When properly used, hashtags help users find related content quickly. Hashtags help raise visibility as well as boost one’s social shares. However, when inappropriately used, they can impact one’s credibility on social media negatively. This directly decreases your social activity.
When the hashtag is used in front of a post, it categorizes it and essentially creates a hyperlink to the word. The good and bad thing about this is that one can place the hashtag to any single word or a group of words consequently. It becomes a handy tool for joining conversations, collecting pictures at events and marketing. It has become clear that most people are using this feature regardless of age. The unfortunate thing is there are people who don’t know how many is enough. As a result, they are committing a social media faux pas over-using hashtags!
Over-using hashtags imply you are using too many of them in a single post. Usually, people are supposed to use 2 to 3 short hashtags or one long hashtag., Any number above this means you are overdoing it. The principal purpose of a hashtag is to tag the post so that it can be put together around a certain event or subject and be searched. Therefore just because you can use them doesn’t mean that you should. Too many hashtags increase the chances of getting hashtags hijacked. Someone might use your hashtag regardless of the fact that their content may not have anything to do with your post’s subject. It is important to use them if they are relevant to your post and remember to keep them minimal.
Why Over-Using Hashtags Is Bad
• It distracts from the key message or post
• They make a post look like spam
• Makes a post look sloppy
• They use up your character considering there is a character limit
• It makes one look like an amateur at it shows that you just don’t understand the hashtag concept
Using too many hashtags on your post makes your content senseless. Breaking up words at every step makes it hard for people to follow what you are posting. A lot of hashtags overpowers a post’s content. As soon as your followers see too many hashtags, they tend to lose interest. You do not want readers to get lost in the sea of number signs and words.
Be smart when it comes to using hashtags. If you are worried that you are almost reaching a point of overkill, consider using none at all.
You might also like to read, “How to Drive Your Instagram Traffic to Your Website“.
