It doesn’t matter what social media platform you’re using-Facebook. Instagram, Twitter-, just about anyone can start a hashtag.
A hashtag consists of the number sign, followed by a word or phrase about sports, music, news, politics, celebrities, pop culture, and more. Hashtags link together tweets and posts that are discussing the same subject, so interested parties can search them and find them easily. While hashtags are great for entertainment, they can also be used in digital marketing and online business, creating excitement about your business and drawing people in.
You can create and use hashtags of your own, or you can pay attention to trending topics on social media to see how your business can adapt to the needs and wants of consumers. Either way, the correct usage of hashtags can be extremely beneficial, and there are many ways to do it.
Use a Brand Hashtag
A brand hashtag is probably the most basic kind of hashtag available for businesses, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. Brand hashtags are short and sweet, usually just stating the business’s name, but this lets social media users see what kind of goods or services your company offers, and if they would be interested in them. Typically, brand hashtags are used repetitively, added to every social media post made by the company.
They are also hyperlinked and interactive, so if a curious user clicks on the hashtag, they’ll be given a number of posts that use the same hashtag. This lets them see even more of your content, and what people are saying about you, which is likely to lead to a purchase. Another good thing about brand hashtags is that they are easy to remember. A lot of hashtags are too long and complicated, which makes them easily forgettable. If you stick to just your brand name, consumers will remember it for a longer time.
Consider Campaign and Contest Hashtags
Another time when hashtags are popular and useful is when there is a contest going on. For example, many business-led contests will ask the consumer to post a picture on social media of them enjoying the product or service provided by the business and use the contest-sponsored hashtag. This helps the group and organize entries together, which makes it easier for companies that have to pick a winner later, but it also raises awareness of the contest and the company in general.
This is why you’ll often see, at the bottom of a website or on a receipt, a message telling you to post a picture of you wearing your new sweater or using your new sunscreen, and tag the company or use their hashtag. It helps the business gain recognition and, potentially, new customers and followers. People like to participate in contests, so if your business engages in one, you will probably see the hashtag going around a lot more.
Pay Attention to Trends and Events
People like hashtags because they help them discover more content and people who relate to their interests. If something incredibly popular is going on, like Pokemon or Among Us, and you think your company can relate some of your content to those things, jump into the trend and start using the hashtags that relate to them.
Additionally, if it’s close to a holiday, that’s also a good time to start using holiday-related hashtags to market your company. Restaurants and bakeries sometimes have specific recipes and catering deals for Thanksgiving, while department stores like Macy’s and Dilliard’s always have sales for Christmas and want to share them. Holidays, trends, and special events are always a great time to use hashtags to link together information.
By developing and frequently using a brand hashtag, considering using hashtags during a contest or giveaway, and paying close attention to popular trends on social media, your business can master hashtag marketing, and be all the better because of it.
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