What are Hashtags in Social Media

Hashtags are commonly found on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Tinder. These tags are famous nowadays. Hence, you will be able to find them near hot trending topics found on any social media site. In addition, others use #hashtags as a social media marketing tool. It is capable of going along any word or sentence you write at any social media platform.

Examples of #Hashtags Used as Marketing Tools

• #PutACanOnIt – Red Bull
Red Bull won the shorty award for “Best Use of a #Hashtag”, Inspired by a photo taken from twitter.
• #ShareACoke – Coca Cola
Another good example is Coca Cola. It successfully turns this into a #hashtag campaign by encouraging drinkers to Tweet their own stories with the #hashtag #ShareACoke. For example, submitting a bottle or can with the name of the name of the famous celebrity in it, you get the chance to share the coke with that celebrity!
• #OreoHorrorStories – Oreo
The company with a fantastic social media presence outdid itself. It created the most fun and unique Halloween #hashtag of all time. The cookie company used Vine (a social media app) to create quick Oreo-themed parodies of popular horror films!
Businesses can use #hashtags for a variety of reasons. It can use by a community, it can be a great tool for networking, lead generation and more. Hence, businesses may choose to create their #hashtag for a number of reasons, including:
• Encouraging event participants to use social media apps
• Hosting a Twitter chat
• Hosting an online Q&A
• To promote a product launch such as a smartphone launch
• To show support for a charity or cause
Although #hashtags can lead to a successful campaign engagement on social media, they also require a lot of work to maintain. Hence, here is a few do’s and don’ts to remember when creating a successful marketing tool.

The DO’s

Be specific. You do not want your hashtag to be too similar to any other hashtag out in the market.  You might risk it being lost alongside thousands of similar hashtags.

• Different platforms will have a different hashtag.
• Relevant and unbranded hashtag are a better way for your tag to gain fame and a wider audience than focusing it on a relevant topic of the day or for the coming week.

The DON’Ts

• Prevent long or clever hashtags. It should be something that attracts the audience, or easy for them to use it.
• Hashtags should not be more than words basically this, for example, how would the audience relate to a hashtag like this #24&4Sickness. Complete gibberish in hashtag standards.
• Do not hashtag everything as you would put-off any reader right away.
Though hashtags have been somewhat stigmatized in the market and popular media, they really do play a crucial part in market campaigns. They give users the ability to categorize their own social posts and update, making it easier for potential customers and clients to find content relevant to what they are interested in the market.