Why Hashtags Are So Important
Hashtags #WhatsTheDeal
With so many online communication platforms to choose from these days, finding the right way to connect with people can be tricky, especially when you have a high number of followers. Although a large audience (of your target market) will be beneficial to you, connecting to them in the right way can be more complex.
Social media is fast paced so unless you have all the hours in the day to sift through your timeline and read everything being posted, you’re not going to get the reactions and results you need. That’s where hashtags are important.
Hashtags #TellMeAboutIT
Originally created by Twitter, using the # symbol as a prefix to a word or phrase, your message can have more impact than without:
“Tweets that contain one or more hashtags were 55% more likely to be retweeted than those that did not include them. These results are based on a dataset analyzing 1.2 million tweets…. engagement can increase as much as 100%; brands could get an increase of 50%. The reason for this is because a hashtag immediately expands the reach of your tweet beyond just those who follow you, to reach anyone interested in that hashtag phrase or keyword.”
Hashtags generate immediate, live and interactive reactions and responses to specific topics. Whether you are watching your favourite TV programme, listening to a debate on the radio, connecting with your favourite pop star, promoting a product or running a campaign, the facility to hashtag will help raise awareness and target a specific need/audience.
Hashtags #WhatHappensNext
If your hashtag is effective, there is a possibility you will start trending and become readily available to view when you log onto Twitter or Facebook. The benefit of this is huge because you can ignore the need to create new messages as you will have reactions from followers and users at your disposal.
Hashtags #GetInvolved
Facebook has now got on board with the use of hashtags and trending because of the recognised impact it has. Originally this was a Twitter exclusive but the popularity surrounding such a small symbol has made other platforms realise its significance. Even Google allows you to search with a hashtag now so there really is no excuse not to get involved!
Hashtags #NoLimits
There are no limits to what you use your hashtag for or what phrase/wording you choose but make sure it’s relevant to you. Promoting away from social media and incorporating a hashtag within your material will form a discussion point and allow people to reconnect when back online.
Whether you are using email campaigns, blogs, TV/Radio advertising or billboards, the opportunity to create a hashtag is endless because it’s easier to remember so be proactive, engage, have fun and enjoy!
