Hashtags are nothing new, they have been around since the dawn of social media. However, regardless of how long they have been used across social channels, individuals and brands continue to use them incorrectly or in some cases, not use them at all. So I’m going to share with you what, in fact, a hashtag is used for, how you can harness them for your business or individual brand and some tips in getting the most out of your hashtags.
So let’s get down to it, what really is a hashtag? They may have been around for donkeys’ years but you’re still not using them correctly? Put simply, it is a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#) used across many social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook (yes really), Pinterest, Vine, Instagram and many more. Sounds simple enough, but brands can use hashtags in powerful ways. Essentially they are a simple way for people to search social channels to find content from individuals or brands easily in one place.
Sounds easy enough right? Then why are some brands not getting the most out of them? Below are some tips and tricks to show you how to get the most out of your use of hashtags in your social media marketing efforts.
Don’t tag thoughtlessly
Don’t simply make up a hashtag and whack it on the end of your post. There is actually a knack in getting the most out of these things. Such as #notusingahashtagthatstoolong. See what I did there? You need to keep them short, snappy and memorable. You need to think about what social users may search for in relation to your brand and tag words associated with your brand. Here at Superdream we often use #AgencyLife, why? Because it is used by many agencies across the globe and makes us part of a community of like-minded brands and individuals.
Keep it consistent
As a brand you should own certain hashtags, ok so you can’t currently copywrite hashtags, but you can use one consistent hashtag for your brand and then incorporate campaign tags along the way, or use well known tags (such as #TBT #FridayFeeling) in your social posts. A great example of a company keeping it consistent is Nike. Nike have used (link: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23justdoit&src=typd text: #justdoit )for years, and it’s well engrained in all their marketing collateral and therefore well remembered by customers and used socially in reference to the brand. Along with (link: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23justdoit&src=typd text: #justdoit) they use many other hashtags such as #airmaxday. Don’t feel constrained to one tag, but at the same time don’t overdo it.
Use tags to listen to what people have to say about your brand
Monitoring and listening for hashtags is a great way to find user generated content about your brand. Searching hashtags will allow you to find out what people have to say about your brand and allow you to either make the most out of their content or simple allow you to get a real understanding of your brand reputation online. There are great tools available online to help you with your social listening.
Get in on the conversation
All across the world there are different trending topics across social media. As I type this (link: https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeAMovieLessRomantic?src=tren text: #MakeAMovieLessRomantic) is trending in the UK. A simple search of the tag allows me to understand how the tag is being used. I can then get involved in the conversation that is being so widely used across Twitter and expose my brand to people searching the trend.
I say this but brands and individuals should do this with caution, one wrong hijack of a hashtag and your brand reputation could take a hit. See the below tweet for example, sent out during the worldwide trend of #notguilty in reference to the Casey Anthony verdict. Not a smart move, but take 5 to understand how a tag is being used and see if you think your brand should take advantage of it.
(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/tweet.png alt: Tweetgonewrong)
If hashtags still seem like a minefield to you then why not find out how we can help you get the most out of your social media marketing and start exposing your brand to thousands of social media users across the world.
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