I just completed setting up a Twitter account with custom background for one of my clients, and in preparing his Twitter to-do list, I realized I’d never blogged about Twitter #hashtags – an often overlooked Twitter function.
What Are Twitter #Hashtags?
To quote our friends over at Mashable, "Hashtags are essentially a simple way to catalog and connect tweets about a specific topic. They make it easier for users to find additional tweets on a particular subject, while filtering out the incidental tweets that may just coincidentally contain the same keyword." (click the thumbnail for real-time results of the hashtag search #patrickswayze)
Because Twitter users search hashtags for content from people they don’t follow, using hashtags gives you another way to reach out to more people, as well as communicating your message to your current followers. Just be sure, though, that your hashtags are relevant t your topic, your site, or your business. Some spammers use popular hashtags (think: #MichaelJackson) just to get to the top of search results. Don’t do it.
Hashtags are an excellent (and effective) way to tracking conversations in topics of interest. For example, if you’re doing a survey of popular questions or posts about your industry, use Twitter Search to monitor topics and conversations.
An Effective Use of Your Own Hashtag
Create a hashtag for your business or your personal brand. This allows you to search for your hashtag to see what’s being said about you AND gives you the opportunity to spread your brand. For example, if you sell DVDs, you could tweet something like t
his:
"What artist is most overrated? Tweet using #jacksdvds for a chance at winning your choice of a free DVD."
Twitter Desktop Client for Tracking Hashtags
I personally use TweetDeck – - a desktop software that allows me to run several columns, including columns that I’ve set up to track certain hashtags. I strongly recommend TweetDeck. (By the way, it’s free)
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{ 1 comment }
Groovy tips. Many thanks.