Hashtags are an effective way of communicating with your customer demographic through targeted messages. Driving your account's interactions, it’s no secret that utilising the “#” can boost your brand's reach and social media presence.
Let’s start with the basics.
What is a hashtag?
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a "#" symbol, used on social media platforms to identify messages on a specific topic. Users can search for and click on hashtags to see other messages that have been tagged with the same keyword. They can also use hashtags in their posts to make them more discoverable to others who are interested in the same topic. The use of hashtags helps users to categorise and discover content on social media platforms.
Adding hashtags to your company’s social media marketing campaign is a great way to generate awareness.
The hash symbol - previously known as the pound symbol – was first introduced to the wonderful world of social media in the summer of 2007, by Chris Messina.
Hashtags are now effective on multiple social media platforms, such as Linkedin, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags
There is no set of rules when adding hashtags to your content. However, be mindful that it may affect the interactions your post receives.
Limit the amount you use- sometimes more is less when it comes to hashtags. Try to be strategic, as too many can look spammy. Twitter has recommended no more than 2 hashtags per tweet.
Don’t add spaces or punctuation- your content won’t be seen.
Stick to hashtags that are relevant to your content- using irrelevant hashtags won’t help your content to appear to the correct audience.
Make sure your accounts are public- if your accounts are private only your followers will see your content.
Make sure to add hashtags before posting- you can add hashtags after posting. However, your post won’t surface in those feeds.
Use hashtags that are relevant to the content and not too clever- social media users won’t search for obscure hashtags- this won’t benefit your marketing as the content will be less likely to be found.
Why are hashtags important?
Hashtags help to group content and bring together like-minded individuals.
For example, on Instagram, if you’re a heating and plumbing company, using the hashtag “#Plumbing” will help accounts who follow that hashtag see your recent post in their feed.
Using hashtags can help drive online traffic to your account and boost views, likes, comments, and shares.
The secret: identify appropriate hashtags that align with your content and attract users.
Why use hashtags?
Increased visibility: Hashtags make it easier for people to discover your content on social media, which can lead to more engagement and followers.
Increased reach: Using popular hashtags can expose your content to a wider audience, as people who are searching for or following those hashtags will be more likely to see your post.
Increased engagement: Hashtags can make it easier for people to join conversations and connect with others who share their interests, leading to more likes, comments, and shares.
Branding: You can create your own branded hashtags to build awareness and loyalty around your brand.
Campaigns: You can use hashtags to organise and promote campaigns, events, or contests.
Analytics: Hashtags can help you track the performance of your content and understand how your audience is engaging with it.
Cost-effective: Using hashtags is a cost-effective way to promote your brand or content on social media, as it doesn't require a large budget for advertising.
Hashtags help with your online SEO, hashtags are essentially keywords. They add value to your SEO campaigns, by using them on social media, you can drive traffic back to your site. To read more on how keywords are important for SEO click here.
How do I find the best hashtags to use?
In order to discover hashtags tailored to your brand, field, and target audience, research is required.
Monitor and learn from influencers and competitors. Searching for influencers similar to your niche is a helpful way to find trending hashtags relevant to your brand.
Check what’s trending on social media- it may be relevant to your campaign or brand.
Hashtag generator tools.
Start your own hashtag: Starting your own hashtag is a great way to connect with your audience. Whether it’s a tagline, singular word, or catchphrase, select a hashtag that is unique, catchy, and resonates with your target audience.
It's essential to start incorporating hashtags in your social media posts if you haven't already. Despite their popularity dating back to 2007, they remain a valuable asset for your brand today.
If you require a professional to find the best hashtags and manage your entire social media presence or just need further advice, contact us on +44 (0)1202 911141 or email support@seoflatrate.co.uk.
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Updated: Oct 28, 2022
In the marketing of any kind, whether its digital form or more traditional, it is of the utmost importance to maintain and track your specific metrics. This is because tracking your metrics allows you to understand and decide your current standings, what your goal or target is, and if your current marketing strategy is working. With this information in hand, it allows you to adjust your marketing strategy if needed, it allows you to set reasonable SMART targets, and gives you the information you need to market effectively.
What are SMART Targets?
SMART targets are a goal that people often set for their business to achieve, SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. The idea is that you set a goal that is within the parameters of these criteria, so by tracking your metrics and keeping up to date on your data you have all the information you need to devise targets and goals. By tracking your metrics, you have all the data to set goals specifically, because you know where you currently stand and what you should set your target as. Your metrics also allow you to make the target achievable because you can review your past numbers and metrics and that can lead you to decide on a target that is achievable and realistic. Additionally, the fact that you have metrics and are actively tracking them makes the goal of being measurable very easy because your metrics are measurable and you can see clearly if you hit your target, fell short, or overperformed and you can adjust your next SMART target accordingly. Tracking your metrics can also ensure that your targets are relevant to your company’s priority as you can analyse your metrics to decide which metric or what combination has the most correlation to your overarching goal. They also allow you to set a realistic time period for your SMART target because you can see your previous growth or statistics and how in what time period it was done, so you are more well informed to set a deadline that is realistic and achievable.
Now that you can see that just one of the benefits to tracking your metrics is being able to set SMART targets and make sure that they ascertain the criteria of SMART and in turn give your business or client some realistic and beneficial targets with all of the due diligence performed. For more information on how to use SMART Targets, click here.
Is Tracking Metrics Important?
Yes, there is a multitude of reasons why tracking your metrics is essential to any form of marketing, one example is the fact that you need to see what the work you have been carrying out is doing, whether it is negatively impacting, or the growth has been impressive? The only way to determine this is through tracking your metrics because you can see the gains and losses in many mediums and decide if your current work is beneficial, pointless, or even harmful. “Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed” Dan Zarrella pointed out that marketing without tracking your metrics and data is nearly impossible because you cannot see where you are, where you have been, and where you are going.
Data being important is quite evident, but there are ways to make the most of your data and metrics and you can compile quite effective spreadsheets with your data, giving you a lot of insight. You can learn to recognise certain trends and other behaviours and you can start to understand the early signs that your marketing is working or not working. Along with this understanding comes the ability to identify who is visiting your website, where they come from, and how long they are staying on each page, through this you can surmise the exact reasoning that you saw a steep increase or decrease in page views and click through rates.
Should you Track Social Media Metrics?
If you are running ads on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other major ad networks such as Bing ads and Google Adwords, then you need to track their performances accurately. The only way to do this is by tracking your data, there is no point in running ads if you have no idea which are successful and which are a waste of money. Furthermore, bringing all of these elements together, and tracking your metrics allows you to create a customer-centric product where tracking your marketing campaign allows you to understand exactly what your target customer expects from your product/services and see what works. This is paramount because you can easily spend a heavy amount on your marketing promotion, but it will be nigh on impossible to sustain your business with a poor product or service. This is why understanding and tracking your metrics lets you understand who is interested in your product and from there you can do competitor research to see what works for other people in your niche and combine all this information to streamline your product or service into the best product it can be, all from tracking data and metrics.
Related to this article is the Remarketing article
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OMG, the 2019 SEO Flatrate 'Christmas Tree Bonanza' is back!
It's Christmas and boy did it come round fast this year and we have been chased yet again for our Christmas offers and as in every year before this one, we will of course be running the SEO Flatrate Christmas Tree Bonanza!
Last year was again a successful Christmas tree bonanza, with over 90 applicants looking to win the main prize and to cash in on a free £170 SEO Flatrate Search Engine Optimisation service for their online business. Last years prize was won by the Bournemouth based Drone Service Company "Drone Services Dorset".
For all those who have never heard of the SEO Flatrate Christmas Tree Bonanza, it is now time for you to pull your socks up and pay attention :-).
If you dont own your own business maybe you know of someone with an online business who is desperately looking to get noticed on the Search Engines this will make a fantastic Christmas present!
So what is The SEO Flatrate Christmas Tree Bonanza you ask?
Well, it is all a bit of fun and games to be honest, we have all heard of "Where's Wally" right? Well instead of hunting down Wally, this time you are hunting for the SEO Flatrate Christmas tree.
So where have we hidden the Christmas tree and can anyone take part??
Well, this year as every other year, we have taken the time to hide an SEO Flatrate "Christmas tree" somewhere on our website! We won't tell you where it is, then that would be cheating right!
The winner can be a person or a company, all you need to do is to tell us exactly where the Christmas tree is hidden on our website. The winner takes it all here at the Christmas Tree Bonanza and we will put all applicants in to a hat and pick one lucky winner, the results will be announced on our social media platforms in January 2020!!
Anyone can take part, you don't need to be a customer the rules are simple and very rewarding for anyone who needs Search Engine Optimisation for their website, blog or video.
What is SEO?
Please take a look at some of our other blogs or simply click here to find out more about how SEO can help you grow your business and drive more potential customers to your website.
How do I notify you when I have found the SEO Flatrate Christmas Tree?
Simply contact us, letting us know who you are and where the Christmas tree is hidden, we will reply in the New Year and let you know that we have received your suggestion.
The winner will be announced on our social media accounts in the week of 6th of January 2020.
So without further delay, let the 2019 SEO Flatrate Christmas Tree Bonanza games begin!
