How to Use Hashtags on LinkedIn to Grow Your Client Base? Effective Strategies
Dan Meaney
Updated September 27, 2024
Contents
LinkedIn posts need a little bit of a push if you want them to increase their visibility. If you post LinkedIn content regularly but don’t see it taking off, the reason may be very simple – you’re probably not using the best LinkedIn hashtags. Yes, relevant hashtags are essential even on a platform like LinkedIn. Considering the platform is where many professionals focus their activity, you cannot afford to leave your posts to chance.
Just because hashtags on this site are just as crucial as those on other social media platforms doesn’t mean you should just fill your posts with the most random ones. You need a good hashtag strategy to make it work. So, how to use hashtags on LinkedIn to grow your client base? This article will tell you more about why you should use popular LinkedIn hashtags and what strategies would help you maximize the success of these tags.
❓️ What Are LinkedIn Hashtags?
LinkedIn hashtags represent keywords you can add to any post to make it easier to discover. They include words and groups of words relevant to the content. So, when someone searches for those keywords, they will also find your posts under them. Hashtags are easily recognizable because they always have the # symbol before them. Also, they are separated by a space.
Users either add hashtags to LinkedIn profile or their different posts. The purpose of hashtags is to create a community that focuses on specific topics. For example, professionals in the real estate scene will use hashtags like “#realestate” or “#property.” Any user who does a LinkedIn hashtag research and is interested in that niche will be able to come across real estate posts. They help categorize all types of content.
Adding these hashtags to your profile can also be useful when you are trying to become a known figure in your particular niche. For example, it will be easier for anyone to find your LinkedIn profile if you don’t forget to include some hashtags in your description.
What Makes Hashtags on LinkedIn Different from Hashtags on Other Platforms?
Unlike relevant hashtags on other platforms, LinkedIn hashtags didn’t have the best run on the website. Over the years, they were available several times, but were allegedly rolled back because they didn’t receive the best response from the users.
They eventually remained available only on the mobile application in 2016 before making a return on the Desktop version in 2017. Still, it took a while for them to be considered by users, with very few using hashtags related to their content.
In 2018, some users complained about being unable to make a LinkedIn post without adding hashtags because the platform did not allow this. Reportedly, LinkedIn was trying to understand how much of an impact hashtags can have on the content.
Nowadays, hashtags are back, with users being able to easily promote their posts better with the help of specific hashtags. And while hashtags on other social media platforms are usually only meant to make posts more discoverable, on LinkedIn, they also serve the purpose of helping you connect with your colleagues, learn some extra skills, and perhaps even find a new job.
📌 Reasons Why You Need Hashtags to Grow Your Customer Base
Using hashtags on LinkedIn involves more than just adding random keywords to your content. They can help you professionally in more ways than you can imagine. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t ignore the opportunity to find relevant hashtags to help you increase your customer base:
Here’s why you need a LinkedIn hashtag strategy that involves using the top LinkedIn hashtags:
- Hashtags will help LinkedIn analytics understand your content and categorize it, then recommend it to more users, bringing you more readers.
- When you don’t consider adding relevant hashtags to your articles, your posts usually don’t go further than your connections and immediate friends. This is why trending LinkedIn hashtags are necessary to boost your reach and bring more readers to your posts.
- LinkedIn hashtags allow you to network with other people in your niche. It’s an excellent way to find new opportunities for connections and perhaps even new jobs.
#️⃣ How Do You Select the Best LinkedIn Hashtags to Grow Your Business?
Finding trending hashtags on LinkedIn isn’t as complicated as you imagine. However, it can sometimes be pretty limiting because some creators do not use hashtags at all, and the search bar doesn’t do a proper hashtag analysis either. Here’s what you can do to find relevant hashtags to use on LinkedIn:
1. Check Out Groups in Your Niche
Every niche will have its own forums and groups where people post content. Try to find these groups and check out their posts and what hashtags they use. You’ll quickly notice how these hashtags include important keywords that make it easy to spread the content around.
2. Take a Look at Popular and Successful Posts
Posts in your field that generated huge success will unavoidably stand out. Search for some posts and check out the hashtags they used. Get some inspiration and find tags that suit your own content.
3. Use Third-Party Hashtag Generation Tools
There are also third-party programs that create the hashtags you need for LinkedIn success. All you need to do is tell the tool your target audience and add some relevant keywords. The software will do the work for you and provide you with a list of hashtags that will improve your strategy. The good news is that many of these tools are free.
4. Use Followed Hashtags
Another straightforward technique employed by some LinkedIn users is the followed hashtags feature. It involves taking a look at the hashtags you follow. If you click “Followed Hashtags,” it will show you some related hashtag suggestions you could consider.
5. Use the Search Bar
Searching for hashtags is the easiest way to find what you want. Even though it won’t probably tell you about the performance of each tag, it will offer options you can choose from or do your own analysis of. Input niche-relevant keywords into the search bar and some choices will pop up for you.
❗️ Top Strategies for LinkedIn Hashtag Use
Using the right hashtags on LinkedIn is not the only thing you must pay attention to. How you use these hashtags, how often, and in what numbers will also influence your content’s performance on the social media platform. Let’s take a look at some strategies that will improve your LinkedIn articles with the help of suitable hashtags.
1. Limit Your Hashtag Use
You must’ve asked yourself, “How many hashtags should I use on LinkedIn?” You probably imagine you should use numerous hashtags on LinkedIn if you’re already used to doing that on other platforms. However, using too many hashtags can do more harm than good.
Sure, that doesn’t mean you cannot add 15 or even 20 tags if you feel inclined to, but most LinkedIn content experts advise using between 5-8 hashtags per content piece.
2. Make Your Hashtags Brief
LinkedIn hashtags don’t have to be long phrases. It’s better to keep them short and clear. Not only are these more common and more likely to trend, but they will also have higher chances of being used by others. This action makes them more popular, which is beneficial for your posts if someone looks up that hashtag.
3. Use Branded Hashtags
One of the best strategies recommended by experts is using branded hashtags. If you are trying to promote your business, users must be able to find you easily. So, what better way to do it if not by using branded tags?
Your branded hashtags can be something as simple as your organization’s name. At the same time, make sure that the hashtag isn’t already used for other topics. Not only will this mix up the results with someone else’s posts, but it may also give people the wrong idea if the hashtag has negative connotations.
4. Don’t Add Spacing
Adding spaces between the words of a hashtag will only ruin it. Spacing is only used when you’re about to add the following hashtag. If your hashtag has two or more words, adding a space will only separate the words, and only the first word will be considered for the tag.
Similarly, avoid using punctuation because it has the same effect as a space.
5. Use LinkedIn Analytics
LinkedIn Analytics is a great way to tell how your hashtags help your strategy. Whether your content was filled with branded or trending hashtags, the analytics tool will tell you about the performance of each post.
This way, adjusting your strategy will be much easier in case your current ideas don’t pay off.
6. Monitor Your Competitors
Checking your competition is one of the oldest yet most effective strategies. Not only does it let you see what level they’re at currently, but it also offers you some ideas on what you can do to improve your content.
While monitoring, you’ll see the hashtags they prefer to use and can incorporate some into your own posts as long as they’re not specific to a competing business. Of course, these hashtags should only be used as long as they align with your plans and blog posts.
🔍 The Most Popular Hashtags Used on LinkedIn
Using the right LinkedIn hashtags varies from one user to another. Not everyone has to use the same hashtags. After all, LinkedIn is a massive platform with over 770 million users worldwide as of 2024, each being part of a different community and pursuing different goals.
Each category has various popular hashtags. So, if you want to know some industry-specific hashtags that will give your content that well-deserved boost, here are some options:
1. Real Estate Hashtags
- #realestateagent
- #realestate
- #house
- #househunting
- #property
- #realtor
2. Digital Marketing Hashtags
- #marketing
- #digitalmarketing
- #branding
- #socialmedia
- #storytelling
- #socialentrepreneurship
3. Legal Hashtags
- #legal
- #lawfirm
- #legaltips
- #legalmatters
- #legalmarketing
- #law
4. Management Hashtags
- #innovation
- #management
- #business
- #sales
- #technology
- #strategy
5. Business Hashtags
- #smallbusiness
- #tips
- #managementconsulting
- #projectmanagement
- #letswork
- #markets
6. Hiring Hashtags
- #Jobs
- #HR
- #jobseekers
- #jobinterviews
- #jobsearch
- #howhiring
- #career
✅ Conclusion
Using the right hashtags on LinkedIn can influence your success on the platform. By using LinkedIn hashtag analytics and keeping an eye on the competition, identifying proper hashtags will be a piece of cake. Take advantage of the search function and use third-party tools to generate your own hashtags. Also, make sure you add the right number of tags. Between 5 and 8 hashtags per post is the perfect range.
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