Did you know about LinkedIn Hashtags? 

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What do you think? Is it a good idea for them to use hashtags or a waste of their efforts?

First, let me remind you that a hashtag is a ‘#’ symbol (once only known as a pound sign LOL) that is placed in front of a word or phrase to make that word or phrase searchable on social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, G+, Twitter, Pinterest … all use them – LinkedIn has been the only platform that hasn’t… until now. Enter LinkedIn Hashtags.

LinkedIn Hashtags are not something to be ignored and, if you haven’t already, you should sit down and take some time to create your own hashtag directory. They can be words that relate to your brand, #Lexabi is one of ours. You can think of search words (aka keywords) that relate to your industry/field, #SocialMedia is one of ours. You might also want to simply come up with popular hashtags that your target market might be using, #Facebook would be one of ours.

Don’t forget that special occasions, themes, even days of the week could be hash tagged; #FridayThe13

LinkedIn is using hashtags the same way as everyone else, so there’s nothing new there. If you place a #Hashtag in your posts or articles, a viewer can tap on that hashtag to search related results. Next time you’re logged into your LinkedIn account, simply do a search on hashtags… another great way to research how others in your industry are using their #Hashtags.

If you need a little more help with the hashtag strategy, there are generators out there to. All-hashtag.com is just one of them and if nothing else, it may generate some ideas for you. keyhole.co examines hashtags allowing you to see real-time analysis on Twitter and Instagram.

5 hashtag best practices:

1. Create YOUR unique hashtag and then use it always (one of ours is #Lexabi)
2. Make sure your hashtag says what it means and means what it says
3. Don’t overuse hashtags… especially on Twitter
4. You can have up to 30 hashtags on Instagram and it’s quite acceptable to use that many but remember QUALITY vs. QUANTITY
5. Use capitals wisely – #SocialMedia is much easier to see than #socialmedia

Here’s a little tip that might help your profile show before your competitor on a LinkedIn search. Put a hashtag or two (don’t overuse hashtags… such a common mistake so many make) in your summary and see if that helps your profile come up higher when someone searches for those keywords or that specific hashtag. I’m using #socialmedia… see if you can find me.

My feelings on hashtags … I love them because they work on most social platforms and can be quite powerful when they’re used correctly. It can be challenging to keep up with the latest trends and remembering to switch it up occasionally, but it’s worth the time if you want to do well on social media.

My advice… spend the time to research the ones that will work for you and implement a hashtag strategy to strengthen your social footprint and amplify your marketing efforts.

PS: Did you also know that LinkedIn now has photo filters for your profile image…  this stuff is so much fun!

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