• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Social Media Examiner

Your Guide to the Marketing Jungle

  • 🔥 Free Newsletter
  • 🎙️ Podcasts
    • Social Media Marketing Podcast
    • AI Explored Podcast
    • Social Media Marketing Talk Show
    • Our YouTube Channel
  • 🌟 AI Society
  • 🗓️ Marketing Conference
  • đź‘‹ About Us
    • Marketing Events
  • Search
  • Embrace AI & MarketingGet Ongoing Training & SupportBEGIN YOUR JOURNEY NOW

    How to Use Google+ Hashtags for More Exposure

    by Ann Smarty / October 8, 2014

    social media how to Do you want to reach more people on Google+?

    Are you using Google+ hashtags?

    Google+ hashtags make it easier for people to discover your content, even if they're outside your circles. That added visibility gives you greater overall reach.

    In this article you'll discover how to find hashtags to reach the right people on Google+.

    use google+ hashtag
    Find out how to use hashtags on Google+ to increase exposure for your business.

    How Google+ Hashtags Work

    When Google+ started supporting hashtags, the news was met with some skepticism. People wondered if Google+ was blindly following Twitter and Facebook–and whether Google+ hashtags would be as useless as Facebook hashtags.

    Listen to this article:

    Where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Music | YouTube | Amazon Music | RSS

    The answer turned out to be no on both counts. Google+ hashtags are actually an efficient way to bring more exposure and visibility to your Google+ profile and brand, but they work a bit differently than you're used to.

    Other social networks use hashtags to curate content by filtering updates that include a specific hashtag. If you search for #easyrecipes, your results only show updates that include that hashtag.

    Google+ uses hashtags to explore a topic rather than curate it. When you search for a hashtag within Google+, the network auto-selects related hashtags and trending topics and returns those along with the hashtag you typed in.

    google+ hashtag search
    There's no way to search only for the hashtag you typed in.

    It's the additional related results that set Google+ hashtags apart. It's handy to know the topical relevance of several updates, as well as the connections between topics and objects.

    The only downside is that you don't have any control over the relevance of the search results.

    #1: Take Advantage of Shared Interests

    Google+ uses a complex algorithm to identify which updates make it into your home stream—even if those updates are from people who are not in your circles. This algorithm appears to include hashtag relevance.

    I'm seeing much more interaction from people outside of my network when I include a couple of hashtags in my Google+ updates. For example, sometimes my updates show up as “hot” for users known to have related interests.

    google+ content with a hashtag
    Google+ uses an algorithm to serve content to people based on related interests.

    And in the example below, a user is showing up in my stream even though I'm not connected to him. However, we have several things in common—including the hashtags we use or follow—so Google+ served the update to me.

    google+ content from unconnected user
    We have quite a few things in common, but I have found hashtags to be always in the mix! More on this in my recent Pubcon presentation.

    You can take advantage of shared interests by searching for a hashtag and making note of the results. Find out what related topics people are talking about and which related hashtags they're using, then use both in your future updates. You'll have a better chance of appealing to a wider audience and you'll be more likely to show up in their feeds.

    AI Business Society

    Ready to Unlock AI Marketing Breakthroughs?

    If you’re like most of us, you are trying to figure out how to use AI in your marketing. Here's the solution: The AI Business Society—a new AI marketing community from your friends at Social Media Examiner.

    The AI Business Society is the place to discover how to apply AI in your work. When you join, you'll boost your productivity, unlock your creativity, and make connections with other marketers on a similar journey.

    I'M READY TO BECOME AN AI-POWERED MARKETER

    Discover Proven Marketing Strategies and Tips

    Want to go even deeper with your marketing? Check out the Social Media Marketing Podcast! Publishing weekly since 2012, the Social Media Marketing Podcast helps you navigate the constantly changing marketing jungle, with expert interviews from marketing pros.

    But don’t let the name fool you. This show is about a lot more than just social media marketing. With over 600 episodes and millions of downloads each year, this show has been a trusted source for marketers for well over a decade.

    CHECK OUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PODCAST NOW

    #2: Let Google+ Assign Hashtags

    While other social media networks rely on users to tag their own updates, Google+ is taking the liberty of doing it for you, which may not be such a bad thing.

    google+ post with automatic hashtags
    Google+ added two hashtags to mine, but still displays mine on top.

    For example, if you used a not-so-popular hashtag or included just one hashtag, Google+ will automatically add more hashtags—and that gives you additional reach.

    google+ hashtag settings
    You can easily turn off the Google+ auto-tag feature in your settings.

    If you're not crazy about Google+ adding hashtags and would rather use your own, you can do that. Disable Google+'s automatic hashtag feature by going into your settings and unchecking the box.

    #3: Find Your Own Hashtags

    Now that you're on your own for hashtags, the question is how to come up with the most relevant ones, right? One option is to use the Explore section and sift though related hashtags—kind of like a mini keyword search.

    As I mentioned, when you search for a hashtag on Google+, your results include a separate box with the most popular and recently used hashtags. You can look through those and pick the ones that are most likely to expand your reach.

    google+ hashtag search
    Make it a habit to search the Explore section to find relevant popular hashtags.

    You can also use the Google+ auto-suggest function. Just start typing anything after # and you'll see some additional suggested hashtags.

    Don't forget to use #yourbrandname in your Google+ updates. If you have enough users hashtagging your brand name in the relevant context, those updates are very likely to be suggested to additional users as “related” whenever they're exploring Google+.

    In most cases, Google+ shows hashtags in the upper right corner in the same order as they appear in your update, so be sure to use your branded hashtag first! When readers click on it, they'll see more updates around your brand via the Flip Through box.

    branded hashtag on google+
    A branded hashtag brings up even more content related to your business.

    Quick tip: If you're hosting a Twitter chat, consider cross-promoting your hashtag on Google+ for more awareness and brand visibility—it works really well.

    Finally, make your hashtags useful. On Twitter, people often use hashtags as a fun way to express extra emotion or jokes. That kind of hashtagging doesn't make much sense when you're trying to extend reach.

    If you want your hashtagged updates to work, make it easy for Google+ to categorize them. Use hashtags that match your content, not your emotions. Hashtags should make perfect sense, add to the topic and even provide context. If you follow those guidelines, your updates are more likely to be seen by a larger audience.

    Wrapping Up

    Google+ hashtags are an important tactic for reaching a wider audience. Of course, choosing the right hashtag can make or break this social tactic, so take the time to tag your own updates rather than relying on Google+ to do it for you.

    Use the Explore section to find the hottest related hashtags and learn more about your niche and how to best target it on Google+. Just don't get too carried away. Over-tagging is spammy—especially when the hashtag isn't directly related to your topic.

    What do you think? Are you using Google+ hashtags? Have you noticed wider reach or more engagement because of them? Please share your thoughts and tips below!

    AI EXPLORED

    Curious About How to Use AI?

    Our newest show, AI Explored, might be just what you're looking for. It's for marketers, creators, and entrepreneurs who want to understand how to use AI in their business.

    It's hosted by Michael Stelzner and explores this exciting new frontier in easy-to-understand terms.

    Pull up your favorite podcast app and search for AI Explored. Or click the button below for more information.

    I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AI

    Tags: Google+

    About the authorAnn Smarty

    Ann Smarty is an experienced blogger, manager at Social Media Promotion platform and author of Social Media Promotion Guide, and owner of MyBlogGuest.com—the ethical community of guest bloggers. If you are serious about guest posting, join us! Follow Ann on Twitter; @seosmarty and @myblogguest.
    Other posts by Ann Smarty »

    Get Social Media Examiner’s Future Articles in Your Inbox!

    Get our latest articles delivered to your email inbox and get the FREE Social Media Marketing Industry Report (43 pages, 50+ charts)!

    Industry Report Cover

    Worth Exploring:

    Facebook

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Instagram

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    YouTube

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Linkedin

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    AI

    Next Frontier Explore More →

    Social Media Marketing Industry Report

    Get Free Report →

    Social Marketing Trends

    The data you've been missing!

    Need a new plan? Discover how marketers plan to change their social activities in the 17th annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report. It reveals what marketers have planned for their social activities, content marketing, and more! Get this free report now and never miss another great article from us. Join more than 385,000 marketers!

    Simply click the button below to get the free report:

    Footer

    Your Guide to the Marketing Jungle
    Copyright © 2025 Social Media Examiner®
    All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy.

    Helpful Links

    • About us
    • Our content via email
    • Our podcasts
    • Our YouTube channel
    • Our live show
    • Our social media marketing industry report
    • Our generative AI marketing industry report
    • Sponsorship opportunities
    • RSS