If you’re in tune with social media then you’re already aware of the popularity of hashtags when it comes to building conversations online. Hashtags are the medium in which topics of discussion are centered around, are searched for and are tracked. Entire campaigns for mega corporations have been run off of them and they’ve become a go-to source in our social streams for discovering the world’s hottest trending topics.
If you’re running an account on Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vine, Pinterest, Tumblr or Facebook, you should be using these helpful tools to give your profiles a broader reach and to position yourself as a relevant player within social media.
It seems simple enough, create a post, attach related terms, have your topic searched for and voilà, you’re done. However, there is more that goes into creating an appropriate tag than meets the eye. And just like with all other aspects of your marketing strategy, you should be treating hashtags with a high level of importance.
Top 3 #SocialStrategy Uses
- Brand Awareness & Recognition: The most important reason to use hashtags is to get your brand searched and seen. Tweets with hashtags receive two times more engagement than those with none. If you’re using Twitter to send out industry related tweets, including appropriate tags could draw in fans who are searching for relevant news, but aren’t already familiar with your brand. Say you’re tweeting a new blog post about the recent security breach for Tumlbr to your fans. If you include the tag #Tumblr within the tweet, it will then show up in search streams for people looking for more information on the topic, potentially drawing in new followers.
- Marketing Campaign Promotion: Hashtags can also be very useful for your brand if your audience is socially engaged. If utilized properly, they can give you the opportunity to run unique campaigns and contests, like a fan photo competition on Instagram or a product giveaway on Pinterest. Promoting your campaigns across platforms can help bridge the gap between any divided audiences you may have and expose your brand to a broader market.
In a survey conducted by RadiumOne, 51% of respondents said they were willing to share hashtags if there was an award offered. Just remember when employing this tactic to be consistent with your hashtag of choice across all mediums.
- The Social Buzz Factor: Will your company be running a conference or networking event soon? Making a specific tag for your event can get people talking about your company, creating great social buzz.
So now that you have some ideas on how to integrate hashtags into your social media marketing strategy, how do you go about creating them?
Must Have Tips To #GenerateLeads
- Don’t Overdo It: Hashtags should enhance your searchability on social; too many terms can overwhelm users and reduce relevant targeting. Keep it simple and only attach a couple of words per post that are applicable to your product or industry.
- Use Searchable Terms: Although it can be fun to make up unique terms that apply directly to your brand, if they are too unique they will never get searched. You don’t want your content existing only amongst your current fans; instead you should be using the opportunity to show your work to new viewers as well.
- Research Topics: If you want to be relevant, you should be utilizing trending topics. Luckily, there are tools out there that will allow you to stay on top of what’s buzzing, like Twitter’s Discover column or What’s Hot? on Google+. You will also want to make sure you aren’t using tags that are already being used by other campaigns or that are inappropriately referencing a topic you aren’t intending to talk about.
- Look Sharp: We’re living in a fast-paced world where people want their information delivered as quickly as possible, so make sure your tags are easy to read. Keep them short and sweet and include capital letters when it’s appropriate.
Don’t be afraid to embrace hashtags when pushing your social content. If you’re using them well, they will only enhance your content and improve your klout score!