Hashtags have become ubiquitous on most major social media platforms, but their relevance and efficacy on a professional networking site like LinkedIn is still up for debate. With over 800 million users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, but some question whether hashtags have a place among the more formal connections made there. In this article, we’ll look at the origins of hashtags, their current use on LinkedIn, and whether they remain an effective tool for LinkedIn users.
The origins and rise of hashtags
The hashtag originated on Twitter as a way for users to categorize, find, and engage with content on specific topics. By placing the # symbol before a word or phrase (without spaces), it turns that text into a clickable link. Clicking on a hashtagged word will show you all other tweets that included the same tag, effectively grouping the content.
Some key events in the rise of hashtag popularity:
– Chris Messina first proposed using hashtags on Twitter in 2007 to improve conversations and context. The idea spread quickly.
– Twitter added hashtag support to its platform in 2009, letting hashtags group and showcase trends.
– Major events like conferences and elections started using hashtags in the early 2010s to connect event-goers.
– By 2014, hashtags had become ubiquitous on Twitter and most other social networks. Brands regularly use branded hashtags for marketing campaigns.
While Twitter certainly popularized the concept, hashtags are now common on many social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and more recently, professional networks like LinkedIn.
Current use of hashtags on LinkedIn
Many individual users and brands employ hashtags on LinkedIn to achieve the following:
– **Increase visibility and extend reach** – Adding relevant hashtags to a post exposes it to more users who are interested in or following that topic. This can help attract new connections.
– **Organize and group content** – Similar to Twitter, hashtags on LinkedIn compile posts about the same subjects. This helps users find content specific to their interests.
– **Highlight expertise/thought leadership** – Professionals can establish themselves as subject experts by frequently posting quality content related to certain hashtags.
– **Promote brands and products** – Companies often create branded hashtags for campaigns and product launches to maximize visibility.
– **Facilitate conversations** – Hashtags act like threads for users to communicate around specific topics, events, or ideas.
Some of the most commonly used hashtags on LinkedIn include variations of #linkedin, #jobs, #hiring, #career, #business, #marketing, #networking, #leadership, and many industry-specific hashtags.
Benefits and drawbacks of hashtags on LinkedIn
Using hashtags on LinkedIn can provide some potential benefits, but also comes with a few drawbacks to consider:
**Benefits**
– Increased visibility and reach
– Help users find niche content
– Allow targeting to specific audiences
– Help establish thought leadership
– Aid brand awareness and campaigns
– Enable trending topics and discussions
**Drawbacks**
– Can seem unprofessional if overused
– Misuse can be seen as spammy
– Difficult to keep up with changing trends
– Less commonly searched than keywords
– Visibility depends on user engagement
Overall, targeted and relevant use of 1-2 branded or industry-specific hashtags seems to be most beneficial and appropriate in a professional context. Generic hashtags like #business or #marketing provide less value on LinkedIn.
Are hashtags effective for engagement on LinkedIn?
While hashtags can increase visibility, it’s unclear if they directly lead to higher engagement in the form of reactions, comments, and shares compared to non-hashtagged posts.
Some data on LinkedIn hashtag performance:
– One study by Socialinsider found posts with 1-2 hashtags average 35% more engagement than non-hashtagged posts.
– However, a 2018 study by RivalIQ analyzed over 600,000 LinkedIn posts and found no significant correlation between hashtags and engagement.
– A 2020 LinkedIn study claimed hashtags can boost engagement by 50% when used correctly. But general business hashtags like #business saw very low engagement rates.
The effectiveness seems to depend on choosing niche, targeted hashtags instead of generic ones. For example, #cybersecurity receives much more engagement in that field than a broad hashtag like #tech.
More research is still needed on how hashtags directly impact LinkedIn engagement rates. But targeted and topical hashtags appear more likely to boost visibility and interaction.
Hashtag popularity on LinkedIn over time
Analyzing hashtag data from the LinkedIn feed shows which havehtags are gaining or declining in frequency over the past few years:
Hashtag | 2018 usage | 2022 current usage |
---|---|---|
High | Declining | |
#networking | High | Steady |
#socialmedia | Low | Rising |
#blockchain | Very low | Rising |
#javascript | Low | Rising |
This shows that industry-specific hashtags like #blockchain and #javascript have grown dramatically in popularity, while very generic ones like #linkedin seem to be declining. Targeted hashtags aligned to users’ professional interests appear most effective currently.
Best practices for using hashtags on LinkedIn
To maximize the impact of hashtags, here are some best practices to follow:
– **Limit hashtags to 1-2 per post** – Too many hashtags looks spammy and can decrease engagement.
– **Research relevant niche hashtags** – Identify hashtags your audience uses rather than generic ones. Tools like RiteTag can help with research.
– **Create original branded hashtags** – Invent creative hashtags aligned with campaigns or products.
– **Use hashtags in moderation** – Sprinkle targeted hashtags occasionally rather than every post.
– **Place hashtags at end of post** – Putting them in the body text interrupts reading flow.
– **Monitor performance** – Track hashtag engagement over time and adjust usage accordingly.
– **Align hashtags to content** – Only use hashtags closely matching the topic to avoid misleading readers.
Following these best practices can lead to the most targeted, effective hashtag usage for LinkedIn engagement and visibility.
Should businesses invest in promoting hashtags?
Paid promotion can amplify LinkedIn hashtag marketing, but requires a thoughtful strategy:
**Potential benefits of promoting hashtags:**
– Further increase branded hashtag visibility
– Expand reach to more targeted users
– Drive traffic from outside LinkedIn to content
– Increase engagement metrics even more
**Risks and considerations:**
– Promoting poor performing hashtags won’t improve them
– Improper targeting can waste budget
– Focusing solely on hashtags instead of full strategy
– Promoted posts without hashtags can also perform well
– Costly compared to organic hashtag marketing
**Tips for successful paid promotion:**
– Test performance of hashtags organically first
– Target by interests not just hashtag
– Analyze traffic sources and engagement metrics
– A/B test promoted posts with and without hashtags
– Set specific campaign goals and track ROI
With the right approach, investing in LinkedIn hashtag promotion could complement an overall social media strategy. But simple organic usage often provides the most value given LinkedIn’s professional context.
Conclusion
Hashtags remain an effective tool on LinkedIn in 2022, but require careful implementation for maximum impact. When used judiciously with targeted niche hashtags, they can help increase engagement and visibility. But generic overflowing hashtag usage can hurt professional brand impressions.
With social media always evolving, hashtag best practices will continue changing over time on LinkedIn. Staying on top of the latest trends and data is key for marketing success. While not necessarily a requirement, focused hashtag usage should be considered as part of an overall LinkedIn content strategy.