The potential for reach and engagement on TikTok is huge. How huge? TikTok was not only the 2nd most downloaded iOS app in 2020, but it even outranked Netflix, YouTube, and Instagram. But If that doesn’t impress you, what about the more than 1.1 billion active TikTok users worldwide? We know what you must be thinking, “will my videos get lost in the never-ending sea of videos?” Not quite. 

Just like hashtags on other platforms, hashtags on TikTok are just as effective. Here we'll uncover just how effective hashtags are and how you can use them to boost visibility, build brand awareness, and make new customers or followers. Let's get started! 

How Hashtags Work on Social Media

Hashtags are simply words and phrases with the pound (#) symbol in front. They're like little flags that align a piece of content with a topic or category, making that content easily discoverable by relevant audiences. 

Here are some essential best practices for using hashtags: 

• Leave out symbols, spaces, and punctuation

• Make sure your account is set to public

• Keep them short and sweet

• Get relevant and specific

• Make sure other users are using the same hashtags

• Be picky with your hashtags and stick to about five per post, especially on TikTok

How Hashtags Help You

Hashtags help you find your target audience. When you get your content in front of the right audience, you can boost your engagement. And when you boost engagement, you can generate more buzz for your brand and increase website traffic to drive more conversions. 

Hashtags work well when strategically placed. To pick the right hashtags, make sure to do your research by studying influencers and other competitors in your niche to see what's working for their content and stay up to date with trending hashtags. This knowledge of other hashtags will help you when it comes to using them on your content. Maybe even consider branded hashtags to promote a new partnership or campaign.

Use caution with oversaturated hashtags (like #foodie or #fashion, for example). Combine these trending hashtags with more specific ones like #nashvillefoodie or #hijabifashion to narrow in on your specific audience. Spend the time to research hashtags that are working and give them a go. 

Hashtag Strategies for TikTok

You can investigate trending TikTok hashtags by visiting the "Discover" tab at the bottom of the screen. Search topics relevant to your content strategy or scroll until you find a trending hashtag that sparks your interest. Some popular TikTok trends have hashtags of their own, so add those to your hashtag mix when creating videos based on trends. 

To get strategic:

1. Pay attention to hashtags when scrolling your For You Page. This will help dial down on what hashtags other accounts are using in your space.
2. After you've created your video, think about who you're trying to reach and what actions you want the video to inspire them to take.
3. Consider whether you're aiming for high engagement from a niche audience or the maximum reach and exposure from anyone and everyone when thinking about your target audience.

If you are targeting a niche audience, you'll want to go for niche TikTok hashtags that help you reach a specific demographic. For getting out there and discovered by as many eyes as possible, trending TikTok hashtags are your best bet.  

TikTok Hashtag Examples for Inspiration 

This post takes the super popular #booktok, #fyp, and #foryou, then niches down the audience by including tags about the location and travel. 

This creator uses the trending TikTok hashtags like #indigenousday #indigenous #indigenoustiktok #indigenouspeoplesday #nativeamerican #nativetiktok, then niches down the audience with the tags #alaskanative and #athabascan.

This post keeps the hashtag list short and sweet. They start with trending topics like #art and #digitalart, then dig into the specifics of their piece with the tags #unconventionalbeauty and #bodypositivity. 

This drool-worthy post starts with trending TikTok hashtags like #foryourpage, #foodtiktok, and #sundaybrunch, then digs into the specifics with #blueberry, #frenchtoast, and #loop. While the first two specific hashtags address the content topic, #loop identifies the style of video. This helps the creator reach people who enjoy watching loop-style videos.

A solid hashtag strategy gives you some control over who sees your TikTok videos. Targeting your TikTok hashtags helps you get your content in front of the right TikTok users who will engage and convert to customers and followers. 

The more popular TikTok hashtags boost visibility across many demographics, while the more specific TikTok hashtags boost visibility within your target audience. Finding a balanced mix of the two types of hashtag techniques will help you grow your audience, boost engagement, and increase conversions.