performance
Track the performance of the hashtags you use to understand which ones resonate with your audience. Social media platforms often offer built-in analytics tools that let you monitor how well your posts with hashtags are performing.
- Tip: Regularly adjust your hashtag strategy based on performance data. Remove hashtags that aren’t driving engagement and replace them with more effective ones.
3.
Keep Your Hashtags Relevant
Always ensure that the hashtags you use are relevant to the content you’re posting. Using irrelevant or trending hashtags just for the sake of visibility can make your brand appear disingenuous.
- Tip: If you’re running a specific campaign or promotion, create a branded hashtag and encourage your followers to use it. This not only boosts engagement but also strengthens brand recognition.
Hashtags are a powerful tool when used strategically, but overusing them can lead to negative outcomes for your social media marketing. By focusing on quality rather than quantity, you can ensure your posts stand out without appearing spammy. Keep your hashtags relevant, research them carefully, and monitor their performance to ensure they’re working for you.
Remember, moderation is key. By using hashtags thoughtfully across platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Pinterest, you’ll enhance your social media presence and foster meaningful engagement with your audience.
So, before you add that long list of hashtags to your next post, take a step back and think about whether each one truly adds value to your content and your brand.
If you are interested in my digital marketing services you can book a consulatation with me or feel free to email me at abbey@midnightstonemarketing.com :)