Hashtags have become a staple of many social media platforms, from inspirational captions on Instagram to industry promotion on LinkedIn. But what about Facebook? Historically, Facebook hashtags have been less popular. But since the platform began promoting their use in 2020, they’re gaining more traction. So, we’re sharing some ins and outs about incorporating Facebook hashtags to support your small business social strategy.
How Facebook Hashtags Work
Like hashtags on other platforms, those on Facebook are comprised of the number sign followed by a word or phrase (ex. #OnePartSocial). When you add a hashtag to a Facebook post, the hashtagged content becomes “clickable” – readers can click on the word or phrase and find other posts related to the same topic or theme.
Along with connecting your post to other content your followers might be interested in, Facebook hashtags make it easier for people to find your page. That’s because it’s possible to directly search for hashtags in the Facebook search bar; the platform’s algorithm will retrieve the most relevant and recent posts tagged with a searched word or phrase.
Facebook hashtags can help your small business in multiple ways. For example, you can use them to start or join a conversation in your industry, source questions and answers, amplify your brand’s reach, or advertise a new product or service. That’s why, since 2016, Facebook has recommended using hashtags whenever you compose a post.
These days, they’re making it easier than ever. For example, when creating a post using the publishing tools on your business page, just click on the little hashtag (#) symbol in the top right corner of the text box. There, you can view trending hashtags, recently used and saved, and add them to your post with one click.
How to Find the Right Facebook Hashtags
Hashtags on Facebook come in all shapes in sizes. Here are a few ways to help determine what types of tags are available, from the most popular (#ThrowbackThursday) to more niche and industry-specific (#socialmediamarketing):
- Research top-trending hashtags: Though finding hashtags on Facebook can be tricky since many personal page posts are private, you can search recent use of specific hashtags by using facebook.com/hashtag/INSERT HASHTAG HERE. Sites like Hashtagify.me can also help you track the popularity of particular tags. Additionally, you can follow popular hashtags on other platforms like Twitter—using the same hashtags across social media helps support brand consistency.
- Investigate common hashtags in your industry: Visit the pages of collaborators and competitors to learn what hashtags are being used in the conversations in your field. More broadly, you can also start with this list of best hashtags for business.
- Determine which tags are most popular. Because many posts on Facebook are private, finding the most popular hashtags can be challenging. One option is to search a hashtag on Facebook and see what pops up: there might be a lot of results or none at all. In this way, you can get a very general idea of how many people are using the hashtag. Another option is to use a tool like Brandwatch to create projects and track hashtags for a while. This will garner more accurate results but comes at a premium.
- Track hashtags related to your followers’ interests: What type of content do your followers engage with most? What are they searching for? What hashtags are they already following? Conducting a review of your customers’ interests will help you identify the most relevant tags to those you want to reach.
How to Use Facebook Hashtags in Your Posts
Along with researching the best type of Facebook hashtags for your posts, it’s essential to keep a few things in mind when adding them:
- Use short, easy-to-remember words and phrases
- Avoid punctuation and spaces
- Limit hashtags to about 2-3 per post
- Add hashtags to the end of your posts or incorporate them as part of a sentence
If you haven’t used Facebook hashtags on past brand posts, it’s not too late! Reviewing your most popular posts and adding hashtags can enhance their visibility.
Looking for some pointers to leverage your small business’s social media platform? One Part Social can partner with you—contact us today.