Get All Access for $5/mo

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.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Former Starbucks Employee Started a Side Hustle That's Making More Than $70,000 a Month — and He's Not Done Yet

When Tom Saar moved to New York City, he spotted a lucrative business opportunity.

Business News

Is One Company to Blame for Soaring Rental Prices in the U.S.?

The FBI recently raided a major corporate landlord while investigating a rent price-fixing scheme. Here's what we know.

Business News

Amazon Has a Blank Book Problem: Buyers Report Receiving Fakes of Bestselling UFO Book

The book looked fine on the outside, but the inside was out-of-this-world.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Paramount Leadership Alludes to Layoffs If Merger Does Not Go Through

Paramount is awaiting approval on its merger with Skydance Media from majority shareholder Shari Redstone.

Marketing

6 SEO Tips to Help You Rank in the New Era of Quality Content

What is the best SEO strategy after Google's March 2024 core update? Here's what you need to know.