what the heck is a hashtag? and why should i care?
DESCRIPTION
When you see a #hashtag show up on your social media feed does it confuse you? Annoy you? Make you wonder what it's for? Social Media Coach & Strategist, Kathy Sipple, led this 30-minute presentation to take the mystery out of their use, followed by a help session and a Q&A period for those with additional questions. The video of the webinar is available on demand for a limited time at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/157544359TRANSCRIPT
What the heck is a #hashtag? And why
should I care? Presented by Kathy Sipple @kathysipple
#msmcoach www.mysocialmediacoach.com
● CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) at My Social Media Coach
● Social Media Training & Strategy● 25+ Years Sales & Marketing● Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certified● Author, Podcast Host of “Socially Speaking”● Conscious Evolutionaries Golden Innovator Award● @kathysipple on Twitter
Kathy Sipple
#msmcoach @kathysipple www.mysocialmediacoach.com
A word or an unspaced phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) used to identify messages on a specific topic, a form of metadata.
Clear? Maybe, maybe not...
Hashtag Definition
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● 1960’s: 12-key phone introduced, # and * added. Phone employees wanted to call # ‘octothorpe’.
● 1968: the word ‘metadata’ was coined.● 1970’s: information technology to highlight a special
meaning or to denote immediate address mode.● Aug. 2007: @chrismessina introduced hashtags on Twitter.● 2012 American Dialect Society names hashtag word of year.● June 2014: English Oxford Dictionary added ‘hashtag’.
Recent history context...
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● 14th century: abbreviation for libra pondo or “pound by weight” > lb with a bar over it > #
Origin
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Isaac Newton’s elegant scrawl may be the missing link!
● Number sign● Pound sign● Sharp symbol (in music)● Square (international telecommunications)● Octothorpe (cartography)● Gate (computing)● Hash mark
Hashtag, aka:
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W.I.I.F.M.?What’s in it for me? Why should I care?
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● Collates all ideas under one thread
● Saves you from running through thousands of random messages searching for what you want
● Makes it easier for searchers to find you too!
More targeted user experience
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● Shorthand (saves time, effort and characters)● Gateway into specific topics of conversation● Enables connection● Can be used to brand your message● Potentially amplifies your signal, broadens your
reach● Can add humor or tone to messages
Specific benefits:
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An exampleOne of the best ways to explain hashtags is
to look at how chaotic things could be without them...
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When will South by Southwest V2Venture winners be announced? (60 characters)
vs.
When will #SXSWv2v winners be announced? (40 characters)
Let’s look at an example:
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● Heavily branded. Website: www.sxswv2v.com also a Twitter account @sxswv2v.
● Event organizers share hashtag with attendees when they register & encourage use and sharing.
● Attendees (in person and even virtual) value connection to one another and to the event.
● It’s short and it’s unique.
What makes this example work well?
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Getting Started: Should I create a hashtag?
Or use one that already exists?
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● Want to show humor or personality?● Building your own brand, differentiating
yourself, launching a long term campaign?● Trying to connect with others interested in
the same topic, event, etc.?
Consider your objectives
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Humor, fun
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The style is fun and engaging, relies a lot on visual content. Not as concerned about others adopting (all) the tags. Overuses hashtags on purpose.
● Search on Hashtags.org (and/or Twitter, Instagram or wherever you plan to use hashtags)
● Register for a free (or paid) account on Hashtags.org.
Do your research
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● Twitter only gives you 140 characters, need to make your point as succinctly as possible.
● Twitter example:When will South by Southwest V2Venture winners be announced? (60 characters) vs.When will #SXSWv2v winners be announced? (40 characters)
Gateway: hashtags.org
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Hashtag #Fails: Beware a few of these pitfalls
and you’ll be fine.
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Misunderstanding context
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● #Too #many #hash #tags #in #one #post! #excessive
● Use them responsibly and with intention. Usually no more than 1-3 per message.
Too much of a good thing
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● No spaces are allowed in hashtags so capitalizing the first letter of each word helps the reader with context.
● However, #Thatcher is the same as #ThatCher to Twitter.
● Again, a little research can nip this kind of problem in the bud.
Capitalization Confusion
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#Questions?If you found this training helpful and worth
sharing, please comment on Facebook, Twitter or your preferred site using our hashtag #msmcoach.
Thanks!
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