How to Use Hashtags on LinkedIn to Maximize Your Reach
If you’ve been confused on how to best use hashtags on LinkedIn, then you are most definitely not alone.
A quick Google search will reveal a million different opinions from marketers and platform users alike – and I’m here to help settle the debate with the facts (well, at least until the next algorithm update)!
The short answer is you should use no more than 3 hashtags in a post. This comes directly from LinkedIn’s Keren Baruch, Product Lead for Creator Strategy, in a recent interview with Social Media Today.
It’s rare to get such direct guidance from social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, so I highly recommend following this advice!
I know it can seem counter-intuitive to the thinking that more hashtags must equal more reach, but LinkedIn deprioritizes posts that use too many hashtags as they can appear spammy to audiences.
Consider using these tips when you create your next social media post for you or your company:
1. Create a branded hashtag! I highly recommend having a branded hashtag to use on your posts. This enables others to use the hashtag if they want to get your attention or promote your brand AND it creates an easy way to build more brand equity.
2. Use the Hashtags feature on your company page so you can see and respond to trending posts from the hashtag feed. This will make it easy for you to get involved in trending conversations that matter to your brand. Note – this is located on the right hand side of the home view on your company page. See below!
3. Do the research and reap the benefits! If you’re using the exact same hashtags on Instagram and LinkedIn, you’re doing it wrong. Taking the time to look up platform-specific hashtags will benefit you in the long run by having your posts shown to the right audiences. No need to invest in fancy software if you’re just starting out, simply type in your topic “#branding” in the search bar and LinkedIn will auto populate the top hashtags for the topic.
4. Use a combo of niche and broad hashtags to maximize results. A great example of this is if you are posting about the AdWeek Conference, consider using the tag from the specific year’s event “#AdWeek2022” plus “#socialmediamarketing” if that’s the topic of the talk you attended. Pro-tip: Always check the website of any event you’re attending for specific hashtags! You never know how creative they can be and you wouldn’t want to guess wrong and not have your post get the right reach.
I’ll leave you with a fun fact about LinkedIn and their hashtag feature. They actually supported hashtags back in 2013, before deactivating them for several years due to lack of usage, then re-instating support again in 2016. So it makes sense that people are still confused on best practices!
Was this helpful for you? Get in touch today if you want to talk more about your marketing strategy.