#Extra, #extra, #read #all #about #it!
According to Wikipedia: A hashtag is a metadata tag that is prefaced by the hash sign, #. What was once referred to as the pound symbol has now taken on a new meaning – the hashtag.
Hashtags are an integral part of how we communicate online. On Twitter, the pound sign turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link. This allows you to organize content and track discussion topics based on those keywords. This applies on all major social media websites!
If you’ve ever seen a sentence written like this on social media: “The #quick #brownfox jumped over the #lazy #dog.”, then you’ve got a good baseline as to what a hashtag looks like.
Use hashtags relevant to the topic. Anything that appears too inauthentic or irrelevant to the message can defer users. Don’t hesitate to use hashtags to join in on conversations, such as:
Events and conferences (#WorldCup)
Holidays or celebrations (#WorldPizzaDay))
Popular hashtags for days of the week (#TBT)
General interest topics (#blogging)
Using a hashtag is a delicate art – you want to be seen as an expert on social media, but you also have a very fine line between ‘expert’ and ‘excessive’ when it comes to using hashtags. Fine tuning your message and adding a #hashtag that is relevant can be difficult.
Let’s give an example:
#ThatMan gave #Sally a #onehundred #dollar #bill in exchange for #mowing the #lawn.
The above example is distracting, but it’s a great example of using hashtags excessively. In the above sentence, I have a difficult time understanding the message, and the excessive use of hashtags is extremely distracting.
Now, let’s clean it up:
That man gave Sally a one-hundred #dollarbill in exchange for #mowing the lawn.
Short, sweet, and to the point. 😊
Think about who is in your network and what you can “hashtagify” to reach a wider audience. Are you looking to sell a product? Promote your work with the goal of getting new clients? Research on hashtag-specific websites what is currently trending, and also what other #hashtags you can use. Some great hashtag websites I personally like:
https://ritetag.com (this is a Google Chrome extension add-on)
Let me know how you use #hashtags! Thank you for reading!
