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The Basics of Hashtags

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WHERE TO PUT THEM?

A hashtag is a type of metadata tag used on social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other micro blogging services, allowing users to apply dynamic, user-generated tagging which makes it possible for others to easily find messages with a specific theme or content; it allows easy, informal mark-up of folk taxonomy without need of any formal taxonomy or mark-up language.

THE HASH

Seen as a number sign, a US pound sign, or a hash symbol, (#), a hashtag is commonly used to highlight a particular or special word or meaning so that that particular activity can easily be seen by others looking for the exact or similar content or theme. In a simple sense, it is used to automatically classify exact or similar posts or activities for the convenience of other users.

THE FORMAT

So basically, let us say for example you want to post something on social media and you want to put emphasis on a specific topic about your post, this is where a hashtag enters the picture. You first type a hash or pound symbol preceding the topic that you want to be highlighted, making sure that it does NOT include letters with diacritics (a sign, such as an accent or cedilla, which when written above or below a letter indicates a difference in pronunciation from the same letter when unmarked or differently marked), dashes, ampersands, question marks, and other characters.

Your post will then be classified according to the topic that you have highlighted making it easier and more convenient for other users who are searching for the exact or similar topic. That is how a hashtag basically works but as simple as it sounds, there are things that you need to consider when you use a hashtag.

THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND IN USING HASHTAGS:

  • A hashtag must begin with a hash character followed by other characters.

    Some of the popular hashtags on Instagram are: #love #ootd #tbt #beauty #cute #fashion #photooftheday #selfie

  • Remember to precede the hashtag with a space.

    For example: We travelled to Portugal and Spain! #TravelGoals

  • Make sure that it does not include letters with diacritics, dashes, question marks, ampersands, currency symbols, and other special characters.

    So, typing #Beyoncé will NOT give results regarding the singer Beyoncé. You can type #Beyonce instead. Numbers and underscores are allowed though. For example: #Samoa_Travel_2000

  • The misuse of hashtags can lead to account suspensions.

    The use of too many hashtags and irrelevant hashtags can distract your followers from the important content.

  • Your brand name is NOT needed in every hashtag.

    That’s gonna be an obvious hard selling tactic on your part. Sometimes, you need to use specific hashtags to let other people share their thoughts, talk about a particular topic, and etc. It does not have to be a business promotion at all times.

Hashtags are everywhere!

These are only the basics of what a simple hashtag can do. Hashtags have become widely used and popular that it has become a staple in every social networking posts and activities.

What is a Hastag? How Important Is It?

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WHAT’S IN A HASHTAG?

You have most probably seen hashtags being widely used on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and most especially on Twitter highlighting the trending topics in the online world. The truth is: hashtags are more than just the most talked about topic. A hashtag may just be a simple number or pound sign, but it can also be a great promotional tool to boost your website and all of its content.

HOW CAN A HASHTAG BOOST YOUR WEBSITE?

  • First of all, let us start by discussing the significance of a hashtag. In the age of social media, we can say that hashtags have really been important in making posts, activities, topics more visible and accessible to online users. Since a hashtag is a symbol we affix to a topic that we want to put emphasis on, or to a topic that we want to reach thousands or millions of people locally and internationally, it has been a great tool for content creators to promote their websites or contents.
  • It is basically just typing a hash symbol preceding the topic of choice, and that’s it. When online users search for that same hashtag, or even a topic with a similar theme, your content will be categorized as one of the possible choices, allowing users to easily see your work. This increases the chance that they will click on your website and read its contents. In a simple sense, it works like an online filter, which classifies posts for the convenience of the online users. But there are a few pointers that we need to consider should we decide to use hashtags in promoting our content.

THINGS TO CONSIDER IN USING HASHTAGS

  • It is important to remember that in using a hashtag in a general sense, especially for promotional purposes, that the characters preceded by the hash symbol should not be separated by a space, there should be no spaces in between those letters or words.
  • It is also important to remember that your hashtags should be in line with your website. Of course it is common knowledge to use a hashtag that relates to the content that you want to promote. You cannot just use a hashtag that has nothing to do with your content because that will mislead the users.
  • Also, using long hashtags can be a disadvantage because using hashtags that are way too long are not too memorable to online users. That is mainly because, it can sometimes be tiring and hard to remember long phrases so as much as you can use as little words to make it easier for the users.

A NEW WAY

These are only some of the most relevant things that you need to remember if you want to use hashtags as a promotional tool for your website. Hashtags are basically a fresh way to promote your website and its contents. It allows content creators to boost their social engagement and promote their contents in the most modern and convenient way possible.

How to Effectively Use Twitter to Promote Your Website

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If most of your audience aren’t on Facebook and Instagram and you get more inquiries on Twitter, focus on getting more content out through Twitter. It’s quite different from Facebook since Twitter is considered a microblogging site. Posts are limited to 280 characters only.

Here are ways to effectively use Twitter to your advantage:

  • Use Hashtags.

  • Twitter is one first social media platform to apply the use of hashtags. Now, it seems like every social media website followed the suit even the famous Facebook! Users can look up a particular hashtag and engage with the accounts and tweets related to it. The top hashtags of the day are reflected on the home screen. You can click on the hashtags and chat with other users!

  • Tweet, tweet, and tweet.

    A tweet’s lifespan is only around 18 minutes long. If a message does not get retweeted or shared, try again. Reword each message and tweet again the content. Create tweets of the same content at least 3 times and schedule them at 3 different times also.

  • Use Twitter’s Advertise feature.

    Another way to promote is to explore the advertising function. Basing from Twitter’s business page, you have an option to promote a trend, an account, or a tweet. If you choose trend, you will be promoting a hashtag. If you are promoting an account, make sure your account details are provided. Don’t forget to add a link to your website! Promoted Trends, Promoted Accounts and Promoted Tweets. No matter which you choose, Twitter includes a Promoted icon so users know the difference.

  • Reach out to Influencers.

    On your journey, I’m sure you have people who you look up to and brands you trust. If you mention them in a blog post, share it on Twitter and mention them. It might a hit or miss, but it won’t hurt if you try. Some may choose to share your post to their followers. Thus, your post will reach new audiences!

  • Use the Right Keywords.

    Like hashtags, the use of keywords is also important. If there’s a Twitter ad campaign, they usually target accounts that uses certain keywords on their latest tweets or search queries.

  • Join Twitter Chats.

    Twitter is a microblogging website and you might wonder, “How do people chat with limited characters?” The chats are more of like an online gathering. All the participants use the same hashtag during the entire duration of the chat. Questions and answers should include the hashtag so people can easily scan through previous responses. Twitter chats are great if you want to share ideas, connect with your followers, and discuss among the group certain topics.

  • Tweets Should Be 120-130 Characters Long.

    Twitter now supports up to 280 characters, but it does not mean you have to compose message that long. Tweets that have a higher click-throughs are the shorter tweets. So, keep ’em around 120 characters.

  • Mention People.

    Interact with people especially those who reply to your posts. A simply thank you would be appreciated by them. If they ask a question, answer them. It’s a great way to ask/answer without having to compose an email. Most companies provide customer support on Twitter and they are just one tweet away. Users get immediate response about their concerns.

  • Tweet when Your Followers are Online.

    Make sure your audiences are awake to see your tweets. You will have more followers that will retweet your posts.

  • Schedule Your Posts.

    This is related to the tip above. If you realize that most of your followers are online late at night, you don’t have to stay up all night to share your content. You can schedule tweets ahead of time using Tweetdeck. Schedule the same content at 3 different times and dates.

  • Add a “Click to Tweet” Button.

    Once you know that most of your website visitors are from Twitter or are using Twitter, make it easier for them to share your blog posts by adding a Twitter button. They will just have to click the button and then, they will be redirected to Twitter to send their tweet.

  • Share Your Reaction.

    Twitter is not a place for automated messages. People there add a personal touch. You should also share your personal reactions to popular posts. You could also appreciation posts from time to time. Give a shout out to your loyal followers!

How to Use Twitter the Right Way

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Twitter Tips & Tricks

With over 313,000,000 active users, Twitter is one of the most popular social media websites now. It boasts a total of 1 billion unique views per month to different sites with embedded tweets. Twitter is a helpful marketing tool to share your brand, to acquire new followers, and to create that community of people with similar interests. What do you need to do to make your tweets visible to most people? How to use Twitter to its fullest potential? Just follow these easy tips:

  • Use hashtags. 

    Twitter is famous for its hashtags. Now, even Facebook supports hashtags. A hashtag is a phrase – spelled without spaces and with a pound sign in the beginning – used to identify messages on a particular topic. If you want to share your opinion, reaction, or even a blog post, use the appropriate hashtag. Tweets with hashstags have a higher chance of getting interactions including replies and retweets. For example, #PrayforLondon and #PrayforMachester. These topics are timely and relevant. People talked about the recent horrible events in the UK. All important updates regarding the tragedy included the specific hashtags. Twitter users from all over the world sent their messages of encouragement and sympathy.

  • Engage with your followers.

    This is the most neglected strategy. Do not just post updates. You will lose followers if you do not engage. Twitter is a place for you to have that one-on-one conversation with your customers. You have to start tweeting and interacting with people. Make it personal. I do not mean you click every follow button. You need to observe the activity of the Twitter users. Encourage people to shop by retweeting positive reviews. A celebrity tweet mentioning your brand can definitely give you a boost. You can also retweet interesting articles, tweet humorous posts, have a giveaway, ask questions, reply to queries. Once you interact with one user, it will have a ripple effect. Your followers can join in and reply too! The more interactions you have, the more noise you create. Thus, more people will follow your account.

  • Get peoples’ attention by using visuals. 

    Another unique things about Twitter is that on the compose a tweet window, you can insert a GIF or series of animated images. Tweets with images tend to get more retweets and interactions. When people can relate to the GIF, or they find it comical, they will most likely share it by retweeting. Other things you may attach: product images, inspiring quotes, creative videos. This is not Facebook where you can type a lengthy post. Keep it short. Add images together with your tweet and link.

  • Polish your Twitter profile. 

    Give attention to every detail on your profile. People will be doubtful with the authenticity of your profile if the details are incomplete. Use your company logo as your picture and header photo. Add your location and your official website. Link people to your main hub. You can even add important links on the bio section. Use the color palette similar to your website. Do not miss this opportunity to advertise your brand.

  • Schedule your tweets.

    Post frequently. As  I said earlier, the more you tweet, the more content gets out there. There is a higher chance for people to read your blog posts. Schedule tweets at different times. You can try to schedule one in the morning and one in the evening. I know constantly tweeting can be tedious, but the Tweetdeck app makes tweeting easier. It can help you on composing tweets beforehand and publishing them at a future date and time.

Twitter 101: Your Ultimate Guide to Twitter

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What is Twitter?

Whether you are into news, celebrities, sports, pop culture, Twitter is the place to be. A lot of famous people, brands, TV networks, establishments are here. According to Twitter, 66% of its users have found new small or medium-sized business on Twitter. It would be a shame to miss out on this pool of potential followers. Before we go to the tips on how to be successful on Twitter, let us first understand the basics of Twitter.

  • Tweet – This is what you call your Twitter post. You can include images, links, videos, to your tweets. The maximum limit of a tweet is 140 characters.

    Tip #1: Make your tweets personal. Open and honest communication is important in building trust and confidence. People do not like detached and impersonal tweets.

  • Twitter handle – This is your username. It always starts with an amphora or the @ symbol. It is your unique identifier on Twitter.

    Tip #1: Remember to choose a username that is significant to your business. Do not use a bunch of unrelated words as a username.

    Tip #2: Every tweet is limited. It is important to keep your username short and easy to memorize. Avoid making it alphanumeric unless the name of your business contains numbers.

  • Twitter profile – This is your page. You can see your picture, tweets, and bio on your profile.

    Tip #1: Complete your profile details including your picture, header photo, website link. People might think you are a bot account if you do not fill your profile.

    Tip #2: To ensure the authenticity of the profiles you will follow, make sure the Twitter profiles have a verified status. This is important especially if you are following a famous person and brand. A verified account has a blue check beside the display name.

  • Hashtag –  A hashtag is a keyword or phrase pertaining to a certain topic. You will know that a phrase is a hashtag when it starts with a # sign. Discover more about hashtags and its usage here. When you click a specific hashtag, you will see other related tweets containing the same hashtag.
  • Search –  When searching for accounts, be sure to include an @ before the username. If you are not certain of the exact username, check if there is a blue check beside the name to make sure it is not a fake account.  You can also search for a particular hashstag. Just make sure to include a # sign before  searching. The top hashtags of the day are listed on the trends section.
  • Mention –  When you interact with people, you mention them. How do you mention people? You use @ and followed by their Twitter username.

    Tip #1: People can also mention you when they want to interact. Make sure to always check your notifications tab.

  • Retweet –  A tweet you shared from other sources is called retweet. Once you retweet, it will display the original source of the tweet. People usually retweet timely stories.

    Tip #1: When people retweet your tweet, it could also mean that they can relate to it or find them interesting. If possible, include images to your tweets.

    Tip #2: Retweet a positive review of a product and thank that person by replying to the tweet. It will encourage your followers to buy your products since they saw someone who had a pleasant shopping experience.

  • Home –  This is the tab for the tweets of the Twitter accounts you currently follow.
  • Notifications – This is the tab for the tweets mentioning you. The notifications tab also includes retweets , likes, the list of accounts who followed you.
  • Block – If you block certain accounts, they cannot view your tweets and they are unable to follow you. Any mentions by these accounts, you will not be notified.

    Tip #1: Do not get me wrong. People are free to share a negative review of a product. Blocking applies when people are being offensive. Personally, I do not block people as much as possible, but at certain times, you really have to. You cannot attend to legitimate queries if you do not filter your notifications . Having been a social media assistant for quite some time, this command is helpful when people spam your account and send repeated messages.

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