Hashtags have become an incredibly popular way to categorize content and make it more discoverable on social media platforms like LinkedIn. However, as with most social media best practices, moderation is key. Use hashtags too liberally, and you could be penalized by the platform’s algorithms. So what’s the right balance? Let’s take a closer look at how LinkedIn handles hashtags to see if they actually penalize overuse.
What are hashtags?
A hashtag is any word or phrase preceded by the # symbol. On LinkedIn, hashtags turn into clickable links that users can click on to view other posts using the same hashtag. This enables easy discovery of content around certain topics or keywords. Some examples of LinkedIn hashtags include:
– #socialselling
– #b2bmarketing
– #leadgeneration
– #contentmarketing
– #linkedin
Hashtags help to:
– Categorize and describe content
– Increase visibility and discoverability
– Facilitate searches
– Track discussions and events
– Join in larger conversations
When used appropriately, hashtags are highly beneficial for spreading content far and wide on LinkedIn. But using too many could spell trouble.
Does LinkedIn penalize hashtag overuse?
The short answer is yes, LinkedIn will penalize posts that overuse hashtags. Here’s why:
LinkedIn limits posts to 100 hashtags. Any more than that, and your post may not be visible or discoverable to your audience. This is LinkedIn’s first safeguard against hashtag spamming.
Too many hashtags also negatively impact the overall user experience. It clutters up posts and makes them annoying to read. LinkedIn wants to maintain a high-quality feed filled with engaging content.
Posts with an excessive amount of hashtags may be seen as spammy. LinkedIn’s algorithm will assume you are trying to game the system and will limit the reach and visibility of your post.
You may even risk getting banned or restricted for repeatedly spamming hashtags. LinkedIn’s terms of service prohibit posting repetitive, promotional, or low-value content.
So in summary, yes LinkedIn definitely does penalize and limit the reach of posts that overuse hashtags. The best practice is to use them selectively and strategically.
What is the optimal number of hashtags to use?
LinkedIn has not publicly specified an optimal number of hashtags to use in posts. However, social media experts generally recommend using no more than 2-3 per post. Here are some best practices:
– Only use highly relevant hashtags that truly add value for your audience
– Place hashtags naturally within your post text rather than listing them all together
– Use branded hashtags sparingly and avoid self-promotional tags like #hireme
– Mix up branded and generic hashtags to increase visibility
– Test using more hashtags (5-10) on visual posts like images which tend to perform better with more tags
– Avoid using excessively long hashtags that look spammy
– Leverage trending hashtags when appropriate but focus on consistent evergreen tags for longevity
The key is using hashtags intentionally, not just appending as many as possible. Stick to a small number of meaningful hashtags that serve your post purpose and target audience. Quality over quantity.
What are some best practices for using hashtags on LinkedIn?
Here are some top tips for effectively harnessing the power of LinkedIn hashtags:
– Place hashtags naturally within your post text, not just at the end. LinkedIn’s algorithm favors natural incorporation.
– Do keyword research to find popular and trending industry hashtags to expand reach.
– Use a good mix of branded and generic hashtags. #linkedin is usually a safe bet.
– Leverage trending newsjacking hashtags when possible but focus mostly on evergreen content tags.
– Monitor campaign and event hashtags relevant to your audience.
– Focus on quality over quantity. 2-5 well-chosen hashtags is optimal per post.
– Avoid overusing the same hashtags across all your posts. Sprinkle in some variety.
– Test using more hashtags (up to 10) for visual content like images and videos.
– Analyze competitor hashtag use for ideas but put your unique spin on their tags.
– Carefully track performance to see which hashtags drive the most engagement. Then double down on those.
– Be authentic. Only use branded tags and trending hashtags when they truly align with your content.
Following these tips will maximize the impact of your LinkedIn hashtags while avoiding penalties. Test different strategies and continue refining based on performance data.
What types of posts benefit most from hashtags?
Certain types of LinkedIn posts tend to benefit more from strategic hashtag use:
– Industry News Posts: Include a hashtag about the news topic to extend reach to interested audiences.
– Event Promotion: Use official branded event hashtags plus related keywords.
– Product Launches: Leverage product name/slogan hashtags.
– Job Listings: Adding #hiring, #jobs, or #careerhashtags targets active job seekers.
– Trending Topics: Insert relevant hashtags about hot issues like #climatechange.
– Holidays: Seasonal hashtags like #NewYearsEve help ride cultural moments.
– Conference Recaps: Conference hashtags continue the conversation.
– Spotlighting Employees: Add team/company hashtags to boost visibility.
– Calls to Action: Insert own hashtag for tracking response rate.
Posts that actively engage the audience benefit most from targeted hashtags. Monitor use and reach on these to optimize.
What types of hashtags should you avoid on LinkedIn?
While thoughtful hashtag use can significantly extend your LinkedIn reach, some common hashtag mistakes can actually backfire and cause penalties. Avoid the following:
– Excessive HASHTAG CAPS: This looks spammy.
– Overusing the same tags on all posts: Sprinkle in variety.
– Listing hashtags together at the end: Incorporate them naturally within post text.
– Too many branded self-promotional tags: Balance with generic tags.
– Obviously irrelevant hashtags: Stick to closely related keywords.
– Long wordy hashtags: Keep hashtags short and sweet.
– Aggressively trendjacking every hashtag: Focus more on evergreen content.
– Repetitive mundane hashtags like #MondayMotivation on every post: Mix it up.
– Too many niche hashtags: Target broader reach hashtags.
– Competitor name hashtags: Could appear adversarial.
– Controversial hashtag hijacking: Avoid divisive conversations.
– Excessive use of emojis: LinkedIn favors professional tone.
The key is to keep hashtags highly relevant, varied, and professional. Avoid tactics that may be perceived as manipulative or spammy. Vet hashtags carefully to match LinkedIn’s policies and optimizeorganic reach.
What are some of the top performing hashtags on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn does not publish public data on top performing hashtags. However, social media monitoring tools help reveal commonly used tags that tend to generate high engagement. Here are some of the most popular LinkedIn hashtags:
– #linkedin: used to extend reach to the LinkedIn audience
– #socialmedia: a hot marketing topic
– #contentmarketing: popular with B2B brands
– #leadgeneration: targeted to sales professionals
– #socialselling: connects with salespeople
– #seo: hits home with digital marketers
– #marketing: broadly used by the industry
– #leadership: engages managers and executives
– #recruiting: targeted to HR professionals and talent acquisition
– #jobs: reaches active job seekers
– #careers / #careeradvice: career development engagement
Monitor hashtags used by your competitors and within your target industry. Experiment to see which resonate most with your audience and integrate those into your LinkedIn strategy.
Should you use different hashtags for the same content across multiple LinkedIn posts?
It’s generally best to customize the hashtags across your LinkedIn posts rather than repeatedly copy-pasting the exact same tags. Re-using some core hashtags is fine, but also leverage different relevant tags each time. Here’s why:
– Avoid appearing spammy and over-optimized
– LinkedIn rewards fresh, high-quality, organic content
– New hashtags expand your reach to different networks
– You can test a wider variety of tags for performance
– It helps keep each post unique which algorithms like
– Tailor tags that make the most sense for each post’s topic
– Add in a few new trending or seasonal hashtags when possible
– Mix up branded and generic hashtags
Of course, identify your 3-5 hero hashtag workhorses that resonate most with your brand and purpose. But supplement those with a rotating selection of complementary hashtags customized to each post.
What tools can you use to identify the best LinkedIn hashtags?
Taking the guesswork out of which LinkedIn hashtags to use, these free online tools offer data-backed recommendations:
– **RiteTag:** Analyzes any keyword to recommend optimal related hashtags. Also provides hashtag and influencer search features.
– **Display Purposes:** Generates hashtag ideas based on keyword analysis of your content. Helpful for long-tail variations.
– **TagDef:** Discovers trending hashtags and identifies influencers associated with any tag. Helps stay on pulse of what’s popular.
– **Trendsmap:** Heat-map visually displays global keyword and hashtag trends across social networks like LinkedIn in real-time.
– **Hashtags.org:** Enables exploration of hashtag use by topic. Search metrics include popularity, post frequency, location, and sentiment.
– **TagBoard:** Advanced paid tool for monitoring hashtag performance. Tracks top hashtags and influencers over time.
Leverage these tools to integrate high-value hashtags that actually reach your target audience. But always use discretion, as forcing irrelevant tags will backfire.
Should you repeat the same hashtags across LinkedIn and other social platforms?
While you want to customize hashtags for each platform, repeating your core branded and topic hashtags across LinkedIn and other social networks you are active on is an effective strategy. The cross-platform amplification can significantly widen your reach.
For example, stretching a campaign hashtag across LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook strengthens the impact across your integrated social presence.
Keep in mind nuances of the platform audiences and cultures. Some niche hashtags that perform well on Twitter may not resonate as much with the LinkedIn audience. But in most cases, cross-pollinating your core hashtags builds momentum.
Just be sure to shake up the accompanying hashtags used so they are not exact duplicates across platforms. The algorithm on each network will reward fresh variations. But tap into hashtag momentum across your profiles by weaving in those unifying threads.
Conclusion
In closing, used judiciously, LinkedIn hashtags are highly beneficial for increasing content visibility, discoverability, and engagement. But tread carefully, as overuse will cause your posts to be penalized. Stick to 2-5 well-chosen hashtags integrated conversationally into your posts for optimal reach. Rely more on evergreen industry topics versus trendjacking every fleeting hashtag. Analyze performance data to double down on what resonates most with your audience. Avoid overtly promotional and spammy hashtag tactics. With a refined, authentic hashtag strategy, you can effectively scale your LinkedIn impact.