Hashtag TikTok : how to use them ?

Now that the TikTok app has established itself as a content platform that can compete with Google in online search, it is more important than ever to understand how hashtags work.

Indeed, TikTok is adopting a new SEO (organic search) strategy that impacts both the way users consume content and the way creators position themselves. Hashtags play a major role in this SEO strategy: they serve as keywords for your TikTok video.

In addition, using the right hashtags is essential to stand out on the social network and grow your account. It's a great way toincrease your reach and draw attention to yourself in the short and long term.

In this article, we explain everything you need to know about TikTok hashtags.

What you need to know about hashtags on TikToK

What is a hashtag on TikTok?

They are found under the hash symbol (#) on the social network TikTok. Hashtags are generally composed of a word, or a group of words. These tags are most often positioned in the caption of video publications. They must be added in the description part before they are published.

Be careful, the application only allows 100 characters per TikTok hashtag. So you have to select them carefully!

These TikTok hashtagsidentify the topic or theme of a post . Users can then search for hashtags to find specific pieces of content. 

You probably already know about them on social networks such as Instagram or Twitter. Well, you should know that hashtags on TikTok work essentially the same way!

Content creators are also used to using a hashtag (or several) to qualify their content and give it a better reach.

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Why are hashtags important on TikTok?

After several scrolls, one might think that hashtags don't seem that important on the app.

Nevertheless, a good use of TikTok hashtags offers many advantages.

• They organize videos and facilitate their visibility. With the disappearance of the Discover tab, TikTok hashtags are the main way to discover content on the platform.

• They help the TikTok algorithm rank videos. When publishes your video on the platform,TikTok's algorithm analyzes all the information present, including written information, including these tags. This allows the algorithm to identify and categorize your content and deliver it to relevant accounts based on their activity and interaction. The result? You will simply have more visibility and therefore increase your engagement or conversion rate.

• They drive interaction and engagement on TikTok. Whether it's through a challenge or an advertising campaign, hashtags are essential to develop your account and increase your number of followers. Creating your own branded hashtag will also allow you to assert your digital presence and give a unique DNA to your activity or marketing campaign.

5 Types of TikTok hashtag

When you open the application, you'll see a hashtag or several for each TikTok video.

If you don't understand how these parentheses work, don't worry!

You will find below the different categories of hashtag to discover on TikTok :

1. Branded hashtags

Branded hashtags are tags created by companies to promote themselves and their products. They can be used to engage your community and create proximity with it.

For example:

• #LiveInLevis (Levi's)
• #Interviewdomac (McDonald's)
• #Doublewear (Estée Lauder)

You can create a hashtag for commercial purposes. For example, a brand can invite its followers to use a hashtag to make a video presenting its products. You can usually find a brand's hashtag in its TikTok bio (see below).

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TikTok hashtags are searchable. That is, every video tagged with a branded hashtag is visible to all users on the platform. For your company, this is one of the easiest ways to boost content generation by TikTok users (also called UGC content).

2. Product-centric hashtags

Product-centric hashtags are used to highlight product reviews, recommendations and discoveries. Indeed, the app relies on the authenticity of content creators who can easily recommend products as they would recommend a friend.

Here are some examples:

• #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
• #AmazonFinds

3. Community Hashtags

Community hashtags are used to identify specific groups or consumers on TikTok.

There is a very large and varied amount of them ranging from #booktok to #MomOfTok to #Skincare101.

These hashtags are a great way to get exposure to an already identified audience that consumes content from your niche. TikTok actually reports that hashtag categorization is on the rise as communities on the platform grow.

4. Sponsored Hashtags

Sponsored hashtags are used for advertising campaigns. Thisincludes challenges, contests and promotions (only available to consumers who use them). 

Brands promote their product or service with a TikTok hashtag to generate content for consumers. This is a faster way to create a real buzz on TikTok.

Recently, we find in the TikTok feed a campaign launched by the brand new feature"StemDrop Mixer" of Samsung. The challenge is for participants to share their own version of the new track composed by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha and Ali Payami with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4.

5. General Hashtags

General hashtags are non-specific words or groups of words used to tag a TikTok video.

#EasyRecipe is for example a tag used by the TikTok community to find quick culinary inspiration.

Think about putting this kind of tag for the long term referencing of your content. It would be interesting for your company to use them, as if you were typing a query on the Google search engine.

While they are broad and may not necessarily make a video perform, these tags are still very useful for TikTok consumers to find videos on a particular topic.

Best TikTok hashtags in 2022

A useful tactic is to use the specialized and relevant TikTok hashtag for your brand with the best TikTok hashtag (or several) to get more visibility.

Here are the rankings:

1. #fyp
2. #tiktok
3. #foryoupage
4. #viralvideos
5. #funnyvideos
6. #duet
7. #trending
8. #love
9. #memes
10. #cute
11. #comedy
12. #followme
13. #repost
14. #savagechallenge
15. #tiktokchallenge
16. #new
17. #music
18. #recipe
19. #workout
20. #artist 

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5 key tips for your hashtag strategy

Here are some tips for content creators or brands who want to boost the visibility of their content with TikTok hashtags:

1. How many hashtags should I use?

Since the description part in which the tags are filled in can only contain a limited number of characters, two to three hashtags seem optimal .

It is therefore important tochoose them intelligently in relation to your industry, your target audience and the trends of the platform. For your hashtag research we invite you to use the Hashtag Expert website.

2. What about #ForYou?

The #ForYou or #ForYou is naturally overloaded with all kinds of content, because many creators think that it can bring them visibility. As it happens, using a trending hashtag is no guarantee of going viral. Moreover, TikTok has never guaranteed that this technique works.

3. Popular or niche hashtag?

It would be better to identify the hashtags that have a real link with your niche and your video content. But before you do that, ask yourself what your target community might be looking for on the app. To get some ideas, open the social network and go to the "For You" tab.

4. How do I create my TikTok hashtag?

Some brands simply choose to turn their name into a hashtag. But we advise you tobe a little more creative and launch tags in the form of a slogan related to your niche. This will make your audience want to use it more.

5. How do I track the performance of my hashtag?

Track your hashtag's analytics to see if it has gone more viral than another. Pay particular attention to the number of views it generates.

Why should your brand use hashtags?

Creating your own trending hashtag is an effective marketing method available to brands on TikTok.

Obviously, don't expect a hashtag to make your content go viral. A more realistic goal is to interact with your target audience and generate enough engagement to make your content trendy.

But you need to make sure that the content you create is code compliant and native to TikTok so that the viewers you attract stay engaged. 

Your TikTok hashtag strategy is one step in a funnel that ultimately leads to sales, but also to awareness and loyalty.

Remember: social networks were designed to facilitate a conversation between your brand and its community, not a monologue.

Leveraging the performance of a good hashtag

The hashtag is a win-win tool on TikTok.

It is essential to understand its functionalities in order to use them properly.

Having a hashtag strategy is therefore not negligible. In fact, just relying on popular hashtags is not always the best option. It will allow you to increase the reach of your content and improve your performance.

It would be a shame to miss out!

However, understanding the usefulness of hashtags is only one step to increasing your presence on TikTok. What's next? Find influencers and content creators to promote your brand using these same tags.

If you're looking for a way to grow your brand on TikTok, our experts will be happy to help! 🚀