Hashtag marketing is a way to increase customer engagement and interactions, and it's an excellent social media marketing strategy for brands to use on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. This article will explain what hashtag marketing is and how you can get started using it to promote your business.
What Are Hashtags?
Hashtags are keywords preceded with a "hash" symbol (#). A hashtag is used to organize social media content by topic. They're also searchable and can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.
What Platforms Use Hashtags?
Most social media marketing channels use hashtags, and they add a layer of engagement to the text, images, and videos posted on each channel.
Instagram — On Instagram, hashtags are used to group photos together. When a user clicks on a hashtag, they'll see all the posts tagged with that keyword.
Twitter — On Twitter, hashtags are used to categorize tweets and find related content. Tweets with hashtags usually get more engagement than those without them.
Facebook — On Facebook, hashtags don't have as much impact as they do on other social media channels. However, using relevant hashtags can help people who aren't connected with your business find your post.
LinkedIn — LinkedIn doesn't use hashtags the same way other social media platforms do. They're used primarily for search engine optimization (SEO).
Why Are Hashtags Important?
Hashtags are important because they help people find your content, and they also create a sense of community and allow customers to engage with your brand in a more meaningful way.
How Do Hashtags Create Community?
A hashtag is a way to create an open dialogue with customers. These hashtags might include your brand name or any relevant topic associated with your business. By creating a hashtag campaign as part of your social media marketing, you invite customers to participate in a conversation with your brand.
There are a few different types of hashtag campaigns you can run to create a sense of community:
Giveaway — A giveaway is similar to a contest, but it's less formal and doesn't require as much effort from participants. All you need to do is ask customers to post a photo using your hashtag and include a note about why they love your brand.
User-generated content (UGC) — UGC is one of the most effective ways to create a community around your brand. Ask customers to share photos or videos using your hashtag. Not only will this generate user-generated content, but it will also help customers feel more connected to your brand.
Event — If you're hosting an event, create a hashtag and encourage attendees to use it in their social media posts. This will help people who cannot attend the event stay up to date on what's happening.
Hashtag Marketing Tips
Here are a few tips for using hashtags effectively in your digital marketing strategy:
Use a mix of branded and unbranded hashtags. Branded hashtags are those that include your business name or product name. Unbranded hashtags are general keywords that aren't specific to your business. Using both types of hashtags will help you reach a wider audience.
Research which hashtags are popular on the social media channels you're using. Don't use hashtags that are too obscure or that no one will know about.
Stay on top of community management and keep track of how your hashtag campaigns are performing. This will help you determine which hashtags are worth continuing and which ones you should retire.
How Do I Measure the Success of My Hashtag Marketing?
There isn't one specific way to measure the success of the hashtags you use for your social media marketing strategy. However, here are some things you can look at as part of your community management process:
The number of impressions a particular hashtag generates
The number of times a specific hashtag has been used
How much engagement (likes, retweets, replies, etc.) a specific hashtag receives
The reach of a particular hashtag
The overall growth of your follower base
Boost Your Brand Today
Hashtags are a great way to connect with customers and create a sense of community around your brand. By using the right hashtags, you can improve the visibility of your content and increase engagement with your followers. If your business wants to implement a hashtag digital marketing strategy, contact Fifth & Cor today.