Top 4 tips on using hashtags

Top 4 tips on using hashtags

Hashtags have become a vital element of growing a social media presence. Be it on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook, hashtags are ever present but many don’t utilise them effectively. 

#Love #Instagood #Food #photooftheday #Friends #Cute #Fitness #Selfie #follow4follow are just some of the most popular hashtags if 2016 thus far.

There is an art form to using hashtags effectively without coming across as, dare I say, basic.

Here are Wow Zone’s top tips on using hashtags for your business…

• Don’t Overuse Hashtags

Any more than five hashtags could come across as “spammy” which will take away any sense of a personal element from your posts.

It would also be beneficial to post something on social media without any hashtags once in a while. Consumers in this day and age are extremely social media savvy and will be instantly aware if your business is trying too hard to promote itself.

Hashtags are an incredibly important social media tool but they must be used cleverly and sparingly if you want to attract a more engaged subscriber base.

• Utilise Trending Hashtags

Look ahead to the coming months and see what national or global events that will be taking place. Many of these events e.g. World Vegan Day will undoubtedly become trending across social media.

If you can think of an angle where your business can become relevant to these events, then produce content accordingly and share it across your social media using the appropriate hashtag e.g. #worldveganday.

Jumping on trends will allow your business’s message to be seen by a huge audience. It enables many more individuals to see your content than just your fans and followers.

• Double Check How Your Hashtags Read

You wouldn’t believe how different words can read without any spaces between them and many PR/Marketing teams have hilariously failed as a result of this.

For example, back in 2012, when Susan Boyle released her new album, her PR team used #susanalbumparty to celebrate the event.

Surprisingly, not many read that as “susan album party” and the team quickly deleted and changed the hashtag to the more reader-friendly #SusanBoylesAlbumParty.

It would be wise to learn from this team’s mistakes otherwise you may end up on the next hashtag fails list.

• Be Unique with Your Hashtags

Using generic hashtags alone will not garner engagement. #business or #marketing will not trigger followers to share your posts or take part in a conversation in the comments.

Businesses are now using more unique hashtags to get more engagement from their audience e.g. #BrumHour.

At 8pm every Sunday for an hour and one hour only, you can network your business and creative skills with Birmingham.

It is a great example of how a unique hashtag can create engagement and a conversation and shows how creativity can initiate success.

Thanks for reading my Top 4 tips on using hashtags!

To end this blog, does anyone remember when a hashtag was called a pound sign…ah the good old days.