What are Facebook Hashtags?
A hashtag (on any platform) is a word with a # sign in front of it – like #AskDotty. It is a way of organizing all messages surrounding one word together. They are commonly used at large events like #SXSW. They have been used for years by Twitter, and other social media sites have added them in over time. Facebook just activated them last week.
How can Facebook Hashtags be used for Marketing?
There are several ways to use Hashtags for business. I will mention a few here – and if you have more ideas you can enter them in the comments below.
- Create a Hashtag for an event you are hosting. That is what the #SXSW tag is for. People use it while at the event for thoughts surrounding the event. People can follow what is happening at the event in real time as people use the hashtag. Later you can do a search and bring up all the conversations surrounding the event. As the host of an event this can give you ideas for making the event better next time, marketing ideas, and more. Here is a link to the Twitter results for #SXSW.
- Create your own hashtag. This is what I did for #AskDotty. It is my goal to get people that want to interact with me on FB (or Twitter, or other Social Media sites) to use this hashtag.
- Find hashtags already in use that your target market are searching on and use that hashtag in your posts. This will get you in front of an audience that is looking for your product or service but they do not yet know to look for you. If you use this tactic make sure what you are saying works well with the hashtag – otherwise it is just spam.
- Build your reputation by using hashtags that are broader than your company. Maybe you support #humanesociety or some other charity. Doing “good will” posts using charitable hashtags can get your business great visibility and build your credibility.
Feel free to add your thoughts about Hashtags and Marketing in the comments below.
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