How to Effectively Use Your #HASHTAGS

Author: Eileen Boh Category: B2B, B2C, Digital & Social Media, Marketing, Nonprofit, Retail Date: September 25, 2015

Social media is a constantly evolving entity. It is easy to get lost in the trends that are occurring over the internet through social media. One way to increase the amount of viewers to your social media posts is to use hashtags. Hashtags by definition are “a word of phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign and used to identify messages on a specific topic.”

This vocabulary lesson has a purpose. The key word in that definition is “identify.” You are in a sense categorizing your messages in personalized ways in order to identify and reach your audience members.

Here are some important tips when using hashtags:

1. Timing is key – You want to ensure that your hashtag isn’t being over shadowed by
   another event you are running. You want to make sure that your hashtag is relevant to your brand at that moment. You do not want to distract your customers with a hashtag that is in a sense meaningless compared to your #5daysofgiveaways hashtag promoting a special event, promotion, or contest.
2. Use your hashtags responsibly – As mentioned in the hashtag definition portion of this blog, hashtags are in a way to categorize your message. If you “over-categorize” an item, then it doesn’t really belong anywhere specific, does it? So when creating a message use a maximum of two or three hashtags to summarize your message. This way your message’s main focus is able to be summarized by your hashtag. With hashtags, less is certainly more.
3. Customize your hashtags for a personal user experience – Give your hashtag power by putting together a word or phrase that will grab your audience’s attention while remaining true to the message your brand is trying to communicate. A great way to do this is by having some fun with currently trending hashtags. For example, if you are a landscaping company and just received the latest and greatest grass seed for residential lawns, you might consider the hashtag #50shadesofGREEN. By playing on recent pop-culture references, your brand and your message will be remembered and recognized by your target market.

When it comes to the world of social media, be sure to always use messages that are cohesive with your brand’s overall message. Social media lends itself to creativity, but don’t be too creative that your customers are unable to identify your brand.