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How to Best Capitalize on
Using Hashtags
If you use Twitter, which most marketers do, the letters that
preceed the # sign in a tweet are known as hastags. These hashtags
are used to increase Twitter results, and here are a few tips on how to
maximize their use.
First, interestingly enough, Twitter didn’t actually invent hastags,
rather, a user did, more pointedly, Chris Messina. He envisioned a way for different people to follow other
users with similar interests. The identifying marker was the letters
after the # sign.
They can be used to group tweets into a category or to add originality to a tweet. The latter is why most
individuals use hashtags.
For example, a person looking to follow the happenings of Japan Earthquakes that took place last year could get up to the minute
information long after traditional media outlets moved on to other
stories. With a simple Japan earthquake hashtag, as much info
as possible was easy to get.
Of course, research is best in the decision to use hastags. You need to
make sure that if it’s a marketing campaign, you’re not using a
hashtag that is already going for another event or that may have
nothing to do with your product or service. This could end up being
either wildly inappropriate or downright embarrassing, or
perhaps both.
Here are 5 tips you need to consider
when using hashtags on Twitter.
Use hashtags to monitor public opinions during a conference or
seminars. You, as an organizer, can gauge how attendees are enjoying or not enjoying themselves. It also can allow people to easily submit
questions or comments on the event as well.
Getting Event Feedback
Thanks to research from Klout, a typical tweet has a 5 hour window
where it can be its most effective at creating word of mouth results for a
product or service. By using a hashtag, studies have shown this can significantly increase the life
span of your tweets.
Reaching Out to Potential Customers
It’s easy to be long winded, but well thought out hashtags should say all
they need to in as little as one to possibly two words at the most. In some situations, you’ll need a long
hash tag to establish a category. However, in most cases, the shorter,
the better.
Brevity is Key
Your hash tag will be your calling card. People looking for your posts
will often find you via a hashtag. So, once you start using it, always use it. In addition, don’t choose your
company or brand name for a hashtag.
Be Consistent
If the people want to follow your company’s tweets, they can find them on your company’s Twitter
account. Adding this as a hashtag is just unnecessary repeated
information.
Lastly, don’t forget how to use the basics of marketing as it relates to
hashtags. Yes, you’ll want to do research to find a hashtag that isn’t already in use, and you’ll certainly
want to try out your hashtag marketing ideas out before rolling
them out to the general public.
A Strong Marketing Basics Foundation
And there is little doubt you’ll want a contingency plan in the event your
hashtag campaign doesn’t go according to plan. But, most
importantly is to understand who hashtags are for.
Hashtags are used by regular people, not primarily by advertising
or marketing types. By understanding this, sticking with the
tips mentioned above, and a little creativity, you and your business could benefit greatly from using
hastags in twitter postings.