LinkedIn might seem all about professional connections and job hunting, but it's also a powerful platform to build your brand and reach a wider audience.
Here's where hashtags come in – those little # symbols followed by keywords can unlock a world of new connections and content discovery.
This guide will break down everything you need to know about using hashtags on LinkedIn, from the basics to best practices.
We'll cover what they are, why they matter, and how to leverage them to get your content seen by the right people.
Here's where hashtags come in – those little # symbols followed by keywords can unlock a world of new connections and content discovery.
This guide will break down everything you need to know about using hashtags on LinkedIn, from the basics to best practices.
We'll cover what they are, why they matter, and how to leverage them to get your content seen by the right people.
What are LinkedIn hashtags?
Imagine hashtags as little labels for your content.
When you add a hashtag (like #marketing or #socialmediastrategies), you're categorizing your post and making it easier for people interested in those topics to find it. Anyone clicking on a hashtag sees all the posts on LinkedIn that share that same tag. Pretty cool, right?
P.S: Our LinkedIn Formatting Tool does the homework for you by adding the most relevant hashtags to all your LinkedIn posts.
When you add a hashtag (like #marketing or #socialmediastrategies), you're categorizing your post and making it easier for people interested in those topics to find it. Anyone clicking on a hashtag sees all the posts on LinkedIn that share that same tag. Pretty cool, right?
P.S: Our LinkedIn Formatting Tool does the homework for you by adding the most relevant hashtags to all your LinkedIn posts.
Here's a quick rundown of how hashtags work on LinkedIn:
1. Format: Hashtags are any combination of letters or numbers, strung together without spaces, following a # symbol.
2. Case Sensitivity: Technically, hashtags aren't case-sensitive (#marketing is the same as #Marketing). However, using proper capitalization (each word starting with a capital) makes your hashtags easier to read for everyone, especially those who rely on screen readers.
2. Case Sensitivity: Technically, hashtags aren't case-sensitive (#marketing is the same as #Marketing). However, using proper capitalization (each word starting with a capital) makes your hashtags easier to read for everyone, especially those who rely on screen readers.
Why do hashtags matter on LinkedIn?
Hashtags are your key to unlocking engagement for your LinkedIn content pieces.
How can hashtags work wonders for your professional presence?
1. Boost Your Reach: Hashtags help your content get discovered by people beyond your immediate network. When someone searches for a relevant hashtag, your post might pop up, introducing you to a whole new audience. Imagine a potential client searching for #contentmarketingtips – with the right hashtags, your insightful post could be exactly what they're looking for.
2. Connect with Your Tribe: Hashtags connect you with people who share your interests. By using industry-specific hashtags, you can find and engage with potential collaborators, clients, or even future employers. Let's say you're a data analyst. Including #dataanalysis or #datascience in your posts can connect you with other professionals in your field, leading to exciting opportunities.
3. Build a Community: Think beyond just promoting yourself. Create a branded hashtag (like #Reachify) to encourage conversation and build a community around your company or expertise. This fosters a sense of connection and allows you to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
4. Promote Events and Products: Hashtags are a fantastic way to get the word out about upcoming webinars, conferences, or product launches. By including a specific event hashtag (like #LIWorkshop for a LinkedIn workshop), you can significantly increase awareness and registrations.
Think of it this way: the more people see your content, the more opportunities you have to build your network, establish yourself as a thought leader, and achieve your professional goals.
Popular hashtags change frequently and most are industry-specific, but here are the top LinkedIn hashtags by follower count in 2024.
2. Connect with Your Tribe: Hashtags connect you with people who share your interests. By using industry-specific hashtags, you can find and engage with potential collaborators, clients, or even future employers. Let's say you're a data analyst. Including #dataanalysis or #datascience in your posts can connect you with other professionals in your field, leading to exciting opportunities.
3. Build a Community: Think beyond just promoting yourself. Create a branded hashtag (like #Reachify) to encourage conversation and build a community around your company or expertise. This fosters a sense of connection and allows you to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
4. Promote Events and Products: Hashtags are a fantastic way to get the word out about upcoming webinars, conferences, or product launches. By including a specific event hashtag (like #LIWorkshop for a LinkedIn workshop), you can significantly increase awareness and registrations.
Think of it this way: the more people see your content, the more opportunities you have to build your network, establish yourself as a thought leader, and achieve your professional goals.
Popular hashtags change frequently and most are industry-specific, but here are the top LinkedIn hashtags by follower count in 2024.
Getting Noticed with Hashtags
Now that you understand the power of hashtags, let's explore how to use them strategically to get noticed:
Riding the Trend Wave: Trending hashtags can be a great way to gain visibility, but be selective. Don't jump on every trending topic just because it's popular. Make sure the trending topic aligns with your brand and content strategy. Chasing irrelevant trends might do more harm than good by confusing your audience.
Know Your Audience: Understanding your target audience is key. Research the hashtags they follow and the ones your competitors are using. This will give you valuable insights on how to position your content to resonate with them. Let's say you're a freelance graphic designer. While a general hashtag like #design might be tempting, researching your audience might reveal they're more interested in niche hashtags like #logodesign or #branding.
Be Open to Experimenting: Imagine you're a marketing specialist. A general hashtag like #marketing might get some visibility, but to truly connect, consider incorporating niche hashtags. Hashtags like #contentmarketing or #socialmediastrategies would target people specifically interested in those areas. By testing out various marketing-related hashtags, you're more likely to discover keywords that resonate with particular niches within the marketing world. This way, you can identify hashtags that aren't driving engagement and swap them for ones that deliver better results.
Keep an Eye on Competitors: Staying in the know about what hashtags your competitors are using is a smart social media strategy. By keeping an eye on them, you can discover trending topics and relevant hashtags to incorporate into your own content, boosting your reach and engagement.
Imagine you see a competitor crushing it with the #AIinMarketing hashtag. This can spark ideas for your own posts! Think about: Do you have any upcoming content (blog posts, articles) that this hashtag would fit perfectly with? Can you offer a fresh perspective on the conversation happening under #AIinMarketing? The key here isn't to copy, but to draw inspiration and identify trends you can adapt to your unique strategy.
Riding the Trend Wave: Trending hashtags can be a great way to gain visibility, but be selective. Don't jump on every trending topic just because it's popular. Make sure the trending topic aligns with your brand and content strategy. Chasing irrelevant trends might do more harm than good by confusing your audience.
Know Your Audience: Understanding your target audience is key. Research the hashtags they follow and the ones your competitors are using. This will give you valuable insights on how to position your content to resonate with them. Let's say you're a freelance graphic designer. While a general hashtag like #design might be tempting, researching your audience might reveal they're more interested in niche hashtags like #logodesign or #branding.
Be Open to Experimenting: Imagine you're a marketing specialist. A general hashtag like #marketing might get some visibility, but to truly connect, consider incorporating niche hashtags. Hashtags like #contentmarketing or #socialmediastrategies would target people specifically interested in those areas. By testing out various marketing-related hashtags, you're more likely to discover keywords that resonate with particular niches within the marketing world. This way, you can identify hashtags that aren't driving engagement and swap them for ones that deliver better results.
Keep an Eye on Competitors: Staying in the know about what hashtags your competitors are using is a smart social media strategy. By keeping an eye on them, you can discover trending topics and relevant hashtags to incorporate into your own content, boosting your reach and engagement.
Imagine you see a competitor crushing it with the #AIinMarketing hashtag. This can spark ideas for your own posts! Think about: Do you have any upcoming content (blog posts, articles) that this hashtag would fit perfectly with? Can you offer a fresh perspective on the conversation happening under #AIinMarketing? The key here isn't to copy, but to draw inspiration and identify trends you can adapt to your unique strategy.
Here are some additional resources to help you with audience research:
Follow Relevant Hashtags: This is a free and easy way to stay updated on what your target audience cares about and the conversations they're having online.
Use LinkedIn Analytics: Dive deeper into your audience demographics and interests with LinkedIn's built-in analytics tool. This data can help you tailor your hashtag strategy for maximum impact.
You can also bookmark our Blog to keep yourself updated with the latest best-practices to grow a strong LinkedIn profile.
Think of relevant hashtags on LinkedIn as virtual networking events for your industry. By incorporating them strategically into your posts and articles, you're essentially joining ongoing conversations with the right audience. These hashtags act like flags, attracting people interested in the same topics and boosting the engagement your content receives. Not only will you connect with a wider audience, but you'll also position yourself as a thought leader within your field by actively participating in these industry discussions.
Use LinkedIn Analytics: Dive deeper into your audience demographics and interests with LinkedIn's built-in analytics tool. This data can help you tailor your hashtag strategy for maximum impact.
You can also bookmark our Blog to keep yourself updated with the latest best-practices to grow a strong LinkedIn profile.
Think of relevant hashtags on LinkedIn as virtual networking events for your industry. By incorporating them strategically into your posts and articles, you're essentially joining ongoing conversations with the right audience. These hashtags act like flags, attracting people interested in the same topics and boosting the engagement your content receives. Not only will you connect with a wider audience, but you'll also position yourself as a thought leader within your field by actively participating in these industry discussions.
