#Hashtags, an aesthetic nuisance in #posts, are fast becoming a mainstream stamp in social media platforms with the addition of #Facebook to the #Twitter, #Pinterest, #Instagram, #YouTube #Google+, #Vine, #Path, and #flickr channels. For newbies to this sometimes #spammypromotion , a hashtag is a keyword or phrase with the prefix “#” out in front. The words directly following can be compressed together or independent.
Why use a hashtag? The hashtag acts as a filter that allows posters to see all responses that have included that specific word or phrase in the conversation. This is a fun way to interact about topics just between friends or perhaps share your viewpoint on world news with complete strangers. But this is where it gets really interesting from a business perspective: You can track the activity across all of the above-named social platforms. Businesses are now able to judge how well a promotional campaign is working or review consumer opinion about their brand. These symbols open the barriers for small businesses to launch any campaign imaginable. For example, you could send followers online discount codes for including a hashtag in their posts.
There are also new tools like Tagboard, which allow you to track a hashtag across all the major networks or filter them individually. Now you can publicize your #service and engage customers with your #OrganicConversation across all platforms without having to create special landing pages or campaigns. Since the hashtag can be your own brand or product, you can easily filter through the static of the masses.
Hashtags continue to burgeon while more businesses find creative ways to incorporate them into their business model. In February, American Express announced a new program, Amex Sync, that allows cardholders to make purchases by using hashtags.
Although we may see tweaking and morphing of the hashtag as the year rolls on, one thing is for certain – hashtags are here, you just need to figure out what to or not to do with them.
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