#Hashtag Marketing – Learn How to Use Hashtags Without Being #Annoying
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Hashtags are like a new social media language on the internet these days. They started on Twitter, then they moved to Instagram, now you can use them on Google+, Facebook and almost every other social media site. There are a lot of people who hate them, and for good reason. Because there are plenty of people who use them the wrong way and annoy everyone!
Too much use of anything will annoy people and completely defeat the original purpose of it and such is the case with Hashtags.
What Are Hashtags Actually For?
Hashtags were first introduced as a way for Twitter users to keep track of the conversation around certain topics. Every time you place a # in front of a word or phrase with no spaces, it gets hyperlinked. When you click that link, you are taken to other “Tweets” with the same # and therefore Tweets about the same topic.
They work in much the same way with all the other social media sites that use them, which is almost all of them. Instagram and Pinterest are a little different in that they just show you other pictures that users have attached the same hashtag to.
Hashtags Can Be An Effective Marketing Tool
Marketers have made use of hashtags to promote their products and events ever since they were introduced on Twitter. It is a very effective way to get your content seen by more people.
Hashtags completely loose their effectiveness and annoy people when you use them too often or in the wrong way. But if you are using it to draw people who are looking for something on a certain topic, they can bring you more exposure.
The best way to use hashtags is to keep them short, readable, and relevant. You should never use more than 3 hashtags in one post, no matter what site you are using. It’s also important to make sure you are only using them on sites that actually hyperlink them to similar content.
You Look Dumb When You Use Hashtags the Wrong Way
Don’t worry, most of us have done it at least once. I personally have been guilty of using hashtags inappropriately. However, I have since learned how to use them the right way. Here are some DO NOTs for hashtag use:
-Do not make hashtag sentences that no one can read.
-Do not write hashtag paragraphs
-Do not hashtag words or phrases that are so unique not a single other person will use the same tag.
-Do not put more than 3 or 4 relevant hashtags in a single post.
-Do not use hashtags in every single thing you post on social media.
-Do not use hashtags if you don’t know how to use them just because everyone else is doing it.
If you are still unsure about whether you should use hashtags, the video below will clear up any confusion and emphasize what other people are thinking when you use them the wrong way. And let me just say that I #LOVE…just kidding I love Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake together, they are so funny!
“#Hashtag” With Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake
Again, let me just reiterate: If you don’t know how to use hashtags or you aren’t sure if a # would be appropriate for a post, just don’t use it. If you are excited about the idea of using it to make your marketing more effective, that’s awesome! But make sure you take the time to learn how to do it the right way, so you can be effective, not annoying.
Get More Incredible Marketing Training With Empower Network Products
If you are looking to further your marketing knowledge, there is no better place to start than with Empower Network’s suite of marketing training products. Click below to learn about each product and how it will help you learn how to effectively promote your current business and make more money.