What a year! 2019 has confirmed once again that social media marketing has become indispensable. Especially for companies! But let’s stop talking about the past: Are you ready for an amazing new year filled with content? We certainly are! Because 2020 is all about change and lots of new trends.
Speaking of trends: Our all-time favourites – hashtags – haven’t lost any of their popularity in 2019. In other words, they’ve become a fixture in every social media strategy – no ifs and buts! What is going to change however is how they are used. What awaits us in 2020? And which hashtag trends should you keep an eye on? We’ll let you in on our expert opinion.
#Trend 1
More isn’t always better.
Whether it’s in the feed or in stories: Especially on Instagram, hashtags are everywhere now! We’re pretty much getting snowballed by all the little hash marks that keep popping up on our social media channels every day. #yay
In 2020, the motto is first and foremost: bye-bye hashtag spam! The secret sauce for using hashtags: Less is more! Now you’re probably wondering what “less” means. Instagram itself states that the optimum number of hashtags per post is two to four. Yes, that’s right. No more than that.
Good to know: An important criterion for the success of using hashtags is the size of your account. Hashtags have a much greater impact for smaller accounts. Our rule of thumb: The bigger the Instagram account, the more irrelevant the hashtags. #keepcalm
We recommend testing what works well with your target audience and what doesn’t.
#Trend 2
It’s all about the strategy.
An absolute must-have for companies is a hashtag strategy. If you don’t have one yet, then it’s about time to change that in 2020 because: No strategy – no success!
Go for the strategic and targeted use of hashtags and you’ll see: It’s still the best option for getting discovered by your new target audiences, to build a community, get more followers and thus get more customers. Always keep an eye on your KPIs and regularly check if your hashtags are accomplishing what they’re supposed to!
#Trend 3
Engagement? Yes, please!
Especially if you’re in it for the hard-won engagement, the number of hashtags plays a decisive role. Hash-word-combinations are still an effective way to generate more interaction.
Rule of thumb: Less hashtags translate to a higher engagement rate. But don’t worry! Once again, what matters are the size of your account and the specific target audiences you’re trying to reach. So, go ahead and test, test, test!
#Trend 4
Mix it up!
Branded, community, niche, mass or campaign hashtags … You’re probably wondering which types of hashtags you should use. In simple terms: Find the right mix of generic and niche hashtags. Also: There’s no getting around having your own branded hashtag anymore – because that’s how you position your brand on Instagram.
Hashtag tip: Add your branded hashtag to your Instagram bio. This ensures your followers see it right away.
Another goal on Instagram is to build a community. How? With community and campaign hashtags! Connect with others, improve the visibility of your posts and generate relevant followers!
Social media tip: When you’re searching for hashtags, take a look at how often they’ve been used already. Our recommendation: Preferentially opt for niche hashtags (about 500,000 posts) instead of mass hashtags. That’s how you can optimally reach your target audience! By the way: Follow your hashtags, so you’re always up to date on what’s happening.
#Trend 5
Instagram stories is where it’s at!
Everyone knows that Instagram stories play a huge role for businesses on social media. Use them to position your hashtags. Because this medium is the perfect tool for spreading branded hashtags and to get your community to become aware of them. You’re planning a campaign? Create a special campaign hashtag for it and share it in your Instagram stories.
Social media tip: Have you ever heard of user-generated content? If you’re regularly monitoring your corporate hashtag, you’ll probably come across lots of great posts created by your community. Use the images that your followers have shared and repost them in your stories. The result: Your fans are happy, content is freely and quickly available and your KPIs are heading in the right direction as well!
We’re aware … that every target audience is different! Try to find the best long-term social media strategy for your business. #happyhashtagging
