In the age of social media, the #hashtag is one of the most powerful tools around. It can instantly link you to other people talking about the same things, and updating like-minded people on that topic as it happens.
For small business owners, the #hashtag represents an important social media strategy. The correct tag can help drive brand recognition, boost the reach of an advertising campaign and positively impact customer loyalty. So we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts of using #hashtags, so that you can get your #hashtag game on point.

Do: be #obvious

Choose a #hashtag that is easy to remember and crystal clear.
When trying to decide which #hashtag is best to use, it’s sometimes easy to use acronyms and multi-word hashtags. The reasoning behind using obvious and simple #hashtags is simply so people know what topic you are talking about at a glance.
A good example of this has been demonstrated by the American version of the X Factor. They wanted to differentiate their show from the British version by promoting the #hashtag #XFUSA. Despite being the “official” #hashtag, fans used the much simpler #xfactor hashtag instead, and was proven to be way more popular. So sometimes the simplest, shortest and easiest is best!

Don’t: #hashtag #every #word

Overusing #hashtags will have an adverse effect on what you are trying to achieve.
Using multiple #hashtags for one post devalues the strength of the #hashtag and make each additional one more meaningless then the last! It could lose you followers and cheapen your brand’s social media reputation. It also makes the post difficult to read; so to avoid all of this, Twitter recommends a maximum of two #hashtags per post.

Do: Develop your brand under a single #hashtag

Choose a single #hashtag to speak for your brand and strengthen consumer awareness.
Whether it’s for your brand or just a specific topic you are talking about, an easy, instantly recognisable #hashtag will increase the amount of people talking about your business, and will make it easier to find on social media.

Don’t: use incorrect #hashtags

From spelling mistakes to slightly different wording; incorrect #hashtags are a no-no.
Simply put, if you mis-spell a hashtag you won’t be part of that online conversation, as your post will be linked to the hashtag you used. Same goes for hashtags which are slightly reworded; for example, if you tweet #TuesdayTravel instead of #TravelTuesday, your post will be linked to the hashtag you used, which may not be the hashtag you intended to use!
So make sure you explore which hashtags you are going to use before you post, and then check your hashtags for any spelling errors before you click send!
So that’s it for your quick round up of do’s and don’ts on Twitter hashtags!
Are you guilty of any of the don’ts? We hope not, but if you are then don’t hang your head in shame, use this blog as I guideline to your hashtag needs and we can guarantee that results will quickly follow.