#hashtag this and #hashtag that. Everyone loves to pepper their posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with hashtags. Most people nowadays do it just because it is cool and mainstream (just watch your favorite TV show) but don’t forget its original purpose which is for the post to be part of a certain category or group of categories. Hashtags become clickable links and they let you see all the other posts that have the hashtag as well. This simple functionality can be used as a powerful marketing tool if you use it properly. Here are some tips in properly using the hashtag to your marketing advantage.
Start with Simple and Subtle Approaches
Just like the classic bad habit of keyword stuffing, websites that resort to spam tactics just use far too many hashtags on their social media services. Unlike search engines, these social networking services don’t mind so it might be tempting for you to take that approach too. But visitors can recognize spam and desperate marketing attempts quite easily so you should go easy with the hashtags. Start with one or two hashtags and make sure that they are tags that best reach your target audience. Don’t be shy to use generic hashtags like #marketing or #webinar if you are, for example, advertising coaching services.
Ride on the Trending Topic Train
Pouring out content on familiar hashtags will keep your audience tuned in but you have to expand it as well. A good first step would be to ride on trending topics to put your Twitter account on a bigger map. If you are running a Halloween promo on the last week of October, you might as well use that popular #Halloween hashtag. There are plenty of ways to check trending topics in Twitter just don’t stray too far off course. You don’t want to use the #NBAfinals hashtag if you cannot find a creative way to connect your post.
Make a Catchy Quote that No One Else Thought Of
If you have a catchy call to action or slogan that is easy to memorize, use it as an opportunity to make a hashtag that could become trending. It can be a small phrase such as #MarketingWoes or something bigger like #MarketLikeNoTomorrow. Notice how you can make some letters capital to make it easier to understand. If your brand starts getting catchy, people will use these hashtags too and your profile will get followers or subscribers. Don’t forget to implement the previous hashtag tips so you end up with posts that are parts of different sets of hashtags while still being easy to read.