You’ve seen them across the internet. You’ve probably used them in a post or two. But did you know that hashtags are a powerful way to get your content seen and a way to engage with your target audience?
It’s true!
In this blog, we start with our hashtag guide and answer questions like:
The second half of our blog features lists of hashtags that we have compiled for you to use for your outdoor business! The categories include hashtags for:
Hashtag Guide:
What are hashtags, and why are they important?
Hashtags are what you may have previously called the “pound” symbol, followed by a keyword or keyword phrase. These keywords are used to categorize content on social platforms.
On most social media platforms, If someone is looking for content on a particular topic or niche industry, they can simply search a hashtag related to that content.
Hashtags are important for businesses, influencers, or users who would like to reach an audience outside of their current following. With the algorithm constantly changing on social media, it can be difficult to gain a large follower base organically. Hashtags can help you to begin to reach new social users without paying for ads or boosting a post (but those things also help you in the long run!)
Hashtags can be helpful to take part in conversations about social issues, politics, industries, or any large national or global conversation. Many brands have even started their own hashtags so that their customers can use them when sharing about their product or service on social media.
Where should you use them?
Hashtags are used on most social platforms like:
Hashtags are most frequently used on Instagram, and you’ll see the most hashtags used at once on there.
You can also use hashtags on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, but in a smaller amount used at one time than on Instagram.
How many should you use?
Twitter:
On Twitter, you should use no more than one or two hashtags, but you should absolutely make the most of those one to two hashtags. Here are a few quick facts about using hashtags on Twitter:
- “Individuals can see a 100 percent increase in engagement by using hashtags (the same bump as seen in the Buddy Media study). Brands can see a 50 percent increase.” (Buffer)
- “When you use more than two hashtags, your engagement actually drops by an average of 17 percent.” (Buffer)
- “Tweets with one or two hashtags have 21% higher engagement than those with three or more hashtags.” (Buffer)
Instagram:
Facebook:
We’ve seen conflicting articles regarding hashtags on Facebook. Some articles say that maximum engagement occurs on Facebook when only one tag is present, and others say that posts perform better with no hashtags at all.
Here’s what we’ve found:
“Like on Twitter, a Facebook hashtag ties the conversations of different users into one stream. But unlike Twitter and Instagram, where many people have public accounts and their posts can be seen by anyone, most people’s Facebook posts and accounts are private. This means that even if individuals are using hashtags, they aren’t searchable. The result? The hashtags you can search for on Facebook tend to be published by influencers, brands, and publishers, rather than by individuals.” – Hubspot
“Based on research on how to use hashtags, maximum engagement occurs on Facebook when only one tag is present.” – Sprout Social
“Facebook posts without a hashtag fare better than those with a hashtag.” – Buffer
Here’s what we’d recommend:
Test it out for yourself. See if your posts perform better organically when you’re including one hashtag vs. when you’re not. Over time, you’ll find what works best for your business.
Best Hashtags to Use:
Below, we’ve compiled a list of hashtags that you can use in your social media posts! Find the ones that best relate to your business.
Outdoor Retailer Hashtags:
- #outdoorretailer
- #outdoorproducts
- #weareoutdoor
- #outdoorgear
- #survivalgear
- #backpackinggear
- #campinggear
- #hikinggear
- #outdoorindustryassociation
- #outdoorindustry
- #outdoorequipment
- #outdoorsports
- #outdoorseason
Outdoor Adventure/Travel Business Hashtags:
- #adventureenthusiasts
- #mountainmornings
- #truetothetrail
- #exploreoutdoors
- #adventuretrip
- #amongthewild
- #allaboutadventures
- #wildernessnation
- #outdoortones
- #roamEarth
- #runcation
- #followtheroad
- #adventuring
- #adventurers
- #liveadventurously
- #outdooradventurephotos
- #outdoorslife
- #trekker
- #treking
- #trekkinglife
Location Hashtags
Below, we’ve listed some examples of location hashtags that you might be able to use. Here’s what we’d suggest: if your product is best used in a certain location, try to find a hashtag associated with that place. You can also find hashtags that relate to your business’s location (a great way to make local friends.)
Colorado:
- #hikecolorado
- #coloradohikes
- #viewsfromcolorado
- #denverexperiences
- #visitdenver
- #visitcolorado
- #outtherecolorado
- #explorecolorado
- #viewsfromcolorado
- #coloradotography
- #colorfulcolorado
- #coloradoshared
Indy:
- #exploreindy
- #indianapolis
- #exploreindiana
- #visitindiana
- #visitindianapolis
California:
- #californiaadventure
- #northerncalifornia
- #visitcalifornia
- #redwoodsnationalpark
- #wildcalifornia
- #rawcalifornia
- #caliinviteyou
- #unlimitedcalifornia
National Park Hashtags:
- #archesnationalpark
- #canyonlandsnationalpark
- #yellowstoneforever
- #experienceyellowstone
- #findyourpark
- #parkroamer
- #yosemitefalls
- #yosemitevalley
- #nationalparkgeek
- #badlandsnationalpark
- #grandcanyonnationalpark
- #redwoodsnationalpark
- #sequoianationalpark
- #brycecanyon
Niche
Below, you’ll find some examples of niches within the outdoor industry. If your niche isn’t listed, there are still most likely hashtags related to it. Do some research on Instagram by typing in #[yourniche] to see what pops up.
Healthy living:
- #healthliving
- #cleanlifestyle
- #organic
- #crueltyfree
- #parabenfree
Eco-Friendly:
- #ecoconscious
- #ecofriendlyliving
- #ecofriendlyproducts
- #lowimpactmovement
- #zerowaste #zerowastelife
- #thinkreusable
- #cleanenergy
Giveback:
- #Giveback
- #socialimpact
- #supportothers
- #makeadifference
- #bethechange
- #payitforward
- #helpingotherssucceed
Purpose-Driven:
- #selfinvestment
- #alwayslearning
- #personaljourney
- #purposedriven
- #purposedrivenlife
Need Help with Your Social Media?
If you need help with your social media, reach out to Elevate Online’s Founder Katie, and she’ll help you put together an easy-to-execute social media plan for your brand or chat about your digital marketing as a whole.