In past years of social media marketing, heavy use of hashtags was often viewed as a strategy to increase visibility and, in many cases, it was effective. Today, however, algorithms have grown more sophisticated, and research indicates that hashtags now play a much smaller role in content discovery. Instead, factors such as relevance, quality and engagement drive visibility more than hashtag volume.
Usage Per Platform
Audiences no longer rely on a single platform to consume content, which is why a multi-channel marketing strategy is so effective. However, success depends on understanding how hashtags function across different platforms, as their usage and impact can vary significantly:
- Facebook
When marketers suggest that hashtags are no longer effective, they are often referring to Facebook. On this platform, hashtags have limited impact beyond basic categorization. If organizing your content is a priority, limit usage to one or two highly relevant hashtags. Otherwise, it is generally more effective to focus your efforts elsewhere rather than investing time in a hashtag strategy on Facebook - LinkedIn
If you’re looking to get your content rolling beyond your immediate network, use hashtags in your LinkedIn content and even in comments. This is the space where they aren’t just functional – they’re also searchable and linkable. - X
Like Facebook, hashtags seem to be a relic of the past on X, except for in cases where you’re seeking to support your discoverability and categorization goals. Because of your limited character count, it’s important to make every word count. - Instagram
Hashtag use here is also for categorizing posts, but it also supports discoverability and helps you connect with niche communities. While hashtags here won’t guarantee exposure, you could see some audience alignment improvement if you use them strategically. - TikTok
What began as a platform for lighthearted dance videos has quickly evolved into a powerful search engine. While TikTok, like other social platforms, remains intentionally vague about the specifics of its algorithm, most experts agree that hashtags serve a secondary purpose: they help signal relevance to trends and challenges while also aiding in content categorization.
The bottom line is that hashtags don’t matter as much as they once did, yet there is still a place for them. Your social media marketing strategy will fare much better with more focus on keywords.
Need assistance with your social media marketing approach? Contact us at SJC. We’ve got our ear to the ground, so we know what’s relevant and no longer works. We’ll help you create a strategy that matters.