Twitter came into existence because of four nerdy dudes who were getting annoyed with Facebook statuses that could only be shared with friends. Therefore, they decided to build a site where people could post statuses and everyone could view them. And today, Twitter has changed our lives forever.
Well, not really, but kind of … I think … in a weird way.
Many of us use Twitter on different gadgets, and very well know one thing that has come from it: the hashtag. Whether you use it or not, it is here to stay – at least for now. It’s time for you all to utilize this powerful tool and give hashtags the respect they deserve: they aren’t just for fun! Hashtags have become the only way to organize feeds of information on social networks to make sense of the data and content we create. They help you to find unique and high-quality content on any topic that is updated and easily accessible.
Individuals and companies are also using social media marketing services like digital firefly, to create and implement social media plans to amplify brand presence across various media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Pinterest. Hashtags are a prevailing way to give your content more strength and make yourself discoverable.
If you want to maximize your social efforts, master the art of using hashtags with these five useful tips.
1. Choose the right words
The main purpose of hashtags is to organize content and make it discoverable. For example, if someone wants to find news about their favorite cricket team, they’ll probably search for #Cricket rather than #ICC or #score.
Hashtags are usually very focused, meaning always hashtag simple and frequently used words in order to send the most effective message.
2. Use them sparingly
Hashtags aren’t meant to be used for every word in your post. Putting a hashtag in front of every second word reduces your audience’s ability to read your content and can also look spammy. Always make sure your content uses no more than three hashtags. Well-crafted and sparingly used hashtags can help increase your visibility and even improve customer relations for businesses. The more sparingly hashtags are used, the more your followers will be interacting with you via social media. Hashtags are just like calls-to-action, they’re more real and attractive when used in a controlled manner.
3. Be trendy and selective
Trending topics are great way to join an active conversation. Don’t participate in trending topics that have no links to you, but join a hashtag that’s relevant. Trending topics are a great way to reach engaged and passionate users, but you also need to be more selective with your hashtags. Try to put your content in less competitive feeds. Rather than trying to compete with practically the entire world by using #Blogging, try something less competitive: something like #ProBlogging or #BeautyBlogging.
4. Be consistent and up to date
It doesn’t really matter where you put your hashtags (before links or after links, #Caps or no #caps), just keep it consistent. Hashtags can become chat rooms, where people meet for a certain amount of time and talk to each other through a certain hashtag.
Another great way to utilize hashtags is to start live tweeting something. Whether it’s something like the #Olympics or a smaller event, live tweeting an event is a great way to boost your reach.
5. Select related keywords
Twitter, Google+, Instagram and even Facebook connect all posts, discussions and debates using hashtags. If someone is searching for information, your hashtags can help convey messages to people. Using industry or brand-related keywords can also help you to grab people’s attention even if they are not following your hashtag conversation. This is commonly used by marketers who create brand-related hashtags by selecting the right keywords.
Effective communication is a must for everyone and when it comes to brand management, you just cannot ignore hashtags. Use them sparingly and wisely and start sending the right message with the power of the hashtag!
Have any tips of your own? Leave your comments below!
Featured photo credit: Cubicle Sherpa via flickr.com
