If you’ve spent any time on social media over the past few years, you’ve seen people “hashtag” (#) words, phrases, and acronyms. They may have looked something like this – #tbt #WCW #love #photooftheday #motivationalmonday. While hashtags are trendy and entertaining (and admittedly, often overused), they can be an effective digital marketing tool when used correctly.
Why Should I Use Hashtags?
Using hashtags on social media creates a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their followers, increase traffic to their social media pages, and implement new branding strategies. Hashtags can also make your content more searchable if used strategically.
How Does It Work?
Hashtags make it possible for users to engage in online conversations based on specific discussion topics. They make topics and conversations easier to locate on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter since they are arranged categorically.
For example, if you wanted to post about the Game of Thrones finale, you would include #GameofThrones in your post to join the conversation. You could then click on that hashtag to see all the posts that mention the subject in real time. Searching a specific hashtag in the search bar of the above mentioned social platforms will also allow you to see relevant content.
What Steps Should I Take?
The ideal course of action is to seek out popular hashtags related to your products/services, or relevant to your target audience. A quick online search for the most popular hashtags in your industry is the easiest place to start. Keep in mind that an overuse of hashtags can be a turnoff to some followers. It’s best to use no more than 10 hashtags at one time. To optimize your results, stick to just a few relevant hashtags.
Most social networks include a list of trending hashtags which allow users to see the latest news and popular topics in real time. Businesses can take advantage of this by joining in high-traffic, relevant conversations to attract new followers to their social pages.
Finally, It’s a great idea to come up with hashtags that are unique to your brand, and encourage your clients/customers to use them when they refer to your business on social media. When people search your hashtags, they should quickly be able to discover content related to your business.