How To Harness The Power Of The Hashtag As An Entrepreneur

This article I found has some great information about social media and why you should be using hashtags. Even if Twitter, Facebook, and the like might not seem important to you, they can really help your brand or business be seen.

Today’s entrepreneurs have to start businesses in a culture of intense social media activity. In case you haven’t noticed, this social media thing is kind of a big deal.

One thing that every social media platform has in common is hashtags. The hashtag, that  ubiquitous pound sign followed by a keyword, are part of the language of social media. Who better to use hashtags then entrepreneurs?

Why should I use hashtags?

First, let’s get this out of the way. Should you use hashtags? Why? What good is going to come of it?

Thankfully, there’s plenty of research on the art and science of hashtags. Take these reasons into consideration.

• Hashtags are universal. Anyone on the social network can view it, click it, and explore.
• Hashtags create engagement. Anyone who clicks a hashtag trail can see your hashtag, your profile, you. Your influence extends outside the boundaries of your own followers.
• Tweets with hashtags get two times more clicks, retweets, favorites, and replies than tweets without hashtags.
• Hashtags are an opportunity. In spite of their proven ability to attract greater engagement, only 24% of all tweets contain hashtags.

Hashtags are a simple, honest, and explosive way to increase your engagement as an entrepreneur.

Where should I use hashtags?

Every major social media platform allows hashtags, so you can use them anywhere you want. Here are some insider tips for each platform.

• Facebook – Hashtags are still trying to catch on. Most Facebook users aren’t used to pressing the # key. Don’t let this keep you from using them! 1-2 hashtags is about right. Any more than that, and you’ll start to lose engagement.
• Pinterest – Hashtags work in the Pin description only, and the hashtag searchability is pretty limited.
• Google GOOGL +0.43%+ – Using hashtags is a must. The great thing about Google+ is that you can use hashtags in your comments and in your posts, which gives you double the engagement power. Google+ is highly favorable towards hashtags, since they build them directly into the search functionality, and provide a hashtag sidebar featuring other hashtagged posts.
• YouTube – Hashtag power is limited. You can definitely use them, but most of the engagement happens in comment threads.
• Twitter TWTR +0.00% – Twitter is the mother of all hashtagging social media platforms. Hashtag to your heart’s content. Virtually nothing is off limits. Keep in mind that the sweet number of hashtags is two. Hashtag any more than that, and you’re going to diminish your engagement. By the way, if you’re using sponsored Tweets (ads), don’t use hashtags since they can distract from your CTA.
• Instagram – Go all out with Instagram hashtags. The highest Instagram engagement comes to posts having 11 or more hashtags.

Source: How To Harness The Power Of The Hashtag As An Entrepreneur - Forbes