If you’re new to a social network that heavily uses hashtags, such as Twitter or Instagram, you might be scratching your head in confusion whenever you see that curious “#” symbol.
What exactly is a hashtag?
A phrase without spaces, preceded by the pound sign (#) is called a hashtag and has been adopted by various social networks to attach keywords or topics to the social media post. The cool part is, social media websites use these hashtags to categorize images and posts, so when a user wants to search for a specific topic, they can easily find related posts or images.
For example, if you were to post a photo on Instagram of your new dental practice, you could write the description as: “Our new practice is open! #nameofyourpractice #dentist #new”.
Now, any user looking at images or posts relating to dentists (#dentist), new things (#new), or your practice (#nameofmypractice) can see your image or post along with anyone else mentioning those same hashtags.
How do you create a hashtag?
There’s no creation process involved with hashtags. Simply adding the pound sign (#) with your text immediately following will automatically generate that new hashtag or add it among the other posts that have already implemented that same tag.
Why hashtags?
Hashtags allow social media users all over the world to connect similar ideas, events, and thoughts. Clicking a hashtag within a post on most social networks will lead a user to a list of every post that has ever implemented that hashtag, which can help your practice gain exposure among users who may not find you otherwise.
Major social networks that implement hashtag use:
Google+
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Pinterest
There’s no need to be intimidated about hashtags. They’re simple, easy to implement, and give your social media profile increased exposure among the entire social network. Start hashtagging today!
