How To Use Hashtags

Published: October 26, 2022

pushing a hashtag up hill

the author

by Janet Bargewell, GiveDirect Support

What is a Hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or phrase that makes your post discoverable (searchable). They help to categorize (or describe) your content by topic, conversation, event, or campaign. They are also an excellent way to connect your audience with your cause. Here are some basics on hashtag construction.

Hashtags always start with the pound sign (#).
They won't work with spaces, punctuation, or symbols.
You may use capital letters for ease of reading, but lowercase is more acceptable for short or one-word tags (i.e., #HowToUseHashtags vs #howtousehashtags).
Your account must be public for hashtags to be searchable.
The best hashtags are short (too many words will be difficult to read and hard to find).
Limit the number of hashtags in your post -- more is not necessarily better.
Use hashtags that are popular and relevant.

How to Use #s by Platform

Knowing when, where, and how many hashtags to use will increase your social media reach and engagement regardless of which platforms you use. However, you must understand the hashtag etiquette for each platform. Here are some basic guidelines for hashtag usage:

Key Dos and Don'ts

Since X was the birthplace of hashtags and Instagram uses hashtags as an integral form of organization and search, hashtags seem to perform better on these two platforms. However, that does not mean you shouldn't use them on other platforms. There are specific dos and don'ts when creating and using hashtags.

Do research! If you use a trending hashtag, make sure you know why it's trending to avoid unintentionally associating your charity with something inappropriate.
Keep them brief and catchy.
Make them easy to remember and spell.
Look for hashtags others are using when talking about your cause and include them in your own posts.
Ask your supporters to use your hashtag to help give it more traction.
Know when/how many hashtags are appropriate for the platform.
Double-check your content (before and after) to ensure hashtags are properly linked.
Monitor the effectiveness of your hashtags. Most platforms have some sort of analytics.

Don't use hashtags that are more enticing than the content you're sharing.
Don't over-hashtag. This is the equivalent of spam.
Don't combine too many words making the hashtag hard to read or understand.
Don't use all CAPS, unless it is an acronym.
Don't only use popular hashtags. This will greatly limit your ability to reach your audience.
Don't make hashtags too generic (i.e., #love, #beautiful, #tragic).
Don't ignore local hashtags like #loveNewYork or #ChicagoChica
Don't cross-post updates: each post and hashtag should be customized for the platform.

Popular GivingTuesday Hashtags

According to best-hashtags and Top-Hashtags here are the most popular GivingTuesday hashtags used on Instagraph listed alphabetically.

#bekind #blackouttuesday #communityoutreach #communitysupport #compassion #dogood #donatenow #donations #education #fundraising #giveback #givingback #givingtuesday #givingtuesday #givingtuesdaynow #help #makeadifference #mytowntuesday #nonprofitorganization #nonprofitsofinstagram #philanthropy #positivity #socialgood #tuesdaymotivation #tuesdays #volunteer #volunteerappreciation

Remember, while it is okay to use popular hashtags, don't only use popular hashtags. This will greatly limit your ability to reach your audience.

Doing Your Research

If you're ever unsure about what hashtags to use, there are online tools that can help. Ritetag, Hashtagify, Planoly and Trendsmap are just a few of the options out there. You can try different hashtags on different platforms to determine what works and what doesn't.

Conclusion

When it comes to social media, hashtags can be your friend if used wisely. On the other hand, if used recklessly, they can be detrimental. It is important to do your research and know the platform you are posting to. But, most of all, if you haven't started already, try out hashtags in your next social media post! With practice, hashtags can help you expand your reach and gain more attention for your cause.