The short version
- Hashtags do little for a local business on Facebook, so don't spend time hunting for them.
- 1 or 2 local hashtags at most is plenty: your town and your trade.
- A hashtag can't fix a weak post. A clear photo and a plain first line matter far more.
- Make up one hashtag for your business name and use it the same way every time.
You've seen the pages with 15 hashtags stacked under every post, and you wonder if you're missing something. Do hashtags work on Facebook the way they do elsewhere, or is it one more thing you don't have time for?
Short answer: they help a little, and only when they're local. Here's how to use them in 10 seconds and get back to work.
Do hashtags work on Facebook?
For a local business, hashtags do little on Facebook. Your neighbors don't browse Facebook by hashtag. They see your post because they follow your Page, or because a friend shared it, or because they searched your name.
A hashtag is a clickable word that groups posts on the same topic. That's handy when thousands of strangers are looking for the same thing. It's not much help when you want 200 people in your town to know you're open Saturday.
How many hashtags should you use on Facebook?
1 or 2. Put them at the very end of the post, after your call to action, so they don't get in the way of the words people came to read.
Do
- Use 1 or 2 hashtags at the end of the post.
- Name your town in the post itself, in plain words, not just in the tag.
- Capitalize each word in a long tag (#MainStreetBarber) so it's easy to read.
- Keep your business tag the same on every post.
Don't
- Stack 10 or 15 tags under a post.
- Copy a list of tags from a website without checking they fit your business.
- Put a hashtag in the middle of a sentence where it breaks the flow.
- Use a tag as a replacement for a clear first line.
Local hashtag examples you can copy
Here are posts that use hashtags the way a local owner would. Notice that the town shows up in the words first. The hashtag is only a tidy extra at the end.
Service business
We're booking spring tune-ups in [town] this week. Message us to grab a spot. #[town] #[businessname]
Photo: Your van parked in front of a [town] landmark.
Food or coffee
Fresh [item] out of the oven at 6 a.m. Come say hi on your way to work. #[town]Eats #[businessname]
Photo: A tray of the item, still steaming.
Local event
We'll be at the [event name] this Saturday, right by the [landmark]. Stop by the booth and say hello. #[eventname] #[town]
Photo: Your booth being set up.
Hiring
We're hiring a [role] in [town]. Good pay, a great crew and a shop that feels like family. Message us. #[town]Jobs
Photo: Your crew in front of the shop.
If you don't know what to put in those posts yet, start with what to post on your business Facebook Page.
How to add a hashtag to a post
Write the post first
Get the first line, the photo and the call to action right. The hashtag comes last, because it matters least.
Type the # sign and your word
Write it with no spaces. Facebook turns it into a clickable link as you type.
Check the spelling
A misspelled tag points nowhere. Click it once after you post to see where it goes.
Save your tags in a note
Keep your town tag and business tag in the notes app on your phone. Paste them in each time and you won't have to think.
What works better than more hashtags
If you have 10 spare minutes, skip the hashtag research and do something that actually moves the needle on a local page.
- Post on a steady rhythm. Our guide to how often a business should post on Facebook shows what's realistic.
- Write a clear first line. Most people read one line and decide.
- Use a real photo of your work, not a stock image.
- Get more neighbors following your Page. Here's how to get more local followers on Facebook.
- Answer comments quickly, as covered in how to reply to Facebook comments as a business.
