There has been a lot of speculation about TikTok hashtags and their relationship to the ever-so-secret TikTok algorithm.
What do we know for certain? They’re an important and effective way to increase the number of people who see your TikTok content!
We’ll explain everything you need to know about TikTok hashtags in this blog post. It’s from why they’re important to whether you should use popular hashtags like #foryoupage on your posts.
Why Are TikTok Hashtags Vital?
If you ask anyone about TikTok, they’ll most likely mention one of the app’s viral hashtag challenges, such as the #fliptheswitch or #eyeslipsface.
It’s unmistakable. Hashtags are an important part of the TikTok experience.
TikTok’s Discover tab is organized by trending and popular hashtags. It’s an awesome free tool to help you find the best hashtags (more on that later!).
TikTok hashtags function similarly to Instagram hashtags. They are a tool for categorizing content and assisting users in sharing and searching for content. If you have a public TikTok account and include a hashtag in your video, it is classified and organized under that hashtag (or hashtags!).
And there’s a lot of discussion about whether using certain hashtags (such as #FYP, #foryoupage, and #foryou) gets your video prime real estate on the For You page. This topic has its TikTok trending category, with hundreds of videos of users explaining their theories.
While we can’t confirm whether or not there is a hashtag that will guarantee you a spot on TikTok’s coveted For You page, we do know that using hashtags on your videos is one of the best ways to get your content in front of the right users, making hashtags an important part of your TikTok strategy.
The Advantages of Using Hashtags in Your TikTok Strategy
TikTok hashtags are an effective way to increase your TikTok following and engagement. Furthermore, they not only help you reach more TikTok users, but they also help you reach the right users.
Here are some advantages to incorporating hashtags into your TikTok strategy:
TikTok Hashtag Value #1: Discoverability
What if you could reach a whole new group of potential TikTok followers every time you posted?
You can, and it’s all thanks to hashtags!
Using TikTok hashtags immediately boosts the visibility of your content. Instead of only showing your content to your followers, you’re letting in users who are already looking for what you’re sharing.
Furthermore, if you use trending hashtags, your content may be pulled into relevant Discovery pages and seen by millions.
For example, if you hashtag “eyelinertutorial” on TikTok, your video will appear alongside other videos with the same hashtag.
The idea is that if someone searches “eyeliner tutorial” on TikTok and wants to learn how to put on eyeliner, your video will appear under that hashtag.
TikTok Hashtag Benefit #2: Develop A Community
When you use specific hashtags on TikTok, you’re not only informing the TikTok algorithm about the topic of your video (and profile), but you’re also building a community.
TikTok’s For You page, like Instagram’s Explore page, detects the type of content that users prefer. TikTok will show your videos to users who frequently watch videos with the hashtags you use.
So, the more posts you use those hashtags, the more followers, likes, and comments you’ll receive. What’s more, the best part? You’re building a following of people who want to see your content!
You can also create and use custom hashtags. This is a fantastic way to collect and share TikTok user-generated content.
Consider how Rhianna’s beauty company, Fenty Beauty, utilizes the hashtag #FentyBeautyHouse. Everything under that hashtag is extremely relevant to Fenty and their community!
TikTok Hashtag Benefit #3: Jump In On The Trends
TikTok trends can come and go in the blink of an eye, so it’s important to stay on top of what’s hot. Participate in the challenge if there is a trending hashtag that corresponds to your brand!
It will demonstrate to your audience that you are up to date and ready to join in on the fun.
But, before you go wild with your TikTok hashtags, always use accurate and responsible hashtags.
Using random, high-traffic hashtags may result in a quick win, but it may harm your brand’s trust. While it hasn’t been confirmed, TikTok may hide your videos if they notice you’re using hashtags that don’t correspond to your content.
TikTok Hashtags: #ForYou, #ForYouPage or #FYP?
If you’ve ever scrolled on TikTok, you’ve probably noticed the hashtags #foryou, #fyp, and #foryoupage on the majority of videos. That’s because, at the time of publication, these three hashtags had over 6000 billion views on TikTok, which is billions more than the most popular hashtag on Instagram, #love.
These hashtags are popular on TikTok because many users believe they help their content appear on more users’ For You pages.
While videos with these hashtags do frequently appear on our For You page, it’s not clear whether this is due to these hashtags.
So, should you incorporate these TikTok hashtags into your marketing strategy?
In short, there is no definitive answer. However, because TikTok is all about trial and error, you should include these in your TikTok hashtag strategy to see if they work for you.
Try posting two similar videos to TikTok around the same time of day, each with a different set of hashtags in the caption.
Include one with a #fyp, #foryoupage, or #foryou hashtag, as well as 2-3 other hashtags relevant to your niche.
Add a TikTok with only niche hashtags relevant to your content, such as #instagram, #socialmediamarketing, and #igtips.
TikTok is all about resilience. After your videos have been live for at least a few days, review your analytics to see how they performed. With a TikTok Pro Account, you can see how many people saw your post because of the hashtags you used.
By conducting split tests like this, you’ll quickly gain a better understanding of which hashtags generate the most value for your brand.
Not sure when it’s best to post on TikTok? Check out our blog post to find out how to find the best time for you!
TikTok Hashtags: Branded Hashtag Challenges
While we’ve seen hashtag challenges go viral on Instagram and Twitter, such as the #icebucketchallenge and the #mannequinchallenge, we’ve never seen so many challenges go viral on TikTok.
Branded hashtag challenges are a fantastic way for brands to quickly generate new leads and increase brand awareness on TikTok!
It’s also not necessary to sponsor a branded hashtag challenge for it to go viral. That’s the power of TikTok: even organic TikTok content can garner millions of views in an instant.
#eyeslipsface Challenge
E.L.F Cosmetics’ #eyeslipsface challenge is an example of a clever branded hashtag challenge. This challenge went viral, capturing the attention of millions, including Lizzo, Jessica Alba, and Ellen Degeneres.
Eyes, Lips, Face is one of the most popular TikTok campaigns of all time, with over 3 million user-generated videos and over 5 billion views. E.L.F Cosmetics’ original TikTok sound was so popular that it was released as a Spotify track, with over 20 million streams.
Tiktok hashtag challenges aren’t always associated with a brand. Consider the #fliptheswitch challenge. The lyrics “I just flipped the switch” from Drake’s song “Nonstop” inspired this challenge.
That challenge quickly went viral, taking TikTok by storm. Celebrities such as JLo and A-Rod, as well as the cast of SNL, joined in on the fun.
If you want to expand your reach even further, you can always collaborate with on-brand TikTok influencers to see if they can create content for your hashtag challenge.
You could also invest in a TikTok Ads strategy.
If you see branded TikTok hashtag challenges on the top banner on TikTok’s Discover page, it means they used TikTok Ads to get their challenge featured there. If you have the resources, this is an excellent way to reach a large audience on TikTok.
#InMyDenim Campaign
Consider Guess’ #InMyDenim campaign. Guess promoted their Fall’18 Denim Fit collection on TikTok by encouraging the TikTok community to transform their style by wearing Guess denim to the soundtrack of Bebe Rexh’s “I’m a Mess.”
The #InMyDenim advertising campaign included a brand takeover on the app’s welcome screen, as well as four influencer partnership videos to demo the concept and reach more users.
Source: TikTok Ads
During the 6-day campaign period, #InMyDenim received over 5.5K user-generated videos, 10.5M video views, 14.3% engagement rate, and over 12K new followers for Guess’ TikTok account.
ICYMI: TikTok’s “Hashtag Challenge Plus” feature allows users to shop for products directly within TikTok. Learn more about this exciting feature by clicking here.
If you have the opportunity to link your company or brand to a creative TikTok challenge, take advantage of it! Consider how many thousands of people will associate that challenge with your brand. The possibilities are limitless.