It's all digital

Pound (#) power

It started with #Barcamp. According to ReadWriteWeb, social technology innovator Chris Messina inserted the pound sign (#) in front of Barcamp, the name of the global technology unconference gatherings, in August 2007 to bundle conversation about it. As they say, the rest is history.

Known as a hashtag, today the pound symbol is used to “mark keywords or topics in a tweet,” according to Twitter. It allows you to see trending topics, track conversations and generate awareness for your company. When used effectively, it can be an easy asset. But before you type “Shift + 3,” read the following tips for using hashtags.

Keep it simple
One tip Mashable offers for using hashtags is to keep it simple and consistent. Short hashtags are better because they’re more search-friendly. You can pair up hashtags instead of making one that’s too long. Also, make sure you’re not overusing hashtags. Mashable suggests using one or two hashtags per tweet. More than that can read “like desperate marketing, and is a sure way to lose followers quickly” (5 Ways Your Business Should Use Twitter Hashtags, Mashable, bit.ly/mashable-hashtag-tips).

One on one
The great thing about using hashtags is that it makes it simpler for users to engage with one another. The online publication Small Business Trends suggests using hashtags to find new people to follow and for jumping into conversations. For example, if you’re planning on attending Spring Trials, use the hashtag #springtrials to engage with others who are also attending. It can also be used to attract new followers to your business (10 Ways to Use Hashtags for Your Business, Small Business Trends, bit.ly/smallbiztrends-hashtag-tips).

Do it yourself
General or popular hashtags are great for reaching a wide audience, but if you want to generate more attraction for your business, coming up with your own hashtag is the best way to do so. An article published in Entrepreneur says that the hashtag should be distinctive.

Do a quick search for the hashtag you’d like to start using to make sure it’s not already being used. And once you create your own hashtag, encourage others to use it. For example, if you sell directly to the consumer, you can ask them to tweet photos of your plants in their gardens using a hashtag you created (What You Need to Know About Using Hashtags on Twitter, Entrepreneur, bit.ly/entrepreneur-hashtag-tips).
 

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