Hashtags are used on social media sites to make it easier for users to find information about a specific topic, event, or conversation. By filtering relevant content, hashtags make it easier for users to find posts and join discussions about a particular topic. Hashtags help marketers make their campaigns more visible and reach the right people. Hashtags help you see your content and make it easier for people to find. In addition, they let you start a conversation with your supporters. In turn, this could cause your brand to seem more like you.
Although it all started on Twitter back in 2007, hashtags have become a huge marketing tool on all the major social networking sites. A hashtag allows you to group your information and make it easy to search as well as for people to find when they are looking for something specific. Hashtags are hyperlinked on each site to automatically be shown different posts with the same hashtags.
Say a customer is looking for something specific on Instagram so they go to the search area. There they are going to find the top trending hashtags where they can browse those, but they can also type #gardening into the search bar and see pictures of gardens, gardening tools, etc. So if you own a landscaping business and post your work with #gardening they will see it and if they’re looking for a landscaper to help they are more likely to stumble upon your instagram page.
As I stated already, hashtags can be used on every major social media site, aside from LinkedIn. Therefore it’s important to use them on each site. It is also important not to go overboard with the hashtags. Adding a dozen hashtags will deter the customer away. You want to focus in on one or two keywords and turn them into hashtags using the “#” in front of the word. If it’s two words such as Interior Design then you want to leave out the space “#InteriorDesign”.
Hashtags not only allow you to put your name out there and associate it with all of the things that you can provide, but they are a way to get information about your business in front of potential customers.
Here are four important reasons why hashtags are so crucial for online marketing:
Competition: Instagram hashtags help you figure out who your competitors are and what they are selling. For example, you can search for hashtags to find out your competitor’s most popular posts and which hashtags they use.
Branding: Hashtags are an important way to reach more people and raise awareness of your brand. When people search for a hashtag, your branded posts will come up, giving you a better chance of getting new followers and customers.
Visibility: The visibility that hashtags give your brand may be the most important reason to use them. When you use hashtags, it’s much more likely that people will notice your brand online.
Promotion: Hashtags are beneficial for marketing campaigns because they let you make more specific campaigns. Hashtags are like word-of-mouth marketing in that if you post a hashtag as part of a promotion, likely, your followers will also use this hashtag. A hashtag helps you connect with your followers and lets people who like the same brand connect.
Experimenting with different keywords is always a good idea as well so you can see what people respond to the most. It’s all trial and error but in the end it will bring new eyes to your business. That’s the power of the hashtag.
Hashtags are a productive and low-cost way to interact on social media, and they are an excellent option for anyone wishing to do so, whether they are starting a new business or want to get their message out there. With CXC Digital, we will help you increase your brand engagement through social media marketing.
