Hashtags across all social media platforms are used to mark or categorize content. This makes the content easier for others to find. In this post, I’ll be discussing how to use hashtags effectively on LinkedIn.
Did you know you can follow hashtags on LinkedIn?
Well, you can. Search for the hashtag you’re interested in, click on the suggestion LinkedIn provides, and you’ll see something like the image below.
You’ll see how many people follow the hashtag, which is a great indicator of how many people are interested in the topic.
Here’s a short video which demonstrates this.
Using hashtags in your posts
When you post on LinkedIn you should stay in your lane and remember to serve your audience. Part of serving your audience is posting content that they’re interested in.
Using hashtags allows you to mark the content so that it can be found by people interested in your topic.
Some tips for using hashtags in your posts:
- Use a “branded” hashtag in all your posts – this give people easy access to all your posts in one place if they click on that hashtag. For example, I use #nicholaskruldigital (click it and see what happens)
- Don’t use too many hashtags – LinkedIn posts work best when you use 3-5 hashtags which are all related to your topic. For example, if I’m writing about using hashtags on LinkedIn, I may use #linkedinskills #socialmediaskills #hashtags
- Do some research (as described above) to find out which hashtags people are interested in. In the LinkedIn search bar, type the hashtag you have in mind, click on the “suggestion” which LinkedIn provides and you’ll be able to see how many followers a particular hashtag has. You’ll also see a feed of content which contains posts which include that hashtag.
This is particularly helpful as you can see who the people are who are talking about the topic already. This give you the opportunity to add your voice to the conversation, making yourself visible to the people that matter.
Some do’s and don’ts
Do always use hashtags in your posts
Don’t use more than 5 or 6 at a time
Do some research and use hashtags that people are interested in
Don’t use vague hashtags, keep it on-topic
Do use a branded hashtag, possibly the name of your company
Don’t forget to ask people to follow your branded hashtag
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Do you have any hashtag-related questions? Head over to my LinkedIn profile, connect with me and send me a message.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
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