Heat Level: 
Mild: These tips are beginner-friendly.
Bottom Line: Hashtags help increase your online reach and visibility, and tagging with a plan is a great way to make your posts easier to find online.
Do This: Discover the most relevant hashtags for your market, then roll them into your daily marketing.
Using hashtags can help you get attention.If you’ve been on the internet at all in the last decade you’ve probably heard about hashtags. The hash symbol (AKA pound sign) allows social media content to be tagged into relevant categories. First created in 2007 on Twitter, by 2013 some 75% of social users were putting hashtags to work.
What the heck is a hashtag? We like to think of it like a label. You put a #hashtag in the text of your social media post (you just type it out, no hyperlinking or anything complicated). Every post with that label gets pulled into the bigger conversation of posts with that label. So if someone searches for or clicks that hashtag, they’ll see every single post with that label.
You may have dabbled in adding hashtags to your posts in the past. But building out an actual hashtag strategy is an important aspect of your social media efforts. So before going #totally #hashtag #crazy, let’s take a look at the different types of hashtags you can put to use.
Content hashtags are the most straightforward because they tag what your content is about. Posting a listing in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh? You could use topical tags like #realestate or #dreamhome. You could use location tags like #shadyside, #pittsburgh, or #pittsburghrealestate. Ideally, you want to use a combination of different relevant content tags. This helps people find your content within the right area or with the right interests.
Trending hashtags are relevant to a current event, trend, or other timely concept. Some trending topics happen on a consistent basis - think #tbt (throwback Thursday) or #SundayFunday. Others are related to an event, conversation, or movement. Trending hashtags can help you join in on current conversations... just proceed with caution. Before slapping a trending tag into your next post, make sure you’re aware of what the tag stands for. You should also consider if you joining the conversation is appropriate and relevant. Brands joining in without proper research can range from mildly funny to disastrous.
Branded hashtags are a way of tagging all your content to your organization. These tags are unique to your company or personal brand. Branded tags are usually used in one of two ways:
Long-term, overall brand tags with the company name or slogan (ex. #remax, #century21 or #anitasells).
Short-term tags for things like a company contest, campaign, or event (you can find some great examples here).
Branded hashtags are important for your long-term social outreach. While they don’t help people discover you in the way content or trending tags can, they help with organizing external mentions. For example, when your client shares a post of their new home you just finished closing on, they can use your branded hashtag to mention your page. Now anyone who sees their content will be directed to you.
We have to call this out. Once in a while you’ll see at hashtag that’s long, absurd, or super-specific like #quaintsinglefamilyhouseinpgh. No one else is going to use this tag. It’s not part of a bigger conversation. It won’t help you get discovered.
If you have the urge to make up a long or quirky hashtag on the spot like #thishomeisarealgem, just know it’s not really going to do you any particular good. Don’t waste Twitter characters on a made-up hashtag.
Now that you know the different hashtag types, start thinking about how they fit into your social media efforts. Not sure which hashtags to use?
Search different #tags on social media to see how (or if) they’re being used in the wild.
Use Tagboard, which pulls in sample results from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Try Hashtagify, which helps you understand trends and find related hashtags.
Once you’ve got a list, store them somewhere so you can easily copy and paste them on new posts:
In your content calendar spreadsheet (recommended)
In an email draft (works in a pinch)
In a third-party app like Preview
Hashtags are an essential tool that can help you grow your brand’s reach and relevance within the industry when used properly. The best way to make sure you’re using them to their full potential? Have a strategy and build out your hashtag plan as a part of your content calendar. Now that you know what hashtags are, check out our next piece on how to tailor your hashtagging efforts by platform!
Working with ListingManager allows Jess to explore an alternate reality where she could one day own a house instead of renting. When she’s not focused on her daily to-do lists, Jess enjoys HBO binges, gourmet lattes, and playing with her dog. How did you like this article?
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