There is a lot of discussion about TikTok hashtags and what their connection is to the ever-so-secret TikTok algorithm.
One thing we know for sure? They’re an important and effective way to get more eyes on your TikTok content!
In this blog post we’ll help you understand everything you need to know about TikTok hashtags, from learning about why they’re important, to whether you should be using popular hashtags like #foryoupage on your posts.
Table of Contents:
Why Are TikTok Hashtags Important?
Ask anyone about TikTok, and they’ll probably mention one of the viral hashtag challenges that make their way around the app, like the #fliptheswitch or the #eyeslipsface challenge.
It’s undeniable. Hashtags are a huge part of the TikTok experience.
In fact, TikTok’s Discover tab is even organized by trending and popular hashtags — which is an awesome free tool for you to help you find the best hashtags (more on that later!)
Hashtags on TikTok work the same way as they do on Instagram. They’re a tool to organize content by category and help users share and search for content. If you have a public TikTok account and you add a hashtag to your video, your video is classified and organized under that hashtag (or hashtags!).
And there’s lots of talk around whether or not using certain hashtags (like #FYP, #foryoupage, and #foryou) gets your video prime real estate on the For You page. In fact, this topic of discussion even has its own trending category on TikTok, with hundreds of videos of users explaining their theories.
And while we can’t verify there’s a hashtag that will guarantee you a spot on TikTok’s coveted For You page, we do know that using hashtags on your videos is one of the best ways to get your content in front of the right users — making hashtags a vital part of your TikTok strategy.
Ready to take your TikTok strategy up a notch? Watch our free 30-minute video on how to use TikTok to grow your brand!
Benefits of Using Hashtags in Your TikTok Strategy:
TikTok hashtags are an effective way to grow your following and engagement on TikTok. Plus, they don’t just help you reach more TikTok users — they help you reach the right users.
Here are some benefits of including hashtags in your TikTok strategy:
TikTok Hashtag Value #1: Discoverability
What if you could reach a whole new group of potential followers on TikTok every single time you post?
Well, you can, and it’s all because of hashtags!
Using TikTok hashtags gives your content a major boost right off the bat. Instead of only showing your content to your followers, you’re opening up the floodgates to users who are already searching for what you’re sharing.
Plus, if you’re using trending hashtags, your content can also be pulled into relevant Discovery pages for millions to see.
For example, if you hashtag “eyelinertutorial” on your TikTok, your video will join the other videos under that same hashtag.
The idea is that if someone is looking to learn how to put on eyeliner when they search “eyeliner tutorial” on TikTok, your video will populate under that hashtag.
TikTok Hashtag Benefit #2: Create A Community
When you use specific hashtags on TikTok, not only are you letting the TikTok algorithm know what your video (and profile) is about, you’re also creating a community.
Like the Explore page on Instagram, TikTok’s For You page picks up on the type of content people like. If viewers often watch videos with the hashtags you use, TikTok will put your videos in front of those users.
So, the more you post with those hashtags, the more followers, likes, and comments you’ll get. And the best part? You’re creating a community of followers who actually want to see your content!
You can also create and use your own branded hashtags. This is an awesome way to collect and share user-generated content on TikTok.
For example, see how Rhianna’s beauty company Fenty Beauty uses the hashtag #FentyBeautyHouse. All of the content under that hashtag is super specific to Fenty and their community!
TikTok Hashtag Benefit #3: Jump In On The Trends
TikTok trends can come and go in the blink of an eye, so it’s a good idea to stay on the beat of what’s trending. If there is a trending hashtag that aligns with your brand, join in on the challenge!
It’ll show your audience you’re in the know and that you’re down to get in on the fun.
But before you go wild with your TikTok hashtags, remember to always use accurate and responsible hashtags.
Using random, high-traffic hashtags may result in a quick-win, but could have a negative impact on your brand trust. And while not confirmed, TikTok could hide your videos if they notice you’re using hashtags that don’t reflect your content.
TikTok Hashtags: #ForYou, #ForYouPage or #FYP?
If you’ve scrolled on TikTok for just a second, you’ve probably seen the hashtags #foryou, #fyp, and #foryoupage on the majority of videos. That’s because, collectively, these 3 hashtags have over 6000 billion views on TikTok at the time of publishing, which is billions more than the most popular hashtag on Instagram, #love.
Those types of hashtags are popular on the app because many TikTok users believe they help get their content on more users’ For You pages.
But while videos with these hashtags do tend to show up on our For You page often, it’s not cut and dry whether these hashtags are the reason why.
So, should you be using these TikTok hashtags in your strategy?
In short, there is no clear answer. But since TikTok is all about trial and error, it’s a good idea to include these in your TikTok hashtag strategy to see if they work for you.
Try sharing 2 similar videos to TikTok, at roughly the same time of day, with two different sets of hashtags in the caption.
Add one with a #fyp, #foryoupage, or #foryou hashtag alongside 2-3 other hashtags specific to your niche.
Add another TikTok with only niche hashtags related to your content, like #instagram, #socialmediamarketing, and #igtips.
TikTok is all about patience. Once your videos have been live for at least a few days take a look at your analytics and see how each performed. With a TikTok Pro Account, you can see how many viewers came to your post through the hashtags you’ve used.
By carrying out split tests like this, you’ll soon have a stronger idea of what hashtags drive the most value for your brand.
Not sure what the best time to post on TikTok is? Check out our blog post where you’ll learn how to find the best time for you!
TikTok Hashtags: Branded Hashtag Challenges
While we’ve already seen hashtag challenges go viral on Instagram and Twitter, like the #icebucketchallenge and the #mannequinchallenge, we’ve never seen so many challenges hit viral status quite like they do on TikTok.
Branded hashtag challenges are an incredible way for brands to generate new leads and grow brand awareness on TikTok, fast!
And you don’t even have to sponsor a branded hashtag challenge for it to go viral. That’s the beauty of TikTok — even organic TikTok content can get millions of views overnight.
An example of a smart branded hashtag challenge was E.L.F Cosmetics #eyeslipsface challenge. This challenge went viral, organically catching the eye of millions including Lizzo, Jessica Alba, and Ellen Degeneres.
Eyes, Lips, Face is one of the most viral TikTok campaigns ever, garnering over 3 million user-generated videos and passing over 5 billion views. E.L.F Cosmetics’ original TikTok sound was so popular they even released it as a track on Spotify — racking up over 20 million streams.
Hashtag challenges on Tiktok aren’t always associated with a brand. Take the #fliptheswitch challenge for example. This challenge was influenced by Drake’s song “Nonstop” because of the lyrics “I just flipped the switch.”
That challenge went viral, taking TikTok over with a storm. Celebrities like JLo, A-Rod, and the cast of SNL even took to their feed to take part.
And if you want to supercharge your reach, you can always partner with on-brand TikTok influencers to see if they can create content for your hashtag challenge.
Alternatively, you could invest in a TikTok Ads strategy.
When you see branded TikTok hashtag challenges on the top banner on TikTok’s Discover page, it means they used TikTok Ads to have their challenge featured there. If you have the means, this is an incredible way to reach a huge audience on TikTok.
Take Guess’ #InMyDenim campaign for example. Guess used TikTok to promote their Fall’18 Denim Fit collection, encouraging the TikTok community to transform their style by wearing Guess denim to the soundtrack of Bebe Rexh’s “I’m a Mess.”
The #InMyDenim ad campaign included a brand takeover on the app welcome screen, as well as 4 influencer partnership videos to demo the concept and reach more users.
Source: TikTok Ads
During the 6-day campaign period, #InMyDenim realized over 5.5K user-generated videos, 10.5M video views, 14.3% engagement rate, and over 12K additional followers for Guess’ account on TikTok.
ICYMI: TikTok’s “Hashtag Challenge Plus” lets users shop for products right in TikTok. Learn more about this exciting feature here.
If you have the opportunity to attach your business or brand to a creative TikTok challenge, do so! Think of all the thousands of people that will associate that challenge with your brand. The opportunities are endless.
TikTok Hashtags: Finding The Right Hashtags for Your Content
Now that we’ve covered TikTok hashtags and hashtag challenges, let’s get into the good stuff: how to find the best hashtags for your content.
Here are our top 5 tips and tricks for finding the right hashtags:
#1 Find a Balance Between Broad and Niche Hashtags
This may be the most challenging aspect of using hashtags — how to know how niche or broad you should go with your hashtags.
While we do recommend getting specific with your hashtags, it’s never a good idea to go too niche. Remember that hashtags are all about what the user is actually searching for. Before using a hashtag, think, would my target audience actually type this into the TikTok search bar?
Start broad and work your way into more specific hashtags. For example, if you are a marketing professional, a broad hashtag could be #marketing. Then, as you go more niche (depending on the video content) your additional hashtags could be #socialmediamarketing and even more specific, #instagrammarketing.
It’s all about finding that perfect balance. Like we mentioned earlier, finding the secret sauce that works for you will ultimately be a game of trial and error.
#2: Browse TikTok for Trending Hashtags
One great thing about TikTok is that it’s easy to discover new and trending hashtags!
To see what’s trending, go to TikTok’s Discover tab.
Here, you can scroll through and see what’s trending — it’s a really good idea to hop on the trends since so many users are scrolling through.
TIP: If you don’t know what content you want to post on TikTok, search through the trending hashtags and see what kind of videos users are sharing. Use that inspiration to guide your next TikTok!
#3: Research Industry Leaders and Your Competitors
If you’re low on inspiration, one of the best places to start is looking at what other industry leaders are doing. If it’s working well for them, the chances are it could work well for you too.
Start by taking notes on what hashtags they are using and see if they make sense to use for your content.
At the same time, look at your competitors and see what’s working well in their strategy. Are the hashtags relevant? Is their audience engaging with their content? Did their videos go viral? Are they missing key hashtag opportunities? Ask yourself these questions in the research stage to help form your TikTok hashtag list.
#4: Find Related Hashtags on TikTok
Finding related hashtags on TikTok is a really easy and effective way to grow your community.
To do this, simply type your hashtag into TikTok’s search bar.
Tip: Leave out the hashtag (#) in your search. Tap “Hashtag” under the search bar and TikTok shows you how many views that specific hashtag has. This is a really helpful tool when it comes to helping you decide which hashtag to use. And here is where you’ll find also find a list of related keywords on TikTok.
#5: Test, Test, Test
Last but not least, .
Record which hashtags you use on each of your videos, and monitor how many views they get over time.
Different hashtags will work for different types ofit’s important to test your hashtags on TikTok videos — it all comes down to trial and error on your account!
If you test out hashtags, you’re likely to land on some hashtags that work wonders for your content!
TIP: Think of your hashtags like the keywords for your videos — make sure they are relevant, clear, and easily searchable.
How Many TikTok Hashtags Should You Use in Your Posts?
There’s no set rule when it comes to deciding how many hashtags you should use on TikTok, but keep in mind that the longer your captions (and hashtags) are, the more of your TikTok video will be obstructed from view.
TikTok limits captions to 100 characters (and that’s including hashtags!) vs Instagram which has a caption character limit of 2,200.
With a limited amount of real estate, be sure to take advantage of every single character. Keep your TikTok captions concise, leaving room for those important hashtags.
Since there’s no hard and fast rule, the number of TikTok hashtags users use is all across the board. Some users include 1-3 hashtags, while others use 5-8. How many hashtags you use is completely up to you — but they’re definitely worth including!
And there you have it, everything you need to know about TikTok hashtags. By now you should have a good understanding of how TikTok hashtags work — why not start using hashtags on your next video?
And remember, don’t get defeated — TikTok is all about trial and error!
Looking to boost your Instagram hashtags as well? Check out our Instagram hashtag 2022 guide.
Ready to take your TikTok strategy up a notch? Watch our free 30-minute video on how to use TikTok to grow your brand!
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