Understanding Content Distribution via Hashtags on a Popular Social Media Site Like Facebook

While hashtags are more commonly associated with Twitter and Instagram, you’ll also see them occasionally used on Facebook.

But do they work the same on Facebook? And what value does a hashtag have on the platform? Here’s all you need to know about using hashtags in your Facebook posts.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Do Hashtags Work on Facebook?

Hashtags work on Facebook in a similar way to Twitter and other social media sites. Facebook has made hashtags part of its search and discovery process.

Hashtags are quite functional on the Facebook platform, unlike LinkedIn, where they are not clickable.

On Facebook, they produce specific results. For example, searching for #healthyfood will yield different results compared to using the search term “healthy food”.

Facebook uses an algorithm for distinct tracking of hashtags, a feature that is quite similar to Twitter. A search in the Facebook bar with the # symbol brings up the most recent and relevant hashtags on the platform in your search bar.

Moreover, for pages, counting the clicks on your hashtags gives you insight into the types of content people are actually searching for. So, hashtags also help track content performance and help you understand what your audience likes most.

How to Hashtag on Facebook

It is quite easy to create hashtags on Facebook. You can make anything into a hashtag by just adding # in front of a word, phrase, acronym, etc.

For example, you can use a hashtag with the words “shop local” and create #ShopLocal to share your thoughts or a themed post on your Facebook page.

When you use the # symbol a blue box appears over your tag to highlight the words included. Your tag will be displayed within your status in bold.

It’s important to watch for proper formatting while creating and use Facebook hashtags to get the best results.

Some important rules to note when creating a hashtag are:

Never include a space in your hashtag.
Avoid punctuation like hyphens, apostrophes, etc. as they are not clickable.
You can use numbers when required in a hashtag, for example, you can use 2021 as a symbol for the year.
It is recommended that you create Facebook hashtags that consist of one word or a brief phrase, as they are easy to remember and use.

How Are Facebook Hashtags Different From Instagram Hashtags?

Hashtags work differently on different social media channels. Instagram has interactive hashtags just as Facebook does. You can go to the search bar and type in a hashtag of your choice to find relevant content.

The social media platform uses hashtags to put posts into different groups, allowing users to search for related content. To eliminate the risk of losing visibility, users usually use nine or more hashtags in an Instagram post.

It’s also easy to hide these hashtags at the lower part of the caption so that they do not appear on the preview.

On the other hand, Facebook is not as hashtag-heavy. Users searching hashtags on Facebook search are fewer compared to those on Instagram.

Rather use hashtags sparingly on Facebook, since you don’t want your posts to seem spammy. Users on Instagram are used to many hashtags below a caption—Facebook users aren’t.

Benefits of Using Hashtags on Facebook

Hashtags increase the chances of your posts and pages being found easily. More users may also be using hashtags on the platform due to linking their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Hashtags can be used to categorize content into themes and topics. For example, if you are posting about a global event, you can use a hashtag to make your posts discoverable to others following that event.

How to Make the Most of Hashtags on Facebook

There are some basic hashtag practices to follow while using them on Facebook.

Use hashtags in the sentence naturally, while not repeating phrases. If it doesn’t fit into the sentence naturally, add it to the end of the post.

Moreover, don’t use many words together. The best hashtags are known to be smaller and easy to remember.

Several hashtags for a single topic can be confusing for the users. Make it simple by using fewer hashtags so that your followers can understand that what you want to say. Furthermore, use hashtags most relevant to your content.

Finally, if you want to use hashtags to increase engagement, check your privacy settings. Ensure that your Facebook page is public.

How to Find the Perfect Facebook Hashtag

If you’re going to use hashtags on Facebook, make sure they add value to your post. The one you choose should be relevant.

Here are some points to consider when choosing hashtags to use or create…

Check for hashtags your followers use: Making use of a hashtag that your followers are already using brings more reliability. Users come across these hashtags more often while searching for their interests.
Online utilities: You can also find the perfect hashtag using many online services. There are many tools on the internet to help you find appropriate hashtags.
Go through the posts of others: Analyze the Facebook pages of other users. Look through their recent posts to understand what hashtags they are using. This will give you an idea to shortlist an appropriate hashtag for you.
Do user research: Find out what your target audience is looking for. Your approach to creating your Facebook hashtag should be like SEO. Use trending words and ensure that people are searching the hashtag of your choice.

Use Hashtags to Stay Socially Active

The most distinctive feature of a hashtag is that it immediately links to other posts with it included. It helps spread content to those looking for something with the same keyword.

Use hashtags on Facebook and engage your community to share relevant stories and posts.