The importance of a hastag.
The hashtag wasn’t always a hashtag, before 23 August 2007 it’s was but a simple pound sign or hash. Then San Francisco born techie and former Google developer Chris Messina wrote on Twitter, “How do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp?”
And that was the start. It took some time to catch on and not everyone was convinced at first but one person tells someone else, they start using it and then so do their friends and a couple of years later we are all at it.
How to use #Hashtags to promote your business?
You will need your social media business profile set to public so that everyone, not just your fans/followers can see your post.
Then you’ll post a fantastic, eye-catching post with good quality content and add a couple of relevant #hashtags.
Using hashtags make your posts visible to basically everyone who shares an interest in what you have hash-tagged.
New blog can be found designmypost.com #hashtags #socialmedia #tips&advice
Adding a #Hashtag
To add a hashtag, all you need to do is include a # and a relevant keyword or phrase. You can insert hashtags anywhere within your text posts: beginning, middle or end.
Some people like to pop their hashtags into the middle of posts, while others prefer inserting them at the end. It doesn’t really matter, as long as your hashtags are relevant.
How many?
Hashtags are powerful way to promote your business but need to be used wisely. People don’t take notice of a hastag heavy post. Long hashtags are equally disliked and ineffective #thisHashtagissolongimnotgoingtoreadit.
Different social media platforms work most effectively with different numbers of hashtags- we wouldn’t want things to be simple!
So as a general rule;
When you tweet, keep it sweet, Don’t be long, or we’ll be gone.
On Facebook: 0ne or two good quality hashtags can work better than a large number of not so relevant ones. Choose wisely.
On Twitter: Two to three works well
On Instagram: You can go to town but don’t let the hastags get mixed up with the message, leave a few empty lines between message and hashtags or add them in a post comment.
And don’t spam. Don’t add a top trending hashtag to your tweet or post just because it’s trending. Make sure your hashtags are relevant.
But if #snowday is trending and you’re selling sledges, tag away!