If you listen to pop culture mavens and celebrities, you must have heard about #hashtags. It seems like everyone is saying “#hashtag this” or “#hashtag that”. You may be wondering “What’s up with #hashtags?”
A #hashtag is a word or unspaced phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), otherwise known as the pound sign. It is used to identify messages on a specific topic to people on various social media channels. People on social media can search for a particular hashtag to see what people are saying about the topic in question. You can use them in your social media communications or even part of your corporate website design.
The #hashtag first became popular on Twitter. This microblogging social media channel only lets a person tweet up to 140 characters. A hashtag lets the user connect to a conversation without the need to detail it in their limited space. Today, the concept and use of the #hashtag has spread to other social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Google+. It provides a very easy way to connect a conversation among people around the world.
Now, you may be wondering how you can use #hashtags in your business marketing?
Branding
You need to create a unique hashtag just for your brand. It should reflect your company name or tagline. Make sure no one else is using it on any social media channel you want to market on. That way, you will have a unique hashtag that only refers to your company. Use the same hashtag on all social media channels. That provides brand consistency and makes followers familiar with it. Start using it on all social media communications. Integrate it into your corporate website design. This will start creating a cross-channel conversation around your brand.
Campaigns
You can use a unique hashtag for a particular marketing campaign. Let’s say your company is going to be 10 years old and you want to work a campaign around it. You might come up with a tag that reflects the 10th anniversary (#CompanyX10Years or #10YearsHurray). When you use that campaign hashtag, you can use it to promote awareness and engagement.
Content
You can use a hashtag related to your content. These hashtags help link your content to people who might have an interest in that topic. It is also a way to build SEO standings. Some of the content hashtags to consider are related to products, lifestyle, event, or location. Make hashtags an integral part of any content you share in your corporate website design.
Group Activities
If you are planning an event or other group activity, make sure you create and use a specific hashtag for it. This will allow you and the others who want to be part of the group activity to communicate using a common hashtag. It also has the potential to widen the audience as word get around.
How you use #hashtags in your marketing is completely up to you. Smart marketers have used them for a while. If you want to reach the widest audience possible, you need to start using them as well.
What is the first #hashtag you are going to use?