Do Hashtags Work on TikTok and How To Use Hashtags With Purpose

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Oct 25, 2023

TikTok 101

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Do hashtags work on TikTok? When is hashtagging beneficial, and when is it harmful to your content? How can you harness the full power of TikTok hashtags? There is a right way and a wrong way to use hashtags. Keep reading to find out how to hashtag your way to more For You feeds. 

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How Do Hashtags Work on TikTok?

How do hashtags work on TikTok? As a social marketing strategy, hashtags can land you on For You feeds, Explore, hashtag pages, and search results. Hashtags in captions can help you grab views, expand your reach, and boost brand awareness. Trending hashtags increase your relevance, visibility, and competitive edge. 

As on other social platforms, hashtagging on TikTok serves the following purposes:

  • Describes and categorizes your content
  • Optimizes your video for discovery and For You feed recommendations
  • Allows you to join trends and relevant conversations
  • Lets you build a community around shared interests

Do Hashtags Work on TikTok, and How Many Hashtags Can You Use Per Post? 

Do hashtags work on TikTok in terms of SEO? Yes, they do. TikTok’s 2,200-character limit for captions reflects the growing SEO trend on the platform. And as long as you stay within this limit, you can use as many hashtags as you want. But the more important question is, should you use as many hashtags as possible in your caption?

The updated character limit (up from the previous 300) allows creators to provide more video context when necessary. So you should only use as many hashtags as necessary to categorize and describe your content sufficiently. Too many hashtags will make your caption look spammy and cluttered. They may even work against you when you cast too wide a net. Make sure to focus on the core subject of your video. 

According to experts, the ideal number is between three and five hashtags. Combine popular hashtags with niche and lower-volume ones to get the best results from both worlds.  

Do Hashtags Work on TikTok, and Where Can You Find Trending Hashtags?

Do hashtags work on TikTok to boost your visibility and reach? A well-developed hashtag strategy can help get more eyes on your content. Developing a sound strategy requires good research, so where can you find relevant and trending hashtags?

You can search for hashtags via TikTok’s search tool or on TikTok Creative Center. 

You’ll find the search tool at the top right of the screen. Type what you want to search for; be as specific as possible. The most relevant results will show up in the Top tab. View the Users tab to find accounts related to your hashtag search. The Hashtags tab displays the number of views for the keyword you entered and other related hashtags. 

Open a hashtagto go to that hashtag’s dedicated page, where you’ll find videos using the hashtag. The videos display according to which ones started the trend first, followed by other popular TikToks relevant to the hashtag. 

You can access the TikTok Creative Center via a browser. Select Hashtags under the Trends tab, then specify your region of interest. Select an industry and a timeframe. You can view hashtag rankings by popularity or what’s new. You will also see the number of posts and views for each and the top creators using the hashtags. Visit the creators’ pages to find out more about each hashtag, such as the types of videos associated with it. 

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Do Hashtags Help on TikTok? How To Make Hashtags Work in Your Favor

Do hashtags help on TikTok? They do, in the same way as on other social platforms. When you add the “#” symbol to a word or phrase on TikTok, the hashtagged word/phrase becomes searchable. Users can click on a hashtag to see other videos and creators using it. People can find content by typing a hashtag relevant to their interests in the search bar. Creators, brands, and marketers can use hashtags for promotional campaigns and content optimization. 

TikTok’s For You algorithm may recommend videos to users based on hashtags. So do hashtags work on TikTok to help you build a following? Definitely! 

Here are some tips to make hashtags work in your favor. 

  1. Research and only use relevant hashtags. Check out top influencers, creators, and competitors in your niche/industry. See what hashtags they use and which ones get the most engagement. 
  1. Combine trending and niche hashtags in your captions. Trending hashtags have a high volume of use, so the competition is tough. But they’ll help you reach a wider audience. Niche hashtags have a low use volume, so your video will have a better chance of ranking high. While there are fewer users interested in niche hashtags, they’re also more likely to become fans. 
  1. Develop a branded hashtag. Try mixing a popular word relevant to your industry with your brand name when creating your branded hashtag. You can also create a hashtag based on your specialty. Use your branded hashtag as often as possible to help build brand awareness and recall. 
  1. Create a hashtag challenge. TikTok challenges always bring in high engagement and new followers. Be as creative as you can when creating the hashtag for your challenge. 
  1. Monitor your analytics. Check how your hashtags are performing so you can modify and improve your strategy. 

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Do Hashtags Matter on TikTok? The Benefits of Hashtagging

Do hashtags matter on TikTok? How important is it to use hashtags in your captions? Hashtags continue to play a significant role in optimization and marketing. Especially for creators, influencers, and businesses, a solid hashtag strategy is a must. It’s crucial for brand awareness, SEO ranking, relevance, and discoverability. 

Do hashtags work on TikTok to help you grow your brand? Yes, when you consider that more and more users are using TikTok as a search platform. Even if a user doesn’t search for the hashtag you’re using in a video, they may still discover you. As long as your hashtags are relevant to their search and interests, your content may show up in their feed. 

What are the benefits of using hashtags in your captions? Let’s take a look. 

  • Hashtags let you categorize your content. This makes it easier for people looking for content in your niche to discover you. 
  • TikTok hashtags increase your reach and visibility. Your hashtags become searchable and part of dedicated hashtag pages. Using the right hashtags will help you reach interested audiences. 
  • Hashtags can boost engagement. You can start meaningful conversations around a hashtag or rally support for a cause with the help of a hashtag. Because hashtags help you draw the attention of interested users, your content will also benefit from their likes and comments. 
  • The right hashtags can help you gain lifelong fans. Reaching the right audiences with hashtags increases your chances of gaining new and loyal fans. 
  • Hashtags can help you build a solid brand presence. The more people you reach with your hashtags, the greater your brand exposure and the stronger your brand presence. 

Scrabble tiles spelling the word “Hashtag.”

Do Hashtags in Comments Work on TikTok?

Do hashtags in comments work? Should you comment with hashtags on your video for enhanced optimization? 

Are you commenting with hashtags without context, i.e., you’re not replying to anyone or adding information to your video? If yes, then your comment may look spammy. 

Do hashtags work on TikTok comments if you’re replying to someone? In terms of optimization, the hashtags may work, but not as well as those in your caption. And you have to be creative when using hashtags in comment replies. It’s better if you can include the hashtag as part of the comment itself. Don’t use too many to avoid being spammy if you must add them as you would a footnote. 

Aside from the comments section, you can add hashtags to the video using the Hashtag sticker. Insert Hashtag stickers throughout your video to underscore significant points and make the video more compelling.  

Do Hashtags Work on TikTok, and How Do You Get on the For You Feed With Hashtags?

Do hashtags work on TikTok and help get your video on the For You feed? They do work — as long as you follow these tips. Remember that the For You feed is unique to each user. So your hashtags must also be unique to your intended audiences. 

  • Use hashtags relevant to your brand, content, and audience. The algorithm needs to understand what your video is about to get on the For You feed with hashtags. And hashtags are one of the ways that the algorithm categorizes content. Use hashtags related to your brand identity, content, and audience to get on the For You feeds of interested viewers. 
  • Use hashtags people actually search for. Using #fyp or #foryoupage does not increase your odds of landing on the For You feed. Users don’t specifically search for FYP content. Consider what people will actually type if they want to search for content like yours. By doing this, TikTok will put your video on the For You feeds of users with similar interests. 
  • Don’t cram your caption with similar hashtags. You don’t need to include all hashtag variations in your caption. Remember that the ideal number is 3-5 hashtags. Get the most out of it by mixing it with closely related hashtags using different keywords. Again, don’t forget to combine high-volume and low-volume hashtags. 

Letter tiles for a sign spelling “#Social”.

Do Hashtags Work on TikTok, and How Do You Make the Most of Them?

Do hashtags work on TikTok? Yes, they do! Use the right combination of hashtags per video, and your content can go viral instantly. Create a branded hashtag to build brand awareness and a strong following on TikTok. Join relevant conversations with hashtags to bolster your voice and strengthen your connection with your community. Develop a solid hashtag strategy to make the For You algorithm work whenever you post. 

How do you make the most of hashtagging to get the best results? First, you must know how to find trending or relevant hashtags in your niche and industry. Second, you should know how to identify hashtags to get the most views and engagement. TikTok provides the tools to help you with the first step. The second step requires an understanding of your audience and a targeted approach. 

The hashtags you use are one of the signals that TikTok’s algorithm considers for For You feed recommendations. With the right combination of hashtags, your content can surface on the feeds of interested viewers. But did you know that you can level up your audience-targeting capability? 

Team up with a TikTok growth expert like High Social. You’ll be able to leverage their advanced, proprietary AI technology for precise audience targeting. When you subscribe to a High Social growth plan, you’ll find interested audiences likely to become lifelong fans. You’ll grab more eyes for your content from users who will also deliver consistent and high-quality engagement. 
Do hashtags work on TikTok when building a community around your brand? Definitely! But don’t rely on hashtags to find the right audiences for your TikToks. Earn lifelong fans with High Social. Start growing your TikTok today!

TikTok 101