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This LinkedIn Hashtag Checklist provides a clear set of criteria to ensure you are using the right hashtags on your posts. Following this resource helps you select relevant, properly formatted tags to connect with your audience on LinkedIn.
A Checklist for Effective LinkedIn Hashtags
The LinkedIn Hashtag Checklist is a straightforward resource designed to improve your hashtag selection process on LinkedIn. Its purpose is to provide a scannable checklist of best practices, from relevance and popularity to formatting and variety.
Crafting relevant and specific tags
The effectiveness of a hashtag begins with its relevance. Your chosen hashtags should clearly reflect the topic of your post and be specific to your industry, role, or expertise. It’s important to include 1-2 niche hashtags that are relevant to your target audience or industry sub-sector. You can also identify effective tags by checking which ones your peers or competitors frequently use. If applicable to your strategy, you can also add a branded or campaign-specific hashtag, such as one for hiring.
Balancing popularity and variety
A good hashtag is actively followed on LinkedIn, but it’s crucial to strike a balance. A tag should be popular enough to reach an audience, but not so broad and generic that your post gets lost. For example, it is often better to prefer a specific tag like #B2BMarketing over a generic one like #Marketing. You should also avoid repeating the exact same hashtags in every single post. Instead, it is better to test new ones to see which options gain more traction over time.
Following key technical guidelines
Adhering to a few technical rules is essential for performance. LinkedIn recommends using a maximum of 3 to 5 hashtags for the best reach. It is also critical to ensure all hashtags are spelled correctly and are readable. For readability, it’s better to use title case formatting (e.g., #ContentStrategy) rather than all lowercase or difficult-to-read formats.
Application with LinkedIn Hashtag Checklist
This checklist, provided as an editable Google Doc, helps you systematically apply these best practices. Its clear format allows you to quickly verify your hashtag choices against key criteria before you publish, simplifying your workflow and helping you avoid common mistakes.
Who is this LinkedIn Hashtag Checklist perfect for?
This checklist is perfect for any professional, marketer, or business owner who posts content on LinkedIn and wants a reliable method to ensure their hashtags are well-chosen and effective.
Concluding Thought
By using this checklist for every post, you can build a more consistent and strategic approach to using hashtags, helping to improve your content’s performance on LinkedIn.
How to Use This
- Make Your Own Editable Copy:
- Open the link provided to access the master Google Doc.
- Once the Google Doc is open, navigate to the menu: File > Make a copy.
- A dialog box will appear. You can rename your copy if you wish and choose where to save it in your personal Google Drive.
- Click “Make a copy.” This action saves an editable version of the document to your Google Drive.
- Using Your Checklist:
- Before publishing a LinkedIn post, review your chosen hashtags against each item on the checklist.
- Make sure you have checked for relevance, popularity, and variety.
- Confirm you are following the guidelines for quantity and formatting.
- Use this process for every post to build a consistent and effective hashtag strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main benefit of using a structured hashtag on LinkedIn?
A structured hashtag helps ensure your content reaches a more relevant audience, thereby increasing meaningful engagement (likes, comments, shares) and improving your overall visibility on the platform. It moves you from random hashtag usage to a purposeful approach aligned with your content goals.
How many hashtags should I really use per LinkedIn post?
The checklist recommends an optimal quantity of 3-5 tags per post. This is generally considered a good balance on LinkedIn to provide discoverability without appearing spammy or diluting the focus of your content.
What is the difference between broad reach and niche-specific hashtags?
Broad Reach Tags: These are general, popular hashtags with a large number of followers (e.g., #marketing, #technology). They can expose your content to a wider audience, but may also have more competition.
Niche-Specific Tags: These are more focused on a particular topic, industry sub-sector, or interest group (e.g., #ContentStrategyForSaaS, #RenewableEnergyFinance). They have a smaller but potentially more engaged audience. A good strategy often uses a mix of both.
Why is “Hashtag Volume Analysis” important?
Analyzing hashtag volume helps you understand the potential reach versus competition for a given tag. A very high-volume tag might seem appealing, but your content could get lost quickly. A lower-volume, highly relevant niche tag might result in more targeted visibility.
Can I customize this LinkedIn Hashtag Checklist?
Yes! Once you make a copy of the Google Doc, it’s yours to edit. You can tailor it to your specific needs, add notes, or integrate it into your existing content planning workflows.
Where is the best place to put hashtags in my LinkedIn post?
Hashtags are typically placed unobtrusively at the end of your LinkedIn post. Avoid forcing them unnaturally into sentences.
Is this checklist suitable for both personal profiles and company pages?
Yes, the principles and actions in this checklist apply to both personal branding efforts and managing LinkedIn Company Pages.