07 Apr 3 Reasons Why Hashtags Work
To hashtag or not to hashtag, that is the question. Well, it shouldn’t be really because the answer is quite simple – absolutely yes! Here are three reasons why using hashtags will work effectively in your brand’s favour:
Hashtags Increase Reach
They are basically search engines for social media. They connect your content with other people talking about the same thing or looking for information about a topic. By implementing them into your posts and tweets you can drive your brand’s message into multiple conversations and expand the reach of your content past your own follower-based audience. Through hashtags, users don’t have to be a follower or fan of your page to find your content in their feed. By using hashtags relative to your niche users can discover your content, products, and offers through the social media search engine that is the hashtag.
This is particularly useful on platforms such as Facebook where the network’s algorithm limits the reach of your organic content into your follower’s newsfeeds. However, the use of hashtags allows you to bypass this hurdle as users searching hashtags relative to your market will find your content in their feed. This hammers home the importance of using the right hashtags – make sure they are short, searchable and relative to your market. A good tip in order to choose the right hashtags is to search for it yourself before using it in your tweet or post. That way you can see if your potential consumers are already searching along the same lines and what hashtags are gaining traction and popularity with your market.
Hashtags Increase Visibility
By helping to continue and create conversations relevant to your brand hashtags increase your visibility as an authentic voice in your market. To further increase your visibility you should hijack trending hashtags and make them relevant to your industry.
You can also begin to create brand awareness around your product by using your own brand hashtags – for example #TeamMeraki, #MerakiMoments, #MerakiMadness or #MerakiChat. You should always test out hashtags before you use them by researching the conversations already taking place around them. You do not want to accidently associate your brand with the wrong conversation or message. By using the same hashtag on all of your social media channels it will make it easier for your brand to integrate your message as one across multiple platforms. Therefore if a consumer finds your message on Twitter they can easily track how you are cross-promoting that same message on Facebook or Instagram if you are using consistent hashtags.
Cross social branding is important as it will increase your visibility by keeping your followers familiar with your message on several social networks. More importantly they will know where to find you and track your stance on products, services and topics that are important to them. A consistent voice and message will encourage and increase the likelihood of consumer engagement with your brand online and build your authenticity as an expert in your field.
Allow You To Monitor Your Brand
Hashtags are a simple and effective way to monitor the conversation taking place around your brand as well as the conversation taking place around your market. They are a quick and easy way to gain insights and observations into what your customers want and need from the products and services in your sector.
Even if your brand handle is not being mentioned by monitoring hashtags relative to your industry you can identify what people are sharing, what they are saying about the subject and even make new connections that you might not have made before. Monitoring the conversation will also allow you to engage with followers who are sharing your brand with their networks. Through this free feedback and evaluation from the people that matter most to your brand – the consumers – you can tweak and tailor your product, services and message to meet their needs.