Hashtags have crossed over from Twitter to Facebook. Remember when spam emails were just catching on? Email marketers would use every trick in the book to get you to open their email. Hashtags can have a similar "spammy" look to your posts on Facebook if you're not careful. So, how can you best harness hashtags for your brand?
1. Be Relevant
Hashtags are best used when they're specific to your brand. Remember, the hashtags you use can then be clicked upon by your audience. So, be sure to tag posts with words you want your brand associated with.
- Investigate industry-related hashtags
- Think about obvious connections
- Do a quick search before you tag your post - be sure you want to be associated with the content that's presented in the search results.
How to - If you're a local restaurant and it's 90 degrees outside, you could post a shot of your trademark dessert along with the hashtag's #dessert #icecream #summer.
Here you've used relevant terms customer's can associate with your restaurant/dessert. At the same time, you haven't narrowed the hashtags down so much that no one in their right mind would search Facebook for those terms. You've hit the hashtag sweet spot!
2. Easy Does It
Hashtags seem to be like potato chips: some people think you can't just use one. While one or two or even three hashtags may best fit with your Facebook post, remember to value your reader's time. A post with way too many hashtags is annoying to read. Most likely, your readers will just scroll away from whatever you've just shared.
- Try not to use more than three hashtags
- Only use hashtags with obvious connections to what you post
How to - That local restaurant with a photo of their dessert shouldn't use every summer and dessert-related tag they can think of: #ilovesummer #dessertisthebestpart #savedthebestforlast. If you find yourself tagging posts like you're a proud scrapbook Mom, it may be time to step away from the keyboard
Instead, keep your tagging to a limit of three. Remember, your business page should be enjoyable for your audience to read. It should not be a brag-fest or so convoluted that it becomes an annoyance.
3. Be Consistent
If you've begun using a hashtag on your page, try to use it consistently. That way, your audience will be familiar with it and more apt to click on it to view all of your posts (as well as other public posts) with that tag.
- Keep a short list of regularly-used hashtags
- Be on the lookout for other relevant hashtags to add to your list
- Use the same hashtag across platforms--Google+, Instagram and Twitter
How to - Your local restaurant could use the same hashtags all summer long to feature your desserts. Maybe post a different dessert each week using a few of the same tags: #summer #dessert and one specific tag, if relevant: #chocolate.
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Hashtags are just one more way to make your posts fun and relevant on Facebook. Give them a try on your brand's page and then tell us how it goes! https://www.facebook.com/DMIStudios
