Just like most social platforms, TikTok uses hashtags to organize content and engage you with content that interests you. But there are various ways to do it, and figuring out how to leverage hashtags effectively is crucial.
Unfortunately, many companies, influencers, and brands struggle with this.
Simply piling in as many hashtags as possible to your captions won’t necessarily drive the results you need. Effective TikTok campaigns rely on your ability to use hashtags strategically.
Today, we’re going to cover some of the most common mistakes businesses make when leveraging hashtags.
How Do TikTok Hashtags Work?
Hashtags on TikTok work similar to those on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. They allow users, as well as the TikTok algorithm, to find and categorize your content based on themes.
These hashtags are often used to boost virality, pinpoint competitors, and access user-generated content for marketing, for example, showcasing your client testimonials on your website.
Common TikTok Hashtag Mistakes
When used correctly, TikTok hashtags can help to increase your online sales and expand your reach across social media, apart from other benefits.
However, there are some potential pitfalls that include:
Mistake 1: Using Irrelevant Hashtags
As tempting as it might be to invest heavily in high-performing hashtags and trending tags when building your social media campaigns, it’s important to remember not all popular hashtags will be relevant to you.
Before you start adding hashtags to your campaigns, ask yourself whether they apply to your business, niche, and the customers you want to reach.
While popular hashtags that aren’t relevant to your audience might expand your reach at first, they may draw attention that doesn’t engage or convert. If you’re not sure whether a hashtag is relevant to your business, consider searching for it on TikTok and exploring how other companies are using the tag.
You can also check out your competitors for insights into common hashtags that might be valuable in your industry.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Popular Hashtags for TikTok
As mentioned above, every trending hashtag will not be relevant to your company. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore popular tags completely. Finding high-performing hashtags that appeal to your target audience can be an excellent way to increase your growth.
Keep in mind that the trends on TikTok change quickly. A hashtag that’s extremely popular one week might not be as powerful the next. Follow influencers and competitors in your field for insights into which hashtags are trending.
Think about the words people will commonly search for when looking for your business online.
For instance, if you run a tech company, tags like “Tech” or “Technology” might be valuable options. Or, if you’re selling products or services in a specific part of the world, using geo-specific hashtags related to your target location can help you find customers who are close to your business.
Mistake 3: Using Too Many Hashtags
There are some nuances you’ll need to be aware of; you cannot assume it is the same as Instagram. For instance, on Instagram, using between 20-30 hashtags can significantly increase your reach and engagement. But on TikTok, using dozens of hashtags can actually deter your target audience.
A good way to determine exactly how many tags you should be using in your campaigns is to experiment. Start with 3-5 hashtags and pay attention to how much engagement and reach you get.
Mistake 4: Not Using Hashtags in Your Captions
Hashtags are crucial to ensuring customers can find your posts and TikTok can organize your content. And while there are some major brands out there with millions of followers that neglect to use hashtags, you cannot compare your brand to them. They generally already have a very engaged audience.
If you want to learn how to grow your TikTok reach, consistently using hashtags is essential.
Studies show that users with at least 1-3 hashtags on their posts usually get around 27% more engagement. Always include at least one tag in your TikTok campaigns.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Hashtags on your Social Feed
Learning how to embed a TikTok video feed is valuable for growing brands.
A TikTok aggregator can collect valuable content from your social media feeds and display it on your website, providing visitors with up-to-date insights and information.
The best TikTok embed tools will allow you to leverage hashtags to create highly relevant campaigns. You can use tools like Juicer to display content linked to a specific hashtag, making it easy to display user and brand-specific posts.
Hashtag Best Practices for Your TikTok Strategy
If you’re not taking advantage of the right hashtags, you are missing out. When planning your next TikTok marketing campaign, make sure you:
- Understand your target audience: research your audience by analyzing posts from customers, influencers, and other competitors in your niche. Find out what kind of content your customers respond to.
- Experiment with hashtags: experiment with a range of hashtags, including high-performing hashtags, trending tags, niche tags, and geo-specific hashtags that may appeal to customers. A good rule of thumb is to avoid any symbols or punctuation marks in hashtags unless it’s trending.
- Create your own hashtags: don’t be afraid to experiment with hashtags you create yourself. This can be a great way to inspire your customers and earn user-generated content you can use in your marketing campaigns going forward.
It’s also worth paying attention to your analytics and metrics from each social media campaign.
Look at your engagement rates, click-through rates, and other KPIs to determine the tags on posts that help you expand your reach, earn new sales opportunities, and connect with customers.
Make the Most of Your Hashtags for Tiktok
Without the right hashtags, you can struggle to achieve consistent growth.
*Remember, using hashtags correctly doesn’t just mean learning how to leverage the right tags in your social media campaigns. Knowing which tags to target and showcase when you’re building your campaign is essential, too.
Learn more about Juicer plans and how to showcase hashtag-specific content on your website.
