Why tweet with a hashtag

Simply put, a hashtag is any word or phrase included in a tweet that starts with a hashtag symbol , which you may also know as the pound sign or number symbol.

So why do people do this? When you include a hashtag in a tweet, you're basically categorizing that post. And if you select a hashtag, you'll see other posts that have used it. Since then, the use of hashtags, their reach, and their effectiveness has only grown. Hashtags are a way to connect social media content to a specific topic, event, theme or conversation. Hashtags are effective on other social media platforms too.

Find more details on how to use hashtags for each platform below. Including hashtags in your posts means taking part in a conversation happening on that social media platform. And most importantly, it makes your posts visible in that conversation. Creating a branded hashtag can be an effective way to promote your business and drive conversations. It has universal appeal, and was one of the most-used hashtags by Canadians in the first half of WeTheNorth pic.

This contest encouraged followers to purchase Cheerios products and also spread awareness of the brand by posting photos on social media. Find a heart inside your Cheerio and share it using the hashtag CheeriosHeartHuntSweepstakes for a chance to win cash prizes. For example, the Canadian telecommunications company Bell uses the branded hashtag BellLetsTalk to promote mental health awareness.

Double T Ranch integrates horses into therapy to support those recovering from addiction and trauma. Learn more. You have characters , to be exact. Same with Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn or any other platform—sometimes less is more. Using the Apollo50th hashtag was part of its digital campaign. Hashtags contextualize this creative Tweet, making it clear that NASA is celebrating both the anniversary and taking part in the World Emoji Day conversation.

On Linkedin and Instagram, users can follow hashtags as well as other users. Using a few popular hashtags can be another way to help new users find your brand.

For example, if you use travel on your Instagram posts, someone who follows that hashtag will see your recent post in their feed.

You might gain some new followers this way. When working with brands, influencers have to let their audiences know that a piece of content is sponsored. Failure to comply can result in high fines for both the influencer and the brand. Brands: make sure that you look for such hashtags when reviewing and accepting influencer content.

A post shared by Jessica-Sara Morris jessicasaramorris. For example, the hashtag followme has more than million posts on Instagram. For example, throwbackthursday or flashbackfriday or other daily hashtags can be fun ways for your brand to join a wider social media conversation. As of June , some of the most popular Instagram hashtags of all time include:.

How to Choose a Hashtag from the Twitter blog includes a flow chart that will help you hone in on the best types of hashtags to use for your brand.

How to Get Discovered on Instagram has tons of great tips for using hashtags and mentions to help your audience find you on the app. Need some help brainstorming relevant hashtags? Check out Hashtagify. Other hashtag research tools include:. The best practices mentioned above are also relevant for other social media platforms including Facebook, Pinterest , and TikTok.

Be sure to include hashtag research in your overall social media strategy to help categorize your posts and make them discoverable by your target audience. Using hashtags and mentions thoughtfully will increase engagement on your posts, help you get noticed within your niche, and help you develop relationships with others in your industry.

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