Stop obsessing over hashtags - Social Media SEO is where the real reach is​

Hashtags used to be the go-to tool for getting found on social media. But that’s changing. A recent Hootsuite study revealed that keyword-rich captions can deliver 30% more reach and twice as many likes than relying on hashtags alone.

If you want to grow your visibility and connect with the right audience, a strong social media SEO strategy is now essential. Just like traditional SEO, using relevant keywords in your profiles and posts helps algorithms understand your content, and serve it to users who are actively searching for it.

Most major platforms (like Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram) now index content based on:

• Your username or handle
• Your display name
• Your bio or about section
• The text in your captions or post copy

While hashtags can still support discoverability, they’re no longer the star of the show. Instead, focus on creating keyword-rich content that speaks directly to your audience, and keep hashtags to a useful 3–5 per post.