You know you need to use hashtags, but do you have a clear strategy for them? In our foundational guide to hashtag strategy, we introduced the "3-Layer" model. Now, it's time to put that theory into practice. This guide will give you five distinct, actionable "recipes" or strategies you can use for your very next video, each designed for a different goal.

Strategy 1: The "Funnel" Strategy (For Maximum Reach)

This is the best all-around strategy and the most direct application of the 3-Layer model.

• How it Works: Use 3-5 hashtags in total.
  • 1-2 Broad Tags (Layer 1): These define your general industry (e.g., #realestate, #parenting).
  • 2-3 Niche Tags (Layer 2): These define your specific audience (e.g., #firsttimehomebuyer, #newmomtips).
• Why it Works: The broad tag tells TikTok the general category, while the niche tags help it pinpoint the perfect audience who will engage most strongly with your content.
• When to Use It: On almost all of your daily content. It's a reliable, balanced approach.

Strategy 2: The "Niche Dominator" Strategy (For Building Authority)

With this strategy, you forget about broad Layer 1 hashtags entirely and go all-in on your specific sub-niche.

• How it Works: Use 4-5 hashtags that are all tightly related to your specific area of expertise (Layers 2 and 3). For example, a video about a specific camera lens wouldn't use #photography; it would use #cameragear, #sonyalpha, #sigma35mm, and #photographytips.
• Why it Works: This method trains the algorithm to see you as an authority on a specific topic. Your videos are shown to a smaller but hyper-engaged audience, leading to higher watch time and conversion rates.
• When to Use It: When you are creating deep-value, educational content for your core audience.

Strategy 3: The "Trending Tsunami" Strategy (For Viral Potential)

This strategy involves intelligently capitalizing on a currently trending hashtag or sound.

• How it Works: Go to the "For You" page and find a major trend. The key is to find a creative way to adapt the trend to your niche. For example, if the trend is a specific dance, a financial advisor could do the dance with text overlays about "dancing away from your debt." Your hashtags would include the main trending tag plus 1-2 niche tags.
• Why it Works: It allows you to ride the massive wave of attention a trend is getting, exposing your content to a much wider audience than usual.
• When to Use It: Sparingly, and only when you have a genuinely clever idea that fits the trend without feeling forced. Overusing this can dilute your brand.

Strategy 4: The "SEO" Strategy (For Long-Term Search Traffic)

This strategy treats hashtags as search queries, optimizing for users who are actively looking for information.

• How it Works: Your hashtags should be phrases people would type into a search bar. Instead of #cleaning, use #howtocleanstainlesssteel or #deepcleaninghacks. This aligns perfectly with a solid keyword research process.
• Why it Works: This optimizes your video not just for the For You page, but for TikTok's search results and even Google search results. This gives your content a much longer shelf-life.
• When to Use It: On all educational, tutorial, or problem-solving content.

Strategy 5: The "Competitor Draft" Strategy (For Market Intelligence)

This is an advanced strategy that involves learning from your competitors' success.

• How it Works: Find a video from a direct competitor that has gone viral. Analyze the exact combination of hashtags they used. Create a new, better, more valuable video on the same topic, and use a very similar mix of hashtags.
• Why it Works: Your competitor has already proven that this topic and hashtag combination resonates with your shared target audience. You are removing the guesswork and drafting behind their success. This is a key part of a smart competitor analysis.
• When to Use It: When you see a competitor have a breakout success on a topic where you know you can provide even more value.

Conclusion: The Right Strategy for the Right Goal

There is no single "best" hashtag strategy. A viral trend-based video needs a different strategy than a searchable how-to video. By understanding these five distinct approaches, you can move beyond guessing and start using hashtags with purpose. The most skilled creators on the platform are constantly mixing and matching these strategies to fit the goal of each individual video.