Hashtags have become an incredibly popular way to categorize content on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But do they have the same impact when used in polls on professional networking sites like LinkedIn? Let’s take a closer look at how hashtags work on LinkedIn specifically and whether they can help make your polls more discoverable and engaging.
How Hashtags Work on LinkedIn
LinkedIn introduced hashtags back in 2013 as a way to group conversations and content by topic. Much like on other social platforms, adding a hashtag to your LinkedIn posts allows them to be discoverable by more people interested in that subject. When you click on a hashtag, you’ll see a feed of all public posts on LinkedIn using that tag.
Hashtags on LinkedIn posts work similarly to hashtags on other major social platforms:
- Add hashtags using the # symbol (e.g. #socialmedia)
- Hashtags should be relevant to the content being shared
- You can include multiple hashtags in one post, but be careful not to go overboard
- Use niche hashtags to target specific audiences (e.g. #contentmarketing)
One difference with LinkedIn is that hashtags only become clickable links if they’re included in the main body text of a post. Hashtags used in the title or comments section won’t be converted to links.
Do Hashtags Work in LinkedIn Polls?
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how hashtags function on the LinkedIn platform, let’s look specifically at whether they can be used effectively in LinkedIn polls.
Can You Add Hashtags to LinkedIn Polls?
The short answer is yes, you can absolutely include hashtags in your LinkedIn polls. They function just like hashtags used in regular LinkedIn posts.
When creating a poll on LinkedIn, you have several options for where to incorporate relevant hashtags:
- In the poll text/question
- As a choice option
- In the caption for the poll post
Using hashtags directly in the poll question or as a choice are the best options for discoverability. The captions for polls don’t stand out as much and hashtags there are less likely to be clicked and leveraged.
Do LinkedIn Poll Hashtags Increase Engagement?
Anecdotally, many LinkedIn users who frequently run polls report seeing increased engagement rates when using targeted hashtags. However, there is limited publicly available data analyzing the direct impact of hashtags specifically on LinkedIn polling engagement.
That said, here are some potential benefits of using hashtags in your LinkedIn polls:
- Increased visibility – Hashtags can help surface your polls to more users who follow those topics but don’t already follow your account.
- More votes – By exposing your polls to a wider audience, hashtags may attract more total votes.
- Targeted feedback – Hashtags allow you to target niche communities who can provide more relevant feedback on poll topics.
The major downside is that poorly targeted hashtags could end up attracting the wrong audiences that may not engage with your poll as hoped.
Best Practices for Hashtags in LinkedIn Polls
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using hashtags in your LinkedIn polls:
- Use 1-2 highly targeted hashtags – Don’t overdo it, a few niche tags go further than many broad ones.
- Place hashtags in the poll question – This makes them most visible and clickable.
- Research relevant niche communities – Identify specific groups aligned to your poll topic and use their popular tags.
- Use branded hashtags – Tap into brand-specific communities by using their affiliated hashtags.
- Monitor performance – Watch your poll insights to see which hashtags drive the most traffic and votes.
LinkedIn Poll Hashtag Examples
To make these tips more concrete, here are a few examples of effective hashtag use in LinkedIn polls:
Niche Industry or Topic
Leveraging niche hashtags allows you to tap into hyper-targeted professional communities on LinkedIn.
Poll Question: What do you think is the most important skill for #cybersecurity pros? #infosec
Brands or Products
Include branded hashtags to target users affiliated with or interested in those brands/products.
Poll Question: Which #HubSpot product do you find most useful? #inboundmarketing
Events or Conferences
Connecting your poll to relevant events/conferences can boost visibility among those audiences.
Poll Question: Will you be attending #SXSW this year? #SXSW2023 #Austin
Conclusion
While the data is limited, expert consensus seems to be that using highly targeted and well-researched hashtags in your LinkedIn polls can help increase visibility, engagement, and votes. Just be cautious not to go overboard with too many broad or irrelevant hashtags. Monitor the performance of your poll hashtags and double down on what works!