Here’s a quick LinkedIn tip.
Use hashtags in your posts to amplify the reach of your content.
Hashtags are trending and commonly used search terms on social platforms (a hashtag uses the # sign followed by the term, so for example #socialmedia). Some users follow and search for content using hashtags and their usage is increasing across all social platforms.
Incorporating hashtags into your social strategy will enhance your ability to reach prospects, clients and other interested parties because individuals who are following or searching that hashtag may see your content even if they are not connected to you. I recommend using 3 to 5 hashtags, and doing research on LinkedIn before you post them.
The best way to find the right # is to use the search functionality in the main search bar and type in a term to see how many followers it has. Too many followers will ensure your posts aren’t read as will using a hashtag with few followers.
The suggestions that come up when you type in a post aren’t always the best ones to use because they’re based on the context and not the number of followers a hashtag has.
Try searching different variations of a term. For example, #personalbrand has about 5000 followers while #personalbranding has over 10 million. It’s about trying out the permutations of various terms. So many people rely on the words that come up when they type in a post, or they just put in the ones they think are best without doing research. And that’s not having a smart LinkedIn strategy.
I am against making up your own hashtags because that won’t help your content be discovered (these hashtags have a low number of followers if any at all). You always must click on the hashtag to see how many followers it has or you are not creating an informed social strategy.
Hashtags are incredibly important on other social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. I’ll write another article about using them effectively on those social channels. Stay tuned.
Happy hashtagging.