What’s a hashtag and how to use them for you and your Funeral home or business?

To hashtag or not to hashtag? Now that is the real question…. You are super busy and yes social media is not at the top of your list. And when you do get time you are more concerned about what to post and hashtags are kinda a last thought. I get that. And to be honest the different social media platforms keep changing about how many to use etc…

A couple of weeks ago, the topic of hashtags came up in a conversation I had with a client. This got me thinking. I co-host a radio show which is all about social media and digital marketing. It’s called “The Let’s Get Social Show”. I had a chat with my co-host  Phillip Twyford who is a Digital Marketing Specialist. He thought it was a great topic to do. You can catch the show on podcast (here’s a link to Spotify) but you can catch it on other podcast platforms. And here we are on YouTube. Also you can catch us every Friday at 2pm (GMT) on Dublin South FM. Hope you enjoy it and find what we cover about hashtags interesting.

I want to say hashtags are an important feature and asset on social media. One positive is that hashtags do expand your reach. And are another way for people to find you and your Funeral business.

So what is a hashtag?

Hashtags are a great tool to help you reach a wider audience on the various social media platforms. A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by the “#” symbol. This then becomes a clickable link where you can click it and you then see other posts using that hashtag. Think of a hashtag like an interactive bucket. And any post categorised/labelled with the hashtag are in there.

Hashtags help social media users find and engage with posts that are relevant to their needs. For example adding the hashtag #funeralplanning in your social media post. It will appear in the search results when someone searches for that specific hashtag.

And once you create a hashtag it stands out in your post. Viewed on desktop the hashtag will appear in blue and on mobile it will appear in black in bold.

How many hashtags to use on each social media platform?

It varies on how many hashtags to use on each of the platforms. Here is a good rule of thumb to help:

• Facebook: 1 to 2 hashtags per post.

• Twitter: 1 to 2 hashtags per tweet.

• Instagram: Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but the optimal number of hashtags is 9 to 11.

• LinkedIn: 3-4 hashtags per post.

• TikTok: 3-4 per video.

• Pinterest: 2-3 per pin.

The key is to use hashtags that are relevant to your post and your target audience. For example: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials (Gen Y) or Gen Z.

What hashtags do you use?

Hashtags are a great way to reach a wider audience. And helps you connect with people interested in the services that you offer. That’s all well and good, but which ones do you use? How about having your very own hashtag handbook related to the Funeral Industry? I have put together a range of lists for you to choose from. You will find them in “The Hashtag Handbook For The Funeral Industry”. Select the ones from any of the lists that you feel will work for you. To get your copy straight into your email inbox click here. And here’s a few hashtags to get started with:

Funeral Director:

• #funeralplanning

• #griefsupport

• #preplanning

Funeral Professional:

• #cremation

• #embalming

• #memorialisation

Funeral Home or Business:

• #yourfuneralhomename (branded hashtag)

• #funeralservices

• #yourlocation

Here are a few “best practices” for using hashtags in the Funeral industry.

To make the most out of using hashtags here are some tips to get started:

• Research relevant hashtags that your target audience is searching for.

• Create a branded hashtag for your funeral home/business as mentioned above.

• Follow hashtags on Instagram and on LinkedIn. You will gain more insight into what other Funeral professionals are posting.

• Be mindful that the more popular hashtags can make it difficult to get found for. So look to see if less popular hashtags are worth using.

• Track the performance of your hashtags using analytics tools.

To Conclude

Hashtags can be a game-changer for you personally and your Funeral business on social media. By leveraging relevant hashtags, you can target and engage with potential families. As well as expand your reach and build brand awareness. To get the most out of hashtags, remember to research and use the right hashtags for your target audience. And if you would like to save time, then download The Hashtag Handbook as a quick resource. Hashtags will help you with your social media presence. And will assist you in growing your funeral business online.

Finding social media a challenge for you, or to market your funeral home or business?

I will work with you to understand your unique needs. From there develop a plan with you that will help you. Looking at online and offline marketing opportunities for you and your Funeral business. I will help you understand the best way with different things such as how to engage new families. Expand your network, attract future staff and more. Book a free consultation and let’s have a chat.

For more information, check out my different Services, book a call or email me at eimer@fitsocialmedia.ie. Thanks for reading and if you found this useful do check out more of my Blogs and Resources.