Hashtags: The Unsung Heroes of Social Media Engagement (and How to Unlock Their Power for Free!)

In the ever-evolving world of social media, hashtags reign supreme as a powerful tool for discovery and engagement. But simply throwing out a few popular hashtags isn’t enough. To maximize their impact and reach the right audience, you need the magic touch of Hashtag Analytics Tools. These data-driven powerhouses unlock a treasure trove of insights, helping you refine your hashtag strategy and amplify your social media voice.

Dive deeper with us as we explore the top 10 Free Hashtag Analytics Tools to supercharge your social media presence! This post unveils the top 10 free hashtag analytics and tracking tools that will transform you from a hashtag guesser into a hashtag master, a social media captain with a finely honed ability to identify the perfect hashtags for your voyage. We’ll delve into tools that equip you to discover trending topics, analyze engagement metrics with laser precision, and even identify key influencers associated with your chosen hashtags, allowing you to tap into established communities and extend your reach exponentially.

So, whether you’re a seasoned social media marketer, a brand manager navigating the ever-changing digital landscape, or just starting your social media journey with a burning desire to connect and make your voice heard, buckle up and get ready to unlock the true power of hashtags – all without breaking the bank! Dive in and discover the free tools that will make your social media content sing (and get discovered) by the right audience, propelling you towards achieving your social media goals.

This arsenal of free hashtag heroes will empower you to:

• Become a Trend Spotter: Identify the hottest hashtags that are capturing hearts and minds across social media platforms, allowing you to ride the wave of trending conversations and amplify your reach.
• Measure What Matters: Analyze engagement metrics with pinpoint accuracy, gauging how your chosen hashtags are resonating with your audience and allowing you to refine your strategy for maximum impact.
• Unlock the Power of Influencers: Discover key influencers associated with your chosen hashtags, opening doors to potential collaborations and partnerships that can significantly expand your reach and brand awareness.
• Gain Valuable Insights (Without the Price Tag): These free tools provide a wealth of data and insights into hashtag performance, empowering you to make informed decisions about your social media strategy without hefty subscription fees.

How hashtag analytics are helpful

Hashtag analytics are like a compass and treasure map combined, guiding you towards the best hashtags to maximize your social media reach and engagement. Here’s how they help you identify those golden hashtag picks:

1. Popularity vs Reach: Analytics reveal a hashtag’s popularity, but that’s not the whole story. They also show how many people are actively using it. Targeting hashtags with the right balance of popularity and reach ensures your content isn’t lost in a sea of overly popular options or gets overlooked with an overly niche hashtag.

2. Engagement Metrics: Great hashtags go beyond just getting your content seen. Analytics track engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. By choosing hashtags that generate high engagement, you attract a more interested audience and spark conversations around your content.

3. Identify Trends: The social media landscape is dynamic, and trending hashtags can open doors to new audiences. Hashtag analytics tools can identify hashtags that are gaining traction, allowing you to capitalize on current conversations and expand your reach.

4. Discover Related Hashtags: Sometimes, the best hashtags aren’t the most obvious ones. Analytics tools can recommend related hashtags that might be less competitive but still relevant to your content. This allows you to tap into a more targeted audience without sacrificing reach.

5. Analyze Competitor Strategies: Some tools offer competitor hashtag research. By peeking at what hashtags your competitors are using and how they’re performing, you can glean valuable insights and identify potential gaps in your own strategy.

6. Track Historical Performance: Advanced analytics (often available in paid plans) allow you to track hashtag performance over time. This historical data helps you understand how a hashtag’s popularity and effectiveness fluctuate, allowing you to refine your strategy for long-term success.

7. Gauge Sentiment Analysis: While not all analytics tools offer this, some provide sentiment analysis associated with hashtags. This can be particularly valuable for brand mentions, helping you understand the general feeling people have about your brand or the topic associated with the hashtag.

By leveraging hashtag analytics, you can move beyond guesswork and identify hashtags that are strategically aligned with your goals, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, sparking conversations, or driving website traffic.

How to do hashtag analysis

Hashtag analysis is the process of researching and evaluating hashtags to understand their effectiveness for your social media content. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps involved:

1. Define Your Goals:

• What do you hope to achieve with your social media content? Is it brand awareness, increased website traffic, driving sales, or fostering community engagement?
• Having clear goals will guide your hashtag selection and the type of analytics you focus on.

2. Research Relevant Hashtags:

• Brainstorm hashtags related to your content, brand, and target audience.
• Utilize free and paid hashtag research tools like RiteTag, Hashtagify.me, or Social Champ’s free plan to discover relevant hashtags and their popularity.
• Look at what hashtags your competitors are using (if available through your chosen tool).

3. Analyze Hashtag Performance:

• Focus on metrics that align with your goals.
  • For brand awareness: Look at reach (number of people who saw your post) and impressions (number of times your post was displayed).
  • For engagement: Track likes, comments, shares, and mentions.
  • For driving traffic: Use link clicks or UTM parameters to understand how hashtags contribute to website visits.
• Many free tools offer basic hashtag performance tracking, while paid plans often provide more in-depth historical data and competitor analysis.

4. Consider Engagement Rate:

• Don’t just focus on the total number of times a hashtag is used. Look at the engagement rate (likes, comments, etc. divided by reach) to gauge how effectively a hashtag is generating interaction.

5. Track Hashtag Performance Over Time (if possible):

• Monitor how a hashtag’s popularity and engagement metrics fluctuate over time. This can help you understand if it’s a sustainable option for your long-term strategy (often a feature in paid plans).

6. Refine Your Strategy:

• Based on your analysis, identify the hashtags that are performing well and align with your goals.
• Continuously refine your hashtag selection based on new trends, audience insights, and your evolving goals.

Here are some additional tips:

• Use a mix of hashtag popularity: Target a combination of popular hashtags for reach and less competitive, niche hashtags for a more targeted audience.
• Don’t overdo it: Most platforms recommend using 5-10 hashtags per post.
• Track brand mentions: Use analytics to monitor how your brand is being mentioned alongside hashtags to understand brand sentiment and potential reputation issues.

By following these steps and leveraging free and paid hashtag analytics tools, you can identify the best hashtags to optimize your social media reach, engagement, and ultimately, achieve your social media goals.

Determine which hashtags to track

The specific hashtags you track will depend on your overall social media goals and the content you’re posting. However, here are some general categories of hashtags to consider including in your tracking efforts:

1. Brand Hashtags:

• This includes your brand name itself, any specific campaign hashtags you’re using, and relevant slogans or catchphrases associated with your brand. Tracking these hashtags allows you to understand brand awareness and how often people are associating the hashtags with your content.

2. Industry Hashtags:

• Identify hashtags relevant to your industry or niche. Tracking these helps you see how your content resonates within your industry and allows you to participate in industry conversations.

3. Location Hashtags (if applicable):

• Include location-specific hashtags if your business has a local presence or your content has a geographical element. Tracking these helps you connect with a local audience and increase visibility within your target area.

4. Trending Hashtags:

• While these might be fleeting in popularity, tracking trending hashtags can be a strategic move. Leverage trending hashtags related to your niche to capitalize on current conversations and expand your reach. However, be mindful of not using trending hashtags that are completely irrelevant to your content.

5. Competitor Hashtags:

• Some hashtag research tools allow you to see what hashtags your competitors are using. Tracking these can provide insights into their strategy and potentially reveal gaps you can exploit with your own hashtag selection.

6. Engagement-Driving Hashtags:

• Look for hashtags that historically generate high engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. Tracking these can help you identify hashtags that encourage interaction with your content and foster a sense of community.

Here are some additional factors to consider when choosing which hashtags to track:

• Hashtag Volume: Aim for a mix of hashtags with varying levels of popularity. Highly popular hashtags can offer broad reach, while less popular ones might provide a more targeted audience and potentially higher engagement.
• Relevance: The hashtags you track should be directly relevant to your content and target audience. Don’t chase popularity at the expense of relevance.
• Evolving Strategy: Social media is dynamic, so your hashtag strategy should be too. Regularly review your tracked hashtags and adapt your selection based on performance, new trends, and your evolving goals.

By strategically choosing and tracking the right hashtags, you can gain valuable insights into your social media performance and refine your strategy for long-term success. Remember, hashtag analytics are a powerful tool, but they should be used in conjunction with your overall social media goals and content strategy for optimal results.

Top 10 free Hashtag Analytics & Hashtag Tracking Tools

With the right free hashtag analytics and tracking tools at your fingertips, you’ll be well on your way to social media mastery. Let’s set sail and explore the top 10 free resources that will transform your hashtag game!

Here are 10 free Hashtag Analytics & Hashtag Tracking Tools to consider:

1. RiteTag (part of RiteKit):

A free browser extension and social media scheduler integration that goes beyond basic suggestions. RiteTag provides real-time popularity data for hashtags, using a color-coded system (green for high, yellow for moderate, red for low) to help you identify trending options and optimize your reach. It also offers insights into engagement metrics associated with hashtags, ensuring you choose options that drive not just visibility but also interaction. While the free browser extension provides valuable features, a paid subscription unlocks additional functionalities like competitor hashtag research and historical data analysis.

Here are some additional details you could include to further enhance the description:

• Color-coded system: Briefly mention RiteTag’s unique color-coding system for hashtags. This can help users quickly gauge a hashtag’s popularity (green for high popularity, yellow for moderate, and red for low).
• Engagement data: Highlight that RiteTag goes beyond just popularity data and also provides insights into engagement metrics associated with hashtags. This can be crucial for understanding which hashtags will not only get your content seen but also generate interaction.
• Free vs Paid plans: Briefly acknowledge that RiteTag offers a free browser extension with basic features, while a paid subscription unlocks additional functionalities like competitor hashtag research and historical data analysis.

2. Hashtagify.me

Hashtagify.me isn’t just another hashtag suggestion tool. It delves deeper, offering a comprehensive analysis to empower your social media strategy. Here’s what sets it apart:

• Trend Hunter: Discover trending hashtags related to your niche. Hashtagify.me helps you identify rising stars in the hashtag world, allowing you to capitalize on current conversations and expand your reach.
• The “Related” Rabbi: Unearth hidden gems! This tool goes beyond basic suggestions and offers a network of related hashtags. Explore these connections to find relevant yet potentially less competitive hashtags to broaden your audience reach.
• Influencer Insights: Identify the who’s who. Hashtagify.me reveals top influencers associated with your chosen hashtags. This can be invaluable for collaborating with relevant figures and further amplifying your message.
• Evolutionary Analysis (Paid Feature): For a deeper dive (with their paid plan), Hashtagify.me provides historical data and trend analysis. This allows you to see how hashtag popularity has evolved over time, helping you make informed decisions about your hashtag strategy.

By offering a combination of trend analysis, related hashtag discovery, influencer insights, and historical data (paid feature), Hashtagify.me equips you to craft a well-rounded hashtag strategy that maximizes your social media impact.

3. Keyhole: Free Trial to Unlock Hashtag Insights (Twitter & Instagram)

While Keyhole offers a robust suite of social media analytics (paid subscription required), their free trial provides a valuable springboard for understanding basic hashtag performance.

Here’s what you can get:

• Hashtag Performance Tracker: Monitor key metrics like reach, impressions, and engagement for hashtags you’re using on Twitter and Instagram. This initial data can help you gauge the effectiveness of your chosen hashtags and identify which ones resonate most with your audience.
• Engagement Analysis: Gain insights into how users are interacting with your hashtag content. This might include likes, comments, shares, and mentions. By understanding engagement patterns, you can refine your strategy and optimize your hashtags for better results.
• Free Trial Limitations: Keep in mind that the free trial has limitations on data volume and reporting capabilities. However, it offers a taste of Keyhole’s functionalities and can be a great way to assess if it aligns with your needs before committing to a paid plan.

Is the Free Trial Right for You?

The Keyhole free trial is ideal for those starting out with social media analytics or managing smaller social media campaigns. If you need in-depth analysis, historical data, or competitor tracking, exploring their paid plans might be beneficial.

4. Talkwalker Free Social Search: Brand Reputation Guardian with a Hashtag Twist

Looking for a free tool to monitor your brand mentions and sentiment online? Look no further than Talkwalker Free Social Search. While it offers limited hashtag analytics, it packs a punch in other areas:

• Brand Guardian: Keep your finger on the pulse of online conversations. Track mentions of your brand, competitors, or industry keywords across 180 countries over the last 7 days. This real-time monitoring allows you to identify potential brand reputation issues and address them promptly.
• Sentiment Analysis: Go beyond just mentions. Understand how people feel about your brand or your chosen hashtags. Talkwalker’s AI-powered sentiment analysis helps you gauge audience perception and identify areas for improvement.
• Hashtag Insights (Limited): While hashtag performance tracking isn’t the main focus, Talkwalker Free Social Search does provide some basic hashtag analytics. This can give you a sense of how your hashtags are contributing to brand mentions and overall reach.

Is Talkwalker Free Social Search Right for You?

This free tool is ideal for businesses or individuals who want to focus on brand reputation management and understand overall sentiment around their brand or specific topics. While hashtag analytics are limited, the sentiment analysis and brand mention tracking features can provide valuable insights, especially for those on a budget.

Pro Tip: Combine Talkwalker Free Social Search with a dedicated free hashtag analytics tool (like RiteTag or Hashtagify.me) to get a more comprehensive picture of your hashtag performance alongside brand sentiment analysis.

5. Instagram Insights: Unlock the Secrets of Your Hashtags (Free for Business Accounts)

Don’t underestimate the power of native analytics! Instagram Insights, a built-in feature for business accounts, provides valuable data to understand how hashtags contribute to your Instagram success.

Here’s what you get for free:

• Reach and Engagement Breakdown: See how many people your posts reached through hashtags. Track engagement metrics like likes, comments, and saves to gauge how effectively your hashtags are driving interaction.
• Top Performing Hashtags: Identify which hashtags within your posts are generating the most reach and engagement. This knowledge allows you to prioritize high-performing hashtags and refine your strategy for future content.
• Actionable Insights: Leverage data from Instagram Insights to optimize your hashtag use. Focus on hashtags that resonate with your audience and avoid those with low reach or engagement.

While Instagram Insights offers valuable free analytics, there are limitations to consider:

• Limited Data Depth: Compared to dedicated hashtag tracking tools, Instagram Insights provides a more basic level of detail.
• Focus on Single Posts: Analytics are provided on a per-post basis, making it challenging to track hashtag performance over time.

Is Instagram Insights Right for You?

If you’re just starting out with Instagram marketing or managing a smaller account, Instagram Insights is a fantastic free tool to understand the impact of hashtags on your reach and engagement. For those who need more in-depth data or historical analysis, combining Instagram Insights with a dedicated hashtag tracking tool might be beneficial.

6. Brand24 Free Trial: A Sneak Peek into Powerful Social Listening

Brand24 isn’t just a hashtag tracking tool; it’s a comprehensive social listening platform. Their free trial allows you to experience a glimpse of its capabilities, including limited hashtag tracking across various platforms. Here’s what you can explore:

• Multi-Platform Monitoring: Brand24 goes beyond the confines of a single social media platform. The free trial lets you track mentions of your chosen hashtags across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other online channels (limitations apply). This provides a broader perspective on how your hashtags resonate with your audience and where the online conversations are happening.
• Limited Hashtag Tracking: While the free trial has limitations on the volume of data you can monitor, it allows you to track mentions of your chosen hashtags and analyze basic metrics like reach and sentiment. This can be helpful to understand the initial impact of your hashtag strategy.
• Brand Reputation Insights (Bonus): The free trial isn’t just about hashtags. Brand24 also allows you to monitor mentions of your brand or competitors. This can provide valuable insights into brand sentiment and potential reputation issues.

Is the Brand24 Free Trial Right for You?

The Brand24 free trial is ideal for those curious about social listening and how it can benefit their brand strategy. If you manage multiple social media accounts or need in-depth hashtag analytics and historical data, exploring their paid plans might be worthwhile. This trial can help you assess if the platform aligns with your needs before committing to a paid subscription.

Pro Tip: Combine Brand24’s free trial with a free hashtag analytics tool (like RiteTag or Hashtagify.me) to get a more comprehensive picture. Brand24 provides brand mention and sentiment analysis across platforms, while the free hashtag tracking tools offer deeper insights into specific hashtag performance metrics.

7. Hootsuite Free Plan: Manage & Analyze Hashtags on the Go

Hootsuite isn’t just a social media scheduling powerhouse; its free plan offers basic hashtag analytics to complement your social media efforts. Here’s how it empowers you:

• All-in-One Platform: Manage your social media presence across various platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more) from a single dashboard. Schedule posts, engage with followers, and access basic hashtag analytics – all within Hootsuite.
• Hashtag Performance Insights: While the free plan offers basic analytics, it allows you to track key metrics for hashtags you’ve used in your posts. See reach, engagement (likes, comments), and mentions to gauge how effectively your hashtags are driving visibility and interaction.
• Identify Top Performers: Uncover which hashtags within your posts are resonating most with your audience. This knowledge helps you refine your hashtag strategy and prioritize high-performing hashtags for future content.

Limitations to Consider:

• Limited Data Depth: The free plan provides a basic overview of hashtag performance. For in-depth analysis, historical data, or competitor hashtag research, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid Hootsuite plan.
• Focus on Scheduled Posts: Hashtag analytics are primarily available for posts scheduled through Hootsuite. Tracking performance for manually posted content might require additional tools.

Is the Hootsuite Free Plan Right for You?

The Hootsuite free plan is a great option for individual users or small businesses who want to manage their social media presence and gain basic insights into hashtag performance alongside scheduling functionalities. If you need more advanced analytics, competitor tracking, or historical data, exploring their paid plans might be beneficial.

8. Sprout Social Free Trial: Dip Your Toes into Data-Driven Hashtag Strategy

Sprout Social is a robust social media management platform, and their free trial allows you to explore its functionalities, including limited hashtag performance insights. Here’s what you can experience:

• Social Media Management Hub: Sprout Social goes beyond just analytics. Schedule posts, manage multiple social media accounts, and engage with your audience – all from a centralized platform. The free trial allows you to test these features alongside their hashtag analytics capabilities.
• Limited Hashtag Insights: While the free trial has limitations on data volume and reporting options, it provides a springboard for understanding hashtag performance. Track reach, engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares), and identify which hashtags resonate with your audience.
• Focus on Strategic Decisions: Sprout Social’s free trial highlights how hashtag insights can inform your social media strategy. See which hashtags generate the most engagement and optimize your future content to maximize reach and impact.

Before You Dive In:

• Limited Features: Keep in mind that the free trial has limitations on data depth and reporting capabilities compared to Sprout Social’s paid plans.
• Focus on Core Functionalities: The free trial might not offer advanced hashtag analytics features like competitor tracking or historical data analysis.

Is the Sprout Social Free Trial Right for You?

This free trial is ideal for those who want to explore how a social media management platform like Sprout Social can complement their hashtag strategy with basic performance insights. If you manage larger social media accounts or require in-depth hashtag analytics, consider exploring their paid plans to unlock more advanced features.

Pro Tip: Combine Sprout Social’s free trial with a free dedicated hashtag tracking tool (like RiteTag or Hashtagify.me) to get a more comprehensive picture. Sprout Social provides social media management functionalities with basic hashtag insights, while the free hashtag tracking tools can offer deeper dives into specific hashtag performance metrics.

9. Social Champ (Free Plan): Hatch a Basic Hashtag Plan for Your Social Media

Starting out with social media marketing? Social Champ’s free plan can be your springboard for understanding hashtag fundamentals. Here’s what it offers:

• Hashtag Hatchling Tools: Get suggestions for relevant hashtags to incorporate into your social media posts. This can help you discover new hashtags to expand your reach beyond the ones you already know.
• Track Your Nestlings: Monitor the performance of hashtags you’ve already used in your posts. See basic metrics like reach and engagement to gauge their effectiveness. This initial data can help you learn which hashtags resonate with your audience and inform future strategies.

What to Consider:

• Limited Features: The free plan offers a basic taste of hashtag analytics. For in-depth data analysis, historical tracking, or competitor hashtag research, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid Social Champ plan.
• Data Limitations: There might be limitations on the number of hashtags you can track or the amount of data you can see in the free plan.

Is Social Champ’s Free Plan Right for You?

This free plan is a great fit for individual users or small businesses who are just starting out with social media marketing and want to explore basic hashtag functionalities. It provides a stepping stone to understand how hashtags can contribute to your social media presence. If you need more advanced analytics or manage larger social media accounts, consider exploring their paid plans.

Pro Tip: Combine Social Champ’s free plan with a free hashtag research tool (like Hashtagify.me) to broaden your hashtag discovery. Social Champ helps with basic tracking, while Hashtagify.me can provide a wider range of hashtag suggestions and insights.

10. Hashtags.org | Twitter trend analysis tool review

Hashtags.org is a tool that allows users to track and analyze hashtag usage on Twitter, including their popularity, performance over time, and real-time data on usage and engagement. Users can also set up alerts for specific hashtags. Hashtags.org also has a hashtag dictionary that allows users to search, understand, or define tags of interest.

With Hashtags.org, you can track the performance of specific hashtags over time, and get insights into their popularity. You can also set up alerts for specific hashtags and get real-time data on their usage and engagement.

Here’s a breakdown of its benefits and unique value:

Benefits:

• Hashtag Discovery: Hashtag.org helps you find trending hashtags and relevant hashtags for your niche. This can be incredibly useful for expanding your reach and getting your content seen by a wider audience.
• Hashtag Definitions: They provide a hashtag dictionary, which can help you understand the meaning and context of different hashtags. This ensures you’re using them appropriately and effectively.
• Basic Analytics: While not super in-depth, Hashtag.org offers some basic analytics based on sample data. This can give you a general idea of a hashtag’s popularity and potential reach.

Unique Value:

• Trending News Integration: Hashtag.org goes beyond just hashtags. They also provide access to trending news articles, allowing you to see what topics are currently generating buzz and tailor your hashtags accordingly.
• Hashtag Education: They offer resources on how to use hashtags effectively and how to create successful hashtags of your own. This can be a valuable asset for anyone new to social media marketing.

Overall, Hashtag.org is a great platform to:

• Stay updated on current trends and popular hashtags.
• Find relevant hashtags to amplify your social media reach.
• Learn the proper way to use hashtags for maximum impact.

Here are some additional things to consider:

• Hashtag.org’s analytics may not be as comprehensive as some dedicated social media analytics tools.
• It’s always a good practice to combine Hashtag.org’s suggestions with your own research to find the best hashtags for your specific target audience and campaign goals.

Conclusion

The social media landscape thrives on conversations, and hashtags are the keys that unlock them. But with so many options, choosing the right hashtag can feel like a guessing game. Don’t fret! This guide unveiled 10 fantastic free hashtag analytics and tracking tools to empower your social media strategy.

From pinpointing trending hashtags to analyzing engagement and influencer reach, these hashtag analytics tools provide valuable insights to optimize your hashtag use. Whether you’re a seasoned social media pro or just starting out, there’s a free tool here to help you unlock the true potential of hashtags.

Here’s a quick recap of the free resources you can explore:

• Discovery and Research Powerhouses: RiteTag, Hashtagify.me
• Basic Performance Trackers: Keyhole (free trial), TweetReach (free version), Instagram Insights
• Brand Reputation and Sentiment Analysis: Talkwalker Free Social Search
• Social Management with Basic Analytics: Hootsuite (free plan), Sprout Social (free trial)
• Beginner’s Boost: Social Champ (free plan)

Remember:

• While these tools offer free functionalities, some may have limitations or require paid upgrades for advanced features.
• Consider factors like platform coverage, data depth, and ease of use when choosing a tool.
• Look for tools that integrate seamlessly with your existing social media management workflows.

While free hashtag tools offer a glimpse into performance, they can’t capture the full social media conversation. Cognition’s Social Listening solution dives deeper, analyzing not just mentions but also the sentiment and context behind them. This goes beyond basic hashtag tracking, providing actionable insights through:

• Topic Analysis: Uncover emerging trends and dominant themes within your industry.
• Influencers & Leaders Analysis: Identify key voices shaping conversations and build strategic partnerships.
• Content Marketing Analysis: Measure the effectiveness of your content and optimize your strategy for maximum engagement.

Ready to unlock the true power of social listening? Contact Cognition today for a free consultation and see how our solutions can help you transform your social media strategy.

Let’s not forget, the ideal tool depends on your specific needs. Explore these free options, experiment, and discover the hashtag heroes that will help your social media content soar!