Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

The Ultimate Hashtag Cheat Sheet (Infographic) New to Twitter? Or Instagram? Here's some #hashtags101 action for you.

By Kim Lachance Shandrow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

By now you know that hashtags are like clickable magnets, drawing eyeballs to your social content. But did you know that if you use too many -- more than two or so per post -- it can actually drive people away? That is with the exception of Instagram, where numerous hashtag use is the norm and reel in tons of views. Eleven hashtags per post on the photo-sharing hub is the magic number...for now.

Sounds like a lot to remember? It can be. Each social platform has its own unwritten rules for hashtaggery and they're constantly changing.

Related: #HashtagFails? 5 Tips That Will Change Your Fortune

On Twitter, tweets bearing hashtags rack up double the engagement (clicks, retweets, replies and favorites). On Google+ -- surprise -- you don't even have to add hashtags to your posts. The Big G's social network automatically adds them for you, but you can edit them and add your own to better target your audience.

Over on Facebook, where hashtags yielded sluggish engagement at first, hashtagged posts pack .80 percent more viral punch per Facebook Page fan, according to Entrepreneur contributor and KISSMetrics co-founder Neil Patel. The social-media expert put together the helpful hashtag cheat sheet below, published last week on his blog Quick Sprout, to help social-media marketers know how many hashtags to use on which social platforms and why.

Related: 3 Ways to Leverage Hashtags to Enhance Your Brand

Here's how you can start hashtagging like a pro:

Click to Enlarge+
Ultimate Guide to Hashtags (Infographic)

Kim Lachance Shandrow

Former West Coast Editor

Kim Lachance Shandrow is the former West Coast editor at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was a commerce columnist at Los Angeles CityBeat, a news producer at MSNBC and KNBC in Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times. She has also written for Government Technology magazine, LA Yoga magazine, the Lowell Sun newspaper, HealthCentral.com, PsychCentral.com and the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Coop. Follow her on Twitter at @Lashandrow. You can also follow her on Facebook here

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.

Business Ideas

87 Service Business Ideas to Start Today

Get started in this growing industry, with options that range from IT consulting to childcare.

Business Models

How to Become an AI-Centric Business (and Why It's Crucial for Long-Term Success)

Learn the essential steps to integrate AI at the core of your operations and stay competitive in an ever-evolving landscape.