Are you using hashtags on your social media posts? You should be! They can be a very powerful tool when used well but it’s hard to know what hashtags to use and how to use them.
Why You Should #ify Your Posts. There are two reasons to use hashtags. The first is to create a unique brand identifier that your followers pick up and repeat. For example #foodbizbuzz. You can then track that hashtag, follow people who use it, comment on their posts etc. The other reason to use a hashtag is to amplify your posts by allowing users to “discover” you. Now that you can follow hashtags on instagram and add them to your business profile (did you know you could do that?) they have because an even more powerful tool.
#Overwhelmed by #choices? The trick is to know what hashtags will actually help you gain any traction. You might be tempted to use the largest hashtags in foods (#foodie for example) thinking the larger the hashtags, the more people are searching for it so the more likely you’ll be seen. It’s a good theory however the problem is that when it’s a super large hashtag your post will be quickly overwhelmed by mega influencers who are using the tag. Because they have more followers and more engagement they will be seen more often. Use hashtags that aren’t huge but aren’t tiny either. You want to be the Goldilocks of social media. Try finding a competitor or influencer doing something similar to what you’re doing and see what tags they are using.
The best strategy for discovery is to use “trending” hashtags in foods. Trending tags are like pop music, they suddenly rise up, sometimes just for a day, and then die down. True to their name, they are a trend. You may want to use them when you need to stay on top of the trends but this can be tough. Pay close attention to things going on in the news, even if it doesn’t have to do with foods, you can certainly find a reason to celebrate #internationalwomensday which was huge this year. Make sure that the hashtag works for your brand and your audience. #420 may work well for your brand if you’re producing something appealing to a millennial crowd like a craft alcohol, but if you’re audience is more conservative you might want to skip that trend.
For those everyday hashtags one of the best things to do is to tag what’s going on in the picture. For example if it’s a shot of pasta with tomatoes and your artisan cheese you’ll add #pasta #cheese #tomatoes and anything else related to the shot for example maybe its a #healthylunch or #vegan.
#Resources We know you have enough on your plate and you probably don’t have the time to be a full time social media guru so we will be posting some helpful tips for trends to jump onto. One thing to be aware of is national food days. We will post all the national days a week ahead on instagram and here so you can stay informed. Be sure to sign up for email updates on this site so you don’t miss our trending tags report or the national food days and much much more.
Here are a few hashtags to use in your posts that are to too big or too small and trending higher. #onthetable #gastropost #foodtravel #foodlovers #food4thought