Hashtag marketing has become so widespread that many business owners and marketers consider it a routine.

But, in those days, hashtags were not well understood by many.

Only a few people were likely able to figure out how hashtags can be used for marketing in those days. It is crucial to understand how it works today. These are the facts and secrets behind hashtag marketing on social media.

A Short History of Hashtags

Although hashtags were technically first used in 1988, when Internet Relay Chat (or IRC) was still a thing, they were used to group and categorize images, videos, and messages. Many credit Twitter for the invention of hashtags.

Chris Messina introduced the idea of using # to create a hashtag from a particular word or phrase on Twitter in 2007. #sandiegofire allowed people to stay up-to-date on the latest news about the tragedy.

Stow Boyd, however, invented the term “hashtag” on his blog. Twitter introduced a code in 2009 that hyperlinked any word or phrase with the # sign.

Twitter began highlighting hashtags that were most popular on the platform in 2010. These highlights were referred to as “trending” and “trending topics”, two terms that have become closely associated with social media.

January 2011 saw Instagram add hashtag support. Audi also premiered its Super Bowl commercial using a hashtag campaign that month. This could be considered to be the first social media marketing campaign that a prominent brand has used hashtag marketing.

Other social media platforms quickly followed in Instagram and Twitter’s footsteps. Vine was launched in October 2011 with hashtag support, and Flickr added hashtag support to its iOS app. In March 2013, Facebook added hashtag support to their iOS app.

Hashtag Statistics

Although hashtag marketing is widely believed to be real, some people will continue to doubt it. They claim that it’s nonsense and that there are better ways to increase your social media following. These skeptics are wrong, but there are numerous statistics to prove them wrong.

• Use hashtags on Instagram and Twitter to increase your engagement by as much as 12.6%.

• You can use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram but 9 is the best number. Studies have shown that different platforms have different optimal hashtag numbers.

• #love is the most used Instagram hashtag.

• Tweets that include 1-2 hashtags are 55% less likely to be retweeted.

Hashtag Marketing Secrets

You now know the history of hashtags and their importance. Here are some tips to help you use them in your social media marketing companies in Phoenix campaigns. These are some hacks and tips for hashtag marketing.

• Use the Right number: It is important to understand that some social media platforms require a certain amount of hashtags in your posts.
  Instagram has 9 hashtags per post, while Facebook’s is 1-2 and Facebook’s (surprisingly though not everyone agrees) is 0. Pinterest’s is 0 and LinkedIn’s is 2-3. Although there aren’t enough studies to prove anything, these numbers can be used as a guide.

• Always Use Local Hashtags Many brands want to reach international audiences and engage with local customers, so they translate their content and post it. It is important to note that hashtags must be correctly localized in these cases. An online writing service such as OnlineWriters Rating can provide professional writers who are skilled in these types of things.

• Track your Hashtag Performance You will use a limited number of hashtags in posts, with at least a few of these hashtags repeated throughout the posts. You need to be able to see how your hashtags perform. If they don’t, why bother using them? You can search hashtags with special programs and tools. This allows you to track their performance and determine if it is sufficient.

• Different Metrics: This tip applies to both tracking the performance and performance of your posts. To see the whole picture and to understand what needs to be changed or kept, you will need to monitor several metrics. You will need to track popularity (how well-known is the hashtag), interactions (how many people interact or respond to your post when they see it), reach, (how many people see your hashtags), and users (who use the hashtags and whether these people are your target audience).

• Use Different Types Of Hashtags: There are many types of hashtags that you can use: general (e.g. #love#spring, branded (#Nike#JustDoIt), and industry-specific (e.g. Trending (any hashtags currently trending), event (e.g. #ComicCon2020#SuperBowl2020, and campaign (hashtags specifically created for your campaign). You will reach different segments of your audience by using different hashtags. This will allow you to get more exposure.
  
  There can be two people both of whom will be potentially interested in your content and your products, but one will be searching for #TheGreatBritishBakeOff and the other one will be searching for #cakerecipe.

Final Thoughts

In summary, hashtags aren’t going anywhere soon. They have been around for less than 20 years, but have played an important role in digital marketing agencies in Miami.

You can build a strong following for your brand by learning the basics of hashtag marketing. If you’re looking for one, check out our top social media agencies and best Facebook marketing companies in Las Vegas.