How to Use TikTok Hashtags to Expand Your Brand’s Reach

In this blog post we’ll discuss the following:

• How TikTok hashtags can increase your brand’s visibility

• How to create your brand’s own TikTok hashtag

• Ten examples of unique hashtags for your brand

More and more brands and small businesses are jumping on TikTok to build closer relationships with billions of potential customers. Using TikTok hashtags for small businesses can maximize your brand’s reach and convert prospective customers into loyal ones. 

When TikTok was launched in 2017, it started as an app for Gen Z. However, the app’s allure soon grabbed the attention of all age groups, and attracts about eight new users each second. The entertainment app has been downloaded more than two billion times in more than 200 countries. It’s clear that users can’t get enough of TikTok’s consistent fresh content since 90% of users open the app daily. 

Attempting to stand out can be daunting for the average brand and small business. But the good news is that anyone can make a splash on TikTok. With the right marketing tools, you can expand your brand’s reach and distinguish your account among the 1 billion active users. 

How can TikTok grow your brand’s reach? 

TikTok provides an incredible opportunity for brands to convert new customers into loyal ones. More and more customers consult TikTok for brand and product research. About 30% of Gen Z uses TikTok for product research. 

The key to making your brand stand out is to show genuine authenticity. If you humanize your small business, your customers will form a kinship with you. 73% of users report a deep connection with the companies they interact with on the platform. This relationship-building pays off since 67% of TikTok users are inspired to shop after interacting with brands on the platform.

Incorporating a social media strategy, like using TikTok hashtags, can help you cut out the competition and extend your brand’s reach. 

What are TikTok hashtags? 

Like any other social media platform, TikTok uses hashtags to categorize its content. The algorithm differentiates each video based on its tagged hashtags. 

Content creators add a few hashtags to their videos, like #DIY, #foodie, or #beautyhacks, to add their videos to a specific category, which then reaches that topic’s target audience. Many TikTok creators use hashtags to build unique communities around their content. 

Interested viewers can search hashtags to find topics that interest them. For example, if you’re an avid reader, you’ll consult #BookTok for book recommendations from fellow literature enthusiasts. If you want to dive deeper, you’ll niche down to #FantasyRec or #RomanceBooks to get more specific content. 

How can TikTok hashtags help increase your brand’s visibility? 

TikTok hashtags help your target audience discover your content. Hashtags spread your content beyond your loyal customer base and reach prospective ones who might be interested in your brand’s niche. For example, people who love to bake could come across your small cupcake business under #easybaking. 

Your customers know exactly what they'll find whenever they see a hashtag associated with your brand. Many TikTok users choose to follow specific hashtags, so it pays off to have a branded hashtag that’s unique to your business. 

After your content is discovered, users will likely engage with it, so you can build a closer relationship with them. Building a branded community is a positive side effect of using TikTok hashtags. 

However, to amass more followers and loyal customers, you need a hashtag strategy to stand out amongst the millions of creators. Otherwise, you may lose your content to the almighty algorithm. 

How do you research hashtags for your small business or brand? 

If you have an idea for a hashtag, search it by clicking on the magnifying glass icon at the top right of the “For You Page.” Once you enter a keyword or phrase, you'll see the top-listed videos, sounds, and hashtags associated with that keyword. They’ll even list the number of video views associated with that hashtag. For example, if you type in “DIY,” you’ll see a total of 181.5 billion video views for videos associated with this hashtag! 

If you want to get a bit more strategic, take a cue from your competitors and see which hashtags they use for their content. By clicking on a hashtag, you’ll see other videos posted under it. This can help you scope out the competition or give you some creative content ideas for your next video. 

To discover other popular hashtags associated with a specific topic, use the TikTok hashtags tool. This tool offers you the number of posts and views associated with that hashtag. 

How do you create your brand’s own TikTok hashtag?

Some brands create their own hashtags to delineate their content even further. For example, makeup influencers who use BUXOM Cosmetics will tag their videos with  #BuxomBabe to show they’re lovers of that brand. 

To create your brand’s custom hashtag, research your audience’s behavior to generate ideas. Browse which hashtags your audience likes to follow for inspiration. You can even check out competitor brands to see if they have a uniquely branded hashtag.

As you start to narrow down ideas, stick to one or two hashtags that can be instantly recognizable to your band. Don’t go overboard creating custom hashtags, or your content will be challenging to discover. Make sure your brand’s hashtag is relevant to your business, and pair it with other hashtags you use on other social media platforms. Keep the hashtag simple and easy to spell so it doesn’t get lost with the infinite number of other hashtags. 

You can also create a TikTok challenge with your hashtag and encourage your audience to participate in a competition. The more users participating in the challenge, the wider your brand’s reach.

For example, REI has the branded hashtag #OptOutside to encourage nature-lovers to go out in the fresh air and share their content with that hashtag. Similar to BUXOM Cosmetics, you’ll have TikTok users posting content relevant to your brand. An added tip: if you manage to get an influencer to jump on board, you’re likely to increase your brand recall by 27%. 

Ten examples of unique hashtags for your brand 

Niching down your hashtags could be beneficial for your brand. It cuts out the competition and reaches your target audience more quickly. A lesser-used hashtag could set your brand apart and make your business more recognizable. Here are some examples of brands and small businesses that use unique hashtags to their advantage. 

#PlantTikTok

Jordan’s Jungle, a small plant nursery, leverages this hashtag to grow its visibility. But instead of just plugging their products, they offer their customers gardening tips. It pays off to teach your customers something new since 45% of users feel more connected to brands that provide some value beyond selling their products. 

@jordansjungleri These beginner friendly plants are practically fool-proof! #plants #planttiktok #jungle #jordansjungle #planttok #pothos #zzplant #shopsmall #ri ♬ dont blame me - favsoundds

#PackAnOrderWithMe 

This hashtag is very popular among small business owners and has over 1 billion video views. Companies get to feature their best-selling products and offer satisfying ASMR videos. ASMR stands for an auto sensory meridian response, and the videos are very satisfying to watch. Many TikTok users enjoy scrolling this hashtag all day. A casual scroller could come across your small business quickly and potentially turn into a loyal customer. 

@pearlury Thank you, Natalie! 🤎 #packanorderwithme #packingorders #shopsmall #shopsmallbusiness #smallbusinesstiktok #supportsmallbusiness #supportsmallbiz ♬ Calm LoFi song(882353) - S_R

#Handmade 

This hashtag features videos that highlight creative crafts made by hand. In this video, the fashion company, Sebissa, shows off their stylish handmade creations by tagging #handmade. 

@sebissia SORRY actually my nails look so vile lol :/ #sustainablefashion #handmade #y2kaesthetic #smallbusiness #y2k ♬ Photo ID - Remi Wolf

#CreativeMakeup 

This hashtag is used by the makeup brand, P. Louise Makeup, which created the famous concealer base, P.Louise. Yes, their most popular product has its own hashtag too! Creative makeup has over 2.2 billion views, which is not quite as popular as #makeup which has  262 billion views! 

@plmakeupacademy Reply to @glambymykaila of course we couldn’t not drop the tutorial🥵 #makeup #plouise #euphoriamakeup #euphoria #cutcrease #creativemakeup #fyp ♬ sonido original - taliaespinoza

#ZeroWaste 

The brand, Mindful Goods, leverages this hashtag to feature its products while sharing knowledge about sustainability and going green for the planet. The sustainability movement is quite popular on TikTok, but this niche hashtag has around 2.4 billion views.  

@mindfulgoods Going plastic free in 2022 🌱#plasticfreeliving #lowwastetips #sustainableswaps #ecofriendly #routine #manifestation #zerowaste #plantbased #ecocheck ♬ Neon Bass - Tangelene Bolton

#PlannerAddict 

The #planneraddict is designed for the organizer-fanatics and journal-lovers. In this video, Linda Tong Planners shows a behind-the-scenes look at her small business. She approaches her content with a raw authenticity, which could lead to a closer kinship with her customers. 

@lindatongplanners A glimpse into my day. #dayinthelifeofasmallbusinessowner #smallbusiness #plannerbusiness #fyp #2021planner #planneraddict #stationery ♬ Buttercup - Jullian & Sophie Wood

#Videography 

TikTok is a video app, after all, and GoPro takes advantage of it by showing off its products' capabilities. In this video, GoPro highlights a talented filmmaker using their GoPro Hero10 video camera. The videography hashtag has passionate followers with over 6.2 billion video views. 

@gopro No dents in this bank account 🤑 Shot by @aratafukoe of Masaru Sakakibara + @tomomi_nishikubo #gopro #goprohero10 #slowmo #videography #bmx #parkour ♬ original sound - Austin Ware

#HomeGadget 

The brand, My Squeezie, uses #homegadget to show off their handy home product. This video shares their start-to-finish success story, effectively humanizing their small business. 

@mysqueezi Got a million dollar idea? #invention #smallbusinesscheck #dreamcometrue #shampoodispenser #homegadget ♬ Just a Cloud Away - Pharrell Williams

#LearnWithTikTok 

As we said earlier, users like it if they can learn something new from your business. everyone makes mistakes, and The Knitting Circle chooses not to hide that from its customers. IN their videos, they remain authentic by sharing an error in their crochet design followed by a tutorials on how to fix it using the hashtag #learnwithTikTok. Followers get to acquire a new skill and feel closer to the brand.

@theknittingcircle Mistakes happen. But we can fix them! #learnwithtiktok #theknittingcircle #knitting #knittersoftiktok #knit #knittingtutorial #craftyhacks #crafty #makersoftiktok #slowfashion #yarntok ♬ MOMENTS IN LIFE - Turreekk

#Aesthetic 

The aesthetic hashtag has quite a few views on TikTok, and The Green Philosophy Co. has mastered the art of an aesthetically stylish video. They crafted a beautifully satisfying but short video to feature one of their best-selling products. 

@greenphilosophyco Making your bed just to get back in 😴 #succulents #alocasia #plantsoftiktok #aesthetic ♬ original sound - SONYA | FL CREATOR + MODEL

Final TikTok Hashtag Tips 

Your brand deserves to make a name for itself among the 1 billion users on the app. Even though competition is fierce, a smart marketing strategy can make you stand out. Here are some final tips on using TikTok hashtags for your brand or small business.

Combine niche hashtags with popular or trending ones. 

• Use a custom branded hashtag in addition to popular hashtags to reach all levels of the TikTok user-base. 

Use #FYP with caution. 

• The “for you page” hashtag has an insane number of views. So, using that hashtag alone won’t help your brand stand out and your video could get lost in the shuffle. 

Start a TikTok challenge. 

• If your brand launches a successful TikTok challenge, your content has the potential to have widespread reach. So don’t be afraid to create a unique challenge and encourage your audience to participate and watch it spread. 

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Photo by William Fortunato on Pexels