When used correctly, hashtags can be a powerful engagement tool on social media. Twitter started using these punctuation marks as a way to categorize and search tweets, and the practice has been since adopted by Facebook, Instagram and recently, LinkedIn. For businesses, hashtags are useful for promoting events or marketing campaigns, since they make it easy for audiences to find and reference the messages. They also serve as a data mining tool for brands, allowing them to search a hashtag to discover what users are saying within that topic.
Individuals on social media platforms also use hashtags as a way to express a feeling, add commentary or to further explain an idea. The following example Tweet exemplifies this usage:
“Turns out, #unicorns do exist and my uncle breeds them on his compound in Montana. #amazing #whoknew #notreal”
This more informal use of hashtags may not be appropriate for brands—it will depend upon the voice you have chosen for your social media presence. Knowing how to use hashtags effectively can help you achieve your digital marketing goals.
Advice for Brands on How to Use Hashtags on Social Media
Participate in a Discussion – Include a hashtag that your audience is using in their communications around your product or service. For example, if you are an orthodontist, you will want to use hashtags related to your industry, such as #braces or #ortho. As a locally based business, you may want to include the hashtag related to the towns you serve. You can also search on those hashtags and engage the users who are using them too.
Promote an Event – Did you know that Twitter was originally designed as a way for a group of people to communicate with each other around an event? So, it makes sense that this application is where Twitter shines. If you are holding an event, create a unique hashtag for it and use it in all of your social media posts. Encourage your attendees to use it too! For example, the 2017 Heartland Film Festival is using #heartland25 for all of its communications this year, signifying their 25th anniversary running. Hashtags allow your supporters and attendees to promote your event, engage with others who are also attending, and monitor your updates.
Engage Your Audience – Hashtags are quite useful in targeted marketing campaigns, making it easy for your target market to find and engage in your messaging. @OREO (aka OREO Cookie, a social media rock-star that everyone needs to follow) recently completed an OREO Summer of Wonder campaign, which encouraged its customers to post to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter images of themselves enjoying an OREO ice cream treat for a chance to win a 1 of 7 adventure vacations. By monitoring the corresponding hashtag,#oreosummersweepstakes, OREO was able to engage with their customers as they posted their images, and contact the winner directly through the social media channels.
Don’t Do This – Some unscrupulous brands will “hijack” a hashtag, taking advantage of a viral conversation by using a hashtag with a post that has nothing to do with the intended subject matter. Unfortunately, we most often see this during major crises, when social networks are gathering up-to-date information on a terrible event. A brand will use the hashtag in their communications just to ensure many people see their message. Needless to say, this marketing strategy is not well received.
Using hashtags not only boosts the power of your social media activities, it shows that your brand understands the language and protocols of the platforms. For even more advice, Social Media Today has a great article on the optimal number of hashtags to use on each platform. If you have questions on how best to use hashtags on social media, send us an email, or give us a call at 317.910.6252.
