They’re late to the party but following the footsteps of Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+. Pinterest, Instagram etc Facebook finally has hashtags.
A quick explanation of how hashtags work: Hashtags act as an anchor for a conversation. If you’re posting about the tennis at Wimbledon then adding #Wimbledon adds your update to the conversation. If you want to read about a subject then simply click a hashtag and all posts (tweets on Twitter) will be displayed on a single page. They’re are a great way to follow breaking news, event updates and conversations around pretty much any subject and interest.
It will take a while for users to get to grips with hashtags on Facebook but here are a few tips of how you can use hashtags to market your business on Facebook.
1) Use them! – Might seem obvious but as they’re new and not that visible at the moment it’s easy to forget. Try using the same hashtags you use on Twitter on get you going. Using hashtags regularly on your Facebook Page will help you show up in Facebook and Google Search results.
2) Use Facebook Search – Use Facebook Search to find hashtags that are in use and relevant to your business. Facebook Graph Search continues to be rolled out and is much more powerful search than its predecessor. It will help you find people, brands, prospects and competitors. Find out more about Graph Search – How your business can benefit from Facebook Graph Search.
3) Add to Facebook Ads and in Promoted Posts – Make the most of a hashtag you’re using for a campaign or an event by using in Facebook Ads. If you’re encouraging people to use a hashtag on flyers, posters, screens or in emails then remember that they’ll now work on Facebook as well as Twitter. You can further promote their use in Facebook Ads –
4) Understand hashtag URLs – Just like Twitter, Facebook has a unique URL for every hashtag. To follow the conversation around #SocialMedia on Facebook you can use http://www.facebook.com/hashtag/socialmedia. On Twitter you would use http://twitter.com/#socialmedia. Publishing a hashtag URL is an easy way to direct people to a conversation around your event, campaign or any topic of interest.
5) Join the conversation – Follow hashtags on Facebook to find questions to answer thereby demonstrating your expertise and raising awareness of you and your business.
To keep up to date with Facebook changes and how your business can benefit come along to my quarterly Social Media Forum in Cheltenham. The next one is Wednesday 18 July – info and booking.