Hashtags are everywhere. In just the past few years, the simple symbol has transformed and is now heavily incorporated into various facets of our lives. Don’t believe me? Take a minute to read through this short list of hashtags, determine how many you recognize and then consider where you’ve seen them.
#YesAllWomen, #TBT, #NoFilter, #ALSIceBucketChallenge, #LetItGrow, #DENvsSEA,#IfIWasInCharge, #yoga, #SaveTheTatas, #inspiration, #OOTD, #letsdolunch, #bendgate, #BringBackOurGirls, #NeverForget, #mindyproject, #Ebola, #YesWeCan, #CSURams, #MotivationMonday, #NetNeutrality, #nature
See? Hashtags have been incorporated into network television shows, commercials, advertising, fundraisers, movie promotions and sadly, even everyday vernacular. While off topic, it is imperative to note that there is an entire generation that only knows this diverse symbol as a “hashtag” – what happened to tic-tac-toe boards and phone numbers?
Inevitably and still surprisingly, the hashtag has transformed into a thing of beauty and power. As you can see from some of the well-known hashtags above, these recognizable phrases have the power to go viral. Now, with the growing popularity of Twitter and the ever-changing algorithms on Facebook, mastering the hashtag is a mandatory part of digital marketing.
As I’ve mentioned, the hashtag is powerful – it instantly links a social media post to a group of other posts regarding the same topic and alerts users on that topic. Talk about power in numbers! For small businesses, a unique hashtag can help drive brand recognition, boost the reach of an advertising campaign and help impact customer loyalty.
While the hashtag can transform a marketing campaign, using it incorrectly is not going to help at all. It’s important to do some research on effective hashtags and never overuse the powerful symbol. #Truth
