We’ve all seen hashtags on social media. You know, the little symbol formerly known and still known to your grandparents as the pound sign or number symbol. They’ve become a common occurrence in social media posts of all kinds, simply created by including the symbol “#” in front of a word or words without spaces. But why are they used in social media posts? Why in some cases are there so many of them? And what is their purpose?
Long story short, a hashtag is a label used on social media sites that makes it easier to find posts or information with a specific theme or specific content. They’re basically a keyword related to the post you made preceded by a “#” symbol. They encourage social media users to explore any of that content that catches their eye, putting information at their fingertips, allowing them to spend less time searching for information. They are commonly used by business and organizations to reach their target audience and to help customers filter information. In the world of social media, users can quickly get overwhelmed by too much information. Using hashtags makes it easy to cut through all that digital clutter and focus only on the information that you really are interested in.
Hashtags can be generalized or very specific.
The best way to find out if your hashtag is effective is to experiment and be consistent with your social media usage. The more you use a specific hashtag, the greater your chances are to grow an audience. If a certain hashtag isn’t working and it’s not catching on and your customers aren’t receptive to it, change it. But be patient and give your hashtag time to catch on. Don’t change your hashtags every week. Stay consistent. But be sure to not overuse them. Posts should be concise and using too many hashtags can make your message seem cluttered and unprofessional. Also remember not to use special characters or spaces in your in your hashtags. Only letters and numbers are recognized.
A hashtag used on social media posts helps your content stand out. You can search for specific keywords, and you can use them to explore other content that falls under the same concept. This allows you to also reach a specific target audience. These hashtags serve to cut through the already congested digital space. While hashtags are most widely known for their use on Instagram and Twitter, you can also use them on Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, or even YouTube.
We all know the importance of engagement when it comes to digital marketing, which is another reason that hashtags serve as an important tool. They are huge drivers of action and engagement. They encourage users to dig deep and keep exploring the topic your content focuses on. Users exploring content under a hashtag from a different company in an industry may stumble upon your content. They can largely increase the discoverability of your post, account and business or company. Exactly what we all want, right? To top it off they are so easy to use. One of the simplest and most effective media tactics that anyone can do. If you’re looking to grow your social media account by categorizing posts, reach target audiences and help your posts and page discoverability, then hashtags are a great way to start.
Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, hashtags can help your social media immensely. Remember, hashtags not only help users find posts about specific content, but they also help you reach more people who are interested in what your content. Compose hashtags that fit your industry by using common industry-related terms. And when you find one that works, keep using it. If you haven’t explored them, start by looking at industry-related keywords and tags used by other companies and influencers in your industry. Click on hashtags that you find interesting and explore the other content that appears under the word. From there, start using them for your content. You’ll thank us later!
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