Hashtags, what are they? You've seen them; they are all over social media posts and comments. But what is their purpose? They aren't there just for no reason. Hashtags for nonprofits have a critical role in social media and social media marketing. The article originally written by Caroline Forsey explains how hashtags work, why they are essential, and how to use them for your business. By the end of this article, you will want to hashtag everything. :)
Why Hashtags are Important
Hashtags are a word or words that are associated with the picture or content that is posted online. There can be about one to three words in one hashtag, and in front of it, there must be a pound/number sign. Now you might be wondering, how can a couple of words help me in growing my nonprofit's presence online?
The answer for this from the original article, says, "Hashtags are like a funnel. For instance, #marketing is incredibly broad and attracts all types of posts. We've found #digitalmarketing or #marketingmotivation gives you a more specific, targeted reach.
The donor audience searching for these hashtags are also trying to narrow their search to what we offer related to marketing, so we're actually reaching more of the right people".
Hashtags are there to categorize posts on social media. There are so many people posting things across many different social networks, and hashtags are a way to organize them. The more specific you can get with your hashtags, the more likely people will see your content.
Best Practices for Hashtag Use
There are many ways to use hashtags and Instagram algorithms to help your nonprofit gain a presence online. But first, let's take a look at the best practices of hashtags on Instagram. A big question that people ask about hashtags is how many should I use?
The answer is however many you want! Instagram caps hashtags at thirty per post, and the average number of hashtags per post is eleven. It is best to include at least ten hashtags in your post because it creates more outlets for people to see your content.
Also, hashtags must be in every single post that you put online. The more specific your hashtags are, the more likely people will see your posts. However, it would help if you did not use the same hashtags over again. Instagram does not like that, and your posts will not have the same traction as if you were to post unique hashtags.
How to Use Hashtags For Your Nonprofit
There are a couple of ways to make sure that the hashtags you are using are helping your nonprofit. They are basically to keep the number of hashtags organized and simple, research what other people are hashtagging, and creating your own hashtag.
Hashtags can sometimes get overwhelming, and it may seem like a lot, but if they are organized and aren't too broad, it is simple. Researching what other people are hashtagging is also a great move. If another nonprofit has a successful hashtag, it is wise to capitalize on it as well.
Lastly, creating your own hashtag is very beneficial because it brings originality to your page. If you get a following with your hashtag, it will boost your profile everywhere, and new followers will be sure to follow.
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