The big players in social media are Facebook, Instagram, Google, Pinterest and Twitter. They have been the cornerstones of social media for some time now. And, one thing that all of them have in common is the use of the hashtag or the “#”. Social media is not just for people to talk about their favorite TV shows or recipes. Businesses can also take advantage of the hash tag.
The hash tag was first used by Twitter and quickly adopted by the other popular search engines. It I sused to mark keywords or topics in a post. Twitter initially used it as a way to categorize messages that were sent across its network.
Just about every Twitter message has some kind of hash tag associated with it. For example, if you were to search for the term #SuperBowl, then you would find all the tweets with that hash tag in them. This can help you identify trending topics and help you find out which topics you should be addressing.
Other social networks have jumped on the bandwagon with this way to organize data by categories. Instagram has given users the ability to add hashtags to pictures that are uploaded. Other networks like Google+ and YouTube also allow hashtags on their content.
Because of the usefulness of the hashtag, some users have become overzealous in their use. Reading a Tweet that says ‘#Friday is #awesome, here comes a #fun #weekend.’ just looks unprofessional and could put off followers.
It is a good idea to not go overboard with the hash tags, however. Using too many makes the message difficult to read and looks unprofessional if you are trying to portray a professional image.
Here are a few tips you should follow when it comes to properly using hash tags for your business.
- No long hashtags. Try to make them as short as possible. The most you should use is about two words together.
- Minimize their use. Don’t use too many in a message. It is best to limit it to about one or two per message.
- The hashtag is special. Use it for important phrases and words. Don’t use it for everyday words. Let it be used for something important so it stands out more.
- Use a unique hashtag. Try to use something that is unique to you. Maybe even make up a hash tag that has not been used before. This way you can make yourself more unique and stand out. And, it will be easier to see if you have a trend going related to your business.
Hashtags can be very powerful when used in the proper way. But, if you abuse them and try too hard, then they can become more of a burden than a help. Hopefully, these tips will help you effectively use the hash tag to promote your business in social media.