The secret behind the #

Six years ago, social media saw a new character come into play, and soon enough it took over social media feeds the world over.

The hashtag (#) is no longer the number sign, pound symbol or octothorp; it is the ever-famous hashtag that social media gurus can’t live without. In fact, the hashtag and its tech definition, is so widely recognized that is was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2010 and the Scrabble Dictionary in 2014. It defines how we write, connect and categorize posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and every other social media channel out there. But the real question is how do you use the hashtag correctly?

I have put together some best practices on how to achieve the greatest success with the hashtag. Here are the dos and don’ts of the hashtag:

DO!

• BE SPECIFIC: The more specific you are with any designated hashtag, the better the chance it will be categorized with similar content and like-minded users, which generally means better engagement.
• KEEP IT SIMPLE: Keep your hashtags short and to the point. The fewer opportunities for people to misuse, misspell or confuse your hashtag, the better.
• NOT ALL SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE TREATED THE SAME: By definition, the hashtag serves the same purpose on each social media channel, but the use of a hashtag varies from platform to platform. For example, Twitter hashtags focus on the topic at hand or the community or group of people you would like to engage. Use #smallbiz for all posts related to small business tips, operations, etc. Whereas, Instagram hashtags tend to be more descriptive and tell a larger story. For example, use #morningmotivation to tell stories about what motivates you every morning. Do your research and find out the most relevant hashtags on each channel for your specific subject, the extra time will pay off in the long run!

 

DON’T!

• GO OVERBOARD: At first glace, it may seem that when you post 30 (the limit of hashtags on Instagram) hashtags you receive more followers and more likes, but they might be the wrong kind of followers—usually unwanted spammers—rather than followers who care about the content itself. Keep one to three hashtags in your post inventory to ensure you target the correct audience and maintain your social media status.

Make hashtags work for you and your accounts. If used correctly, hashtags can be a great tool to expand your reach and target your desired audience and their interests.

If using hashtags on your business still seems a little fuzzy, give us a call at (303) 394-2366 or send an email to info@philosophycommunication.com. Our digital team is always ready to help make sure you are using the right hashtags to maximize your digital reach.