LINKEDIN HASHTAG STRATEGY: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

Hashtags, ugh... they are everywhere, but does anyone really know what they do or what they are? For those of you rolling your eyes at another post about those dreaded, and yes strange numbers signs, then let's dive in so you can see, and understand, their true value.

Hashtags have been around for a while and are used on various platforms. Twitter was the pioneer in the hashtag realm, followed closely behind by Instagram. Today, hashtags are usable on not only Twitter and Instagram, but also on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and yes even TikTok. In this article, I want to focus on the business platform of LinkedIn and how to correctly, and yes strategically, use hashtags.

First, let's correctly identify what exactly a "hashtag" is. In terms of social media, a "hashtag" is a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) and used to identify messages on a specific topic. There is NO space between the symbol (#) and the word or words. Example #exampleofhashtag  

Think of hashtags as a way to connect social media content to a specific topic, event, theme, or conversation. They also make it easier to discover posts around those specific topics, because hashtags aggregate all social media content with that same hashtag.   

Now lets up your game with hashtags and create a strategy for their usage on LinkedIn. There are 2 types of basic strategies for you; as a business owner, employee, or brand, and then there is the use of hashtags for job seekers. For this article, we are going to focus on hashtags for job seekers.

Regardless of the types, there are a few best practices to keep in mind for the LinkedIn platform.

• Use no more than 3 hashtags - you can use more, but research shows that LinkedIn's algorithm may penalize your post for more than 3.
• Insert your hashtags at the END of your post.
• Pick 2 broad hashtags and 1 more niche-focused hashtag - pay attention to how many posts and followers your chosen hashtags have. If a hashtag has only 1 follower and I use it, then it is probably not useful to use it.
• Use hashtags already created and being used by others.
• They always start with "#" but they won’t work if you use spaces, punctuation, or symbols.
• Make sure your accounts are public. Otherwise, the hashtagged content you write won’t be seen by any non-followers of your account.
• Choose hashtags relevant to your post - it is also suggested, in research, that posts with only hashtags and no other text are not given a lot of value in the LinkedIn algorithm.
• Follow hashtags that are relevant to you, your business, your job, your industry.

JOB SEEKERS STRATEGY

For job seekers, think in terms of the following categories:

• Job Title - look for hashtags that are your specific job title as employers may use these as another avenue to find prospective future employees. I looked for current hashtags on LinkedIn specific to job titles - Example #accountingmanager #engineers #projectmanager
• Industry - This is for the broader sector. Examples I found #Subseaengineering #accountingandfinance
• Location/Geographic Region - This focus allows you to delve down into a specific area. Examples I found are #HoustonRealEstate
• Companies - Research your target companies and use their company name hashtags or find out if they have specific brand hashtags to use. A better suggestion here would be to tag the company profile in your post as well as use the hashtag, but remember they need to be relevant to your post content.

👉🏻 The FULL post "LinkedIn Hashtag Strategy: The Secret to Success" appeared first on Sandy Adams | The Social Atelier. If you want more good stuff, then grab my FREE hashtag strategy guide in the full article.

#jobsearch #linkedin #hashtags

About the Author:

Sandy Adams is an award-winning photographer, social media brand strategist, writer, educator, speaker, podcast host, and a LinkedIn/Instagram consultant. Sandy brings 25+ years of experience from every facet of corporate America: employee, manager, decision-maker, and owner.  

A University of Memphis graduate, with a BA in International Relations and a Masters of Art in Teaching, Sandy brings a well-rounded approach to every project.

Sandy is an avid traveler, animal lover, and a true southern girl. After spending the last 16 years in Houston, Sandy now calls Memphis, Tennessee home once again.

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