Hashtags are everywhere. We all use them but are you using them correctly in your office? In this article, we will help break down one of the most widely used trends in social media.

What are Hashtags?
Hashtags are used to identify a keyword or topic of interest. When a user adds a hashtag to their post, it is indexed by that social network and made searchable by other users around the web. When a user searches that hashtag from within that platform or Google, they’ll be redirected to a page that collects all of the posts with the same ‘hashtagged’ keyword. Once a keyword gets searched enough and picks up enough volume, the keyword will be considered as “trending”.  We’ll want to then take advantage of that momentum by linking a business name or link with that hashtag.

Learn how to hashtag properly, and you’ll take advantage of a powerful social media strategy that makes business owners big profit through very low new customer acquisition costs online.

How to Hashtag: The Do’s and Dont’s
When using hashtags consider some of these important rules:

  • DO – use the ‘#’ before your chosen keywords
  • DON’T – use punctuation or insert spaces between words or phrases: #wordsshouldallsticktogether
  • DO – leave spaces in between multiple hashtags: #AwesomeOrtho  #SmileOften
  • DON’T – use too many hashtags. Try to stick with 1-3 that make sense to your topic and avoid overkill
  • DO – copy the exact content when re-posting or re-tweeting someone else’s hashtag:
    • Example: The AAO created a hashtag for National Orthodontic Health Month; you must copy #NationalOrthodonticHealthMonth because that is the exact hashtag they are using
  • DON’T – use numbers on their own, always letters and numbers together: #no1indentistry

Make it Your Own
Many places like to use hashtags to brand their business! It’s great to create your own hashtag, as long as you have a purpose behind it. Make sure you choose one hashtag for your business brand and then keep all others as simple and unique as possible. We recommend industry specific hashtags that will be relevant to your audience. If you are a local business, use the name of your city as a hashtag as well.

What works: #BuzzyDoc #Charlotte #RewardsProgram
What doesn’t work: #BuzzyDocSoftwareCompany #WeHelpYouGetPatients #WeHelpYouRetainBusiness

Which Networks Support Hashtags?

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Google+
  • YouTube
  • Tumblr
  • Kickstarter
  • Vine
  • Flickr

Remember, the purpose of a hashtag is to make your content discoverable to a wide audience, so keep it short, sweet and to the point. The higher trending and niche hashtags you use, the better outcome you will receive!

If you need more help with how to hashtag, just visit our BuzzyDoc Help Desk and we would be happy to assist you!