Very often, Belarusian political NGOs underestimate Facebook as a tool for working with the target audience.
The study of media consumption of the Belarusian Internet audience in the country and abroad, conducted in October 2022, says that 81% of respondents from the foreign Belarusian audience and 28% in the country named Facebook as a source of news and necessary information.
Consider using two hashtags – #StandWithBelarus and #Lukashenko.
Number of interactions (likes, comments, shares) for #StandWithBelarus:
For example, the Святлана Ціханоўская page used this hashtag 8 times in three years. The last one is March 23, 2023.
Although this hashtag is present in the background of the page:
Number of interactions (likes, comments, shares) for #Lukashenko:
Now let’s count the authors who most often used these hashtags.
One:
Here it turns out that this hashtag is used mainly by the pages of the embassies of the countries of the European Union in the Republic of Belarus, who want to show support for the Belarusian people.
Second:
Unexpectedly, it turns out that this hashtag is very popular with independent Belarusian media. Often more often than pages belonging to state-controlled media.
Recommendations
Using hashtags on Facebook can be an effective method to increase the reach of your content and reach new audiences. However, some guidelines should be followed to make the best use of this tool:
Do hashtag research
Before using a hashtag, make sure it is relevant and relevant to your target audience. Use the Facebook search feature to see which hashtags are already being used and how popular they are.
Don’t overdo it
Using too many hashtags can reduce post engagement because it looks like spam. Aim to use no more than 1-3 hashtags per post.
Use hashtags wisely
Hashtags should be short, clear, and easy to read. Try to avoid overly long or complex hashtags that can be difficult to read.
Integrate hashtags organically
Instead of adding hashtags at the end of a post, try to integrate them organically into your post text. This makes the post more natural and enjoyable to read.
Special events and campaigns
If you have special events or campaigns, create a unique hashtag for them. This will help track the level of engagement and allow your audience to easily find all related posts.
Check efficiency
Use Facebook’s analytics tools to track the performance of your hashtags. Measure how hashtags affect reach, engagement, and other key metrics.
Optimized for mobile devices
Make sure your hashtags display well and are easy to read on mobile devices as the vast majority of Facebook users use the service from mobile devices.
By following these guidelines, you will be able to use hashtags more effectively to increase the visibility of your content on Facebook.
This post was produced by the think-to-do-tank Baltic Internet Policy Initiative.
