Hashtags are like relationships; they direct you to a conversation that you want to have. These conversations generally occur on social media platforms and require audiences to listen, join in, and interact. Hashtags have become some of the most interesting, yet trendy, conversation starters that social media has invented. But how do hashtags build value, and what tools are available to ensure they are effective?
Hashtags are imperative when building these relationships by using the pound symbol on your keyboard, which looks like this # followed by a word or phrase. When on your laptop or computer, all you need to do is press the shift key and hold it down while tapping on the number 3 at the top of the keyboard. When on your phone or iPad, tap the “123” button in the bottom left corner, and it will take you to the symbols’ side of the keypad.
This symbolic hashtag’s foundation was first brought to use for Twitter on August 23, 2007, by Chris Messina. However, the original concept came from internet chat rooms and message boards. You use these hashtags in tweets to bring people to your profile or page. Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms use them for organizational purposes, which helps direct users to your posts.
Whatever community or topic you want can be found with hashtags; however, there are correct ways to use hashtags. Do not put spaces, punctuation marks, or symbols in the hashtag or between the # and the first word – e.g., #maennchemarketing. You will also want to ensure you put a space between two or more hashtags - #maennche #maenncheservices #maenncheresources. It would be best if you used these rules to ensure that people can find your hashtags. Otherwise, they won’t.
How Do Hashtags Add Value?
Let’s talk about the value of hashtags and why they are necessary. When it comes to branding and social media marketing, you must understand the purpose of why you should use them. Here is a list of the top reasons you should ‘hashtag’ on your social media posts.
Expansion
Hashtags used in your social media posts help expand your audience, your niche community, and your business. By using hashtags, your post or message will expand because the number of people or the traffic searching for your popular content on social media will be directed to your page. This directed traffic is also called organic traffic, and it is important to help like-minded people find you. Make your content more appealing and expand your business by using content-related hashtags and posting the right content at the right time with the right hashtags.
Branding
It will help if you promote your brand with hashtags. Affiliate marketers use a unique hashtag to sell a particular product. So, by using specific product hashtags like #nike, #maennchemarketing, or #romcomauthors, you connect with people purchasing these specific products or brands.
Networking
No matter which platform you use, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc., the functions of hashtags are pretty much the same. Using hashtags makes it way easier for your audience and communities to find you and for you to find them.
For example, if you are promoting a travel blog and you want to include as many people on social media as you can, then you would want to use a broad hashtag such as #travel.
Another example, for a specific content niche such as marketing on a more professional platform like LinkedIn, you would want to use #marketing.
Now, with that being said, you need to ensure that the content of your social media post is specifically related to whatever hashtag you use. Using #travel or #marketing at the end of your post lets the audience know what exactly your post is about, and people will pay more attention.
Tracking
Tracking is based on algorithms and the audience. An algorithm is a function that maps data. If your LinkedIn post has the word “marketing” in your text, your audience may see your post, or they may not. However, if you have the hashtag #marketing, your audience will find your post based on the data mapping. This is how people find you.
Hashtags are money; they are a type of currency. You’ve heard the saying, ‘here’s my two cents,’ right? Well, if your hashtags are worth two cents and you drop a hashtag 100 times, you’ve essentially dropped $2.00. That’s why tracking hashtags is so important, especially if you want people to purchase items from you specifically.
Engagement
Studies show that hashtags make your tweets 55 percent more likely to be shared by others. Without hashtags, tweets may only achieve a range of up to 23 percent. The highest interaction is seen when using 1 to 2 hashtags; the higher the number of hashtags, the less interaction you’ll see.
Tools for Tracking Hashtags
Several hashtag tools are helpful when looking for data. Hashtagify.me, Ritetag, and BuzzSumo can furnish you with hashtag popularity and the ones that are most often used. Learn from the best when sharing your posts by using well-chosen hashtags.
There is a downside of hashtags that you need to avoid, shadowbanning. Here are a few avoidance tips: avoid using banned or broken hashtags, software violating service terms, and inappropriate content. If you’ll notice, Facebook has not been mentioned. That’s because it has been proven that Facebook posts fare better when you don’t use hashtags.
The relevance of cultural trends like hashtags has expanded creative strategies for entrepreneurs, influencers, individuals, and businesses. Are you looking for a company that can bring your online presence to the next level? Are you where your customers are by making the most of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Alignable?
How Can Maennche Virtual CMO Help?
Make the most of your social media profiles with Maennche Marketing Agency. See why our service is right for you! Let’s work together to help you establish and grow your business with creative online marketing strategies that you need to be more successful and competitive.