Just over ten years ago, what is today known as a “hashtag” was more commonly referred to as a “pound” sign. It wasn’t until August, 2007 that the ‘#’ symbol became a device used in front of a word or words to group the post with other posts about the same topic. The developer and implementer of the hashtag, Chris Messina, came up with the idea to bring people together discussing the same subjects across the Internet. He decided on a hashtag because of its simplicity to use on both mobile and desktop keyboards.
Whether you realize it or not, the hashtag truly has transformed the way we market, converse, and do business online. Today hashtags are the key to SEO and content visibility when it comes to social media marketing. Additionally, they are pivotal in sparking and uniting conversations across the web – on multiple media platforms. Here are some simple ways to maximize the power of the hashtag.
- Promote across various social networks.
The great thing about this powerful little symbol, is that it can be used across a multitude of media platforms—from Twitter to Facebook to Pinterest to Instagram to Google+, there are many touch points. It’s easy to see who is talking about you, your business, or specific topics by searching these hashtags on each social media outlet.
- Target locations.
For local business and events in particular, location hashtags can be critical to getting the word out in your targeted customer base. It is not uncommon for people to click #DowntownFortWayne or #Chicago to see what the weekend happenings entail.
- Get feedback.
Believe it or not, hashtags are a great way to initiate feedback from a consumer base. You can prompt consumers by leading them in how you’d like them to respond with a hashtag. Be wary, negative feedback is inevitable, but it is a great way to engage consumers, give your audience a voice, and receive valuable insight about your business, product, or brand.
- Personalize your brand.
A fitting tag to your brand can help drive brand recognition, and boost the reach of your posts and advertising. By being consistent with one hashtag you can also strengthen your consumer awareness. One word of advice when creating your all-encompassing brand hashtag: be obvious. It should be easy to remember and clear in its meaning. It is likely something to long or overly complex will not resonate with the vast majority.
It is apparent how much social media and Internet marketing has been impacted by something as simple as a ‘#’. If you are looking for ways to maximize your social media content and strategy, give us a shout!
