Hashtags allow users to quickly discover content that piques their interest by grouping social interactions around a specific topic. The original purpose of the pound or hashtag sign (or octothorpe) on a keyboard was to indicate numbers.

In the summer of 2007, Chris Messina was the first to use it for hashtags. At that point, the web marketing expert brought a concept to Twitter’s headquarters. He proposed that the business begin grouping comparable Tweets using the pound symbol due to the platform’s shortness.

The use, reach, and efficacy of hashtags have only increased since then. Hashtags aren’t limited to X/Twitter anymore. You can find them on almost every social media site, and they let users link posts to more extensive discussions or events.

A well-rounded social media plan will use trending and relevant hashtags and branded ones.

Where to Look for Trending Hashtags on Social Media

Finding hashtags relevant to your company, industry, and audience may require some study. We have some suggestions to get you started.

1. Keep an eye on your rivals and social media influencers

First things first: research your competitors on social media. Find out who your rivals are and who the influential people in your brand’s specialty are.

Please find out how many hashtags they use on average and which ones they use the most. Doing so lets you discover the terms your competitors use most and how they interact with your typical target audience.

2. Keep up with the latest trendy hashtags

You’ll find short-term and long-term hashtag recommendations to help you maximize the visibility of your posts. For an in-depth examination of the hashtags it shows, click Get Report.

3. Acquire a tool for monitoring social media

Do you need clarification about which hashtags work best on which platforms? Social listening technologies can also help you learn about market trends. Use these trending subjects as a starting point to find relevant hashtags across your social media accounts.

4. Discover relevant hashtags

If you have a good idea of which hashtags are helping your brand, consider employing relevant hashtags. These could help you reach a more precise demographic by being slightly more narrowly tailored than the trending hashtags you’re currently utilizing.

Enter your hashtag into the platform’s search box to find related searches. Those terms are relevant to your search and could be used as new hashtags.

5. Determine which hashtags yielded the best results from previous articles

Note all the hashtags you’ve used in your previous postings. Examine the most popular posts and look for a pattern in your hashtags.

If you find that the hashtags in your most successful posts tend to repeat a few phrases, be sure to incorporate them into all of your future content.

6. Go for a hashtag generator

Finding appropriate hashtags for every post requires a great deal of research.

One free tool that can help you out is the Instagram hashtag generator. Like magic, the app reads your text and scans your uploaded photos to find the best tags.