17 Aug Hashtag #101
Most people recognize a hashtag post, but they don’t understand the significance. Think of the hashtag as a way to sort things out amongst the hundreds of tweets in your feed. When you click on a hashtag phrase in a tweet, you will get a new page with a list of other tweets that are also using that phrase. If you’ve never clicked on a hashtag before, try it out. You should see dozens (hundreds) of other posts with the same hashtag.
Essentially, the hashtag helps you find others who are talking about the same thing. In a forum such as Twitter or Facebook, you can engage with people who are interested in your topic. One of the most famous hashtag campaigns was #WhyIStayed and #WhyILeft, which brought awareness to domestic violence.
Hashtag Etiquette
Using a hashtag is easy enough. Just put together a phrase, put the number sign in front of it, and make the tweet. The trick is finding the right phrase that is relevant. One of the key ideas is to be specific and relevant with your hashtag. Instead of #minivan, be more exact, for example #kiasedona or #dodgegrandcaravan.
Don’t overuse hashtags in your post. Instagram might allow up to 30 hashtags, but you shouldn’t use that many in a single post. Two or three, at most, is enough to reach people, in any forum that you use. When you use more than three, you come off as desperate and it dilutes your original message.
Before using a hashtag, make sure you understand what it relates to. In one of the most famous blunders of social media, DiGiorno Pizza sent out a tweet “#WhyIStayed You Had Pizza.” The company ended up with egg on their face instead of selling more pizzas as they hoped.
Do Some Research to Gain Confidence
Twitter offers a help page that provides support for hashtag use. Click on hashtags to find out how others use them. Although hashtag use started with Twitter, most all social media platforms support them. However, you should understand the limitations within each site. For example, Pinterest hashtags aren’t searchable. On YouTube, hashtags are most commonly used in the comments.
Watch how others use them on the social media platform that you use. Try one out, but make sure you’ve done your homework. It’s always a good idea to ask someone else when you’re in doubt, especially if your post is for a business. Don’t make a social media mistake that gets your brand negative publicity.
If you are a business owner in any of these genres, financial, photographers, dentists, hotels, restaurants, construction, HVAC, hardware stores, real estate, or any business owner and want more information on Social Media Marketing, please contact Blast Creative today!