Hashtag Your #Business

Hashtags took the online world by storm in 2007, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere.
So what’s a hashtag? Take that pound symbol (#) and put it in front of a word or phrase, and bam
– you’ve just made your very own hashtag. Now that word or phrase is discoverable as a searchable
tag across social media platforms.

Why go to the doctor when you can search your symptoms
online or ask your social media pals? (Side note: We don’t
recommend this, but we also know how much we love to
WebMD our own symptoms…) The internet gives us instant
answers. If a user has a bad headache, what will they do?
They will search. Businesses who have “hashtagged” their
content and relevant social posts will immediately rise to
the top of the search.

Hashtags are a great way to categorize your online content
and get your brand recognized. When you include a hashtag in
your post, it automatically becomes searchable – this is especially
beneficial on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Posting
a picture from a chili cook-off or advertising the opening of a
new office location? Hashtag it. All of that content automatically
can be discovered in that hashtag category.

Hashtags give your employees, friends (and now social media
fans) the unique chance to interact with your business.
Any photos, videos, or status updates featuring your hashtag
can be aggregated and displayed on your Facebook landing
page or website.

Most everyone who uses the web knows common hashtags
such as #RelationshipGoals and #TGIF. But did you know you
can create your very own? (#YourBusinessNameHere).

That way, users can search directly for your content and it
will all be discovered in one easy-to-find location.
By creating a specific and unique hashtag just for your
brand, you will help attract your target audience. Check out
similar businesses to your own, and find relevant hashtags
that’ll ring in the viewers.

It’s also important to gauge the relevance of your hashtags.
Web tools like Twitonomy and Rite Tag can analyze all your
hashtags and help you determine which hashtags are good,
poor, or even overused in your area of business. Different
types of businesses call for different types of hashtags. It’s
important to only use hashtags that will benefit your online
presence. And the best way to do that, is with data.

What’s one of the best ways to optimize your use of
hashtags for your brand? Run a hashtag campaign. When
it comes to marketing-specific goals, hashtags can be
used as a call to action that will drive engagement. You can
insert hashtags into television advertisements or other
marketing messages that alert your consumers they are
invited to participate.

What’s one of the best ways to optimize your use of
hashtags for your brand? Run a hashtag campaign. When
it comes to marketing-specific goals, hashtags can be
used as a call to action that will drive engagement. You can
insert hashtags into television advertisements or other
marketing messages that alert your consumers they are
invited to participate.