This video, while funny, shows how the overuse of hashtags can make your content (aka conversations) irrelevant. However, the prudent use of hashtags can help your content be found. How? Several ways:
- Grab a hashtag for your company. For instance: #PeakDynamics — not only the business name but a great hashtag if we want people to find us online and have them quickly recognize our brand. Does your business name or a portion of your mission statement lend itself to a hashtag? Our blog manager/editor, Robbi Hess uses #AllWordsMatter –– it’s her business name and a hashtag that quickly lets followers know what her social media updates will likely encompass.
- Using a hashtag when you’re writing about a trending topic could bump your content in the search engines. Don’t use a trending hashtag if it doesn’t fit your brand. For example, even if #dogsincostumes was trending, it doesn’t make sense with our brand to use it — unless we were having a Halloween costume contest for our dogs.
- Use your hashtag off line in your marketing efforts. If your clients don’t know the hashtag you’re using and aren’t currently following you online, having your hashtag in your offline marketing materials may help you and your content get found.
Bottom line. Hashtags are a way for you to cut through the online noise. If you want to connect with your clients and potential clients, tell them to use your company hashtag as a way to find all that you’re doing on line. Note, though that hashtags work best on Twitter and Instagram; even though people use them on other social media platforms Facebook and LinkedIn don’t really allow users to effectively search them.