Are you used to integrating a large number of hashtags in your content? Are you convinced that Google gives more visibility to pages that use hashtags? What if you were wrong? Do hashtags really add value to your content in the eyes of Google? The answer later in this article.
Why can it be interesting to add hashtags in your content?
Reminder : A hashtag is a keyword preceded by the hash symbol (#) that allows you to categorize and group content on the Internet. When a user adds a hashtag to their post, it makes it clickable and makes it easy for other users to find posts on the same topic.
Adding hashtags to your content can be a great way to increase your visibility on social media and improve your SEO on search engines like Google. When you use relevant hashtags in your content, you increase the likelihood that your post will be shown to people looking for information on your topic.
These traits can also help establish your authority as an expert in your field . By using popular and relevant hashtags in your content, you can show that you are aware of current trends and conversations in your industry. This can help you attract new followers and boost your engagement, whether on social media or in search engine results.
And finally, to finish, did you know that hashtags can allow you to measure the impact of your content ? And yes, by tracking hashtags associated with your business or marketing campaign, you can see who is talking about you and what they are saying. This can help you adjust your content strategy accordingly and improve your marketing in real time!
SEO and #: What is it really?
According to Google employee John Mueller’s statement on Twitter on February 20, 2023, hashtags have no particular effect on Google search . Indeed, for the search engine, hashtags are only words devoid of particular meaning and are assimilated to ordinary content on a web page.
On the same subject, earlier John Mueller said that the use of hashtags was acceptable in meta descriptions. But the impact of using hashtags in meta descriptions is still limited, unless Google chooses to use the meta description as a snippet in search results.
Confusion can arise when using hashtags in URLs or links. In this case, Google tends to ignore everything after the hashtag in the URL. Hashtags are often used to anchor a user to a particular section of a page. In this situation, Google considers a URL with a hashtag the same as the URL without a hashtag .
As you will have understood, although the use of hashtags may seem important to some users, in reality they have no impact on the visibility of a page on Google . Well, for now… This may change in the future, in one of many search engine algorithm updates.
Expert Opinion
Hashtags, denoted by the pound sign (#), can play a role in enhancing your SEO strategy. Originally popularized by Twitter, their use has spread to other social media platforms, and even Google has started incorporating hashtags into search results.
When used correctly in your social media posts, hashtags allow your content to appear in Google search results, thus creating additional opportunities for users to discover your brand. This includes placing hashtags in your blog titles, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter posts, and even Pinterest descriptions.
By optimizing your content descriptions with relevant hashtags, your topic becomes categorized and directly accessible to readers genuinely interested in your content. This can lead to increased website visits and further sharing of your information, ultimately boosting your visibility and SEO success.
However, remember that context matters. A post containing only hashtags can be confusing and boring. The key is to use hashtags as a tool to enhance your content and make it discoverable, not as a substitute for meaningful communication.
