Why Hashtags Are Useful

My camp story

Every summer as a child I would attend camp. I was usually placed in a cabin with about eight other boys. We were all the same age and about the same size. Because of the carefree manner of young boys we had a difficult time returning home with all our stuff. Some stuff would get lost and some would end up in another boy’s suitcase.

One summer, a boy showed up with small name tags sewn into his clothes by his mother. They were designed to help him return home with all the clothing he took to camp. We teased him all week about it. But on the last day of camp when we couldn’t find all our garments – he had most of his. It worked. His mother was able to save on loss because of tagging.

Much like that boy – people use tags on Twitter. They use them to identify Twitter posts so they don’t get “lost” in the shuffle. It allows for these posts to be easily searched for and categorized. It allows people to easily follow a topic, discussion, or event by searching for the tag. Basically, it is a way to index content.

What Can You Do With Hashtags

Using hashtags you can:

• Label your Twitter posts to make them easy to index and search
• Create a set of posts centered around a topic or event

Hashtags are non-hierarchical. The challenge is to find and use a tag that hasn’t already been used. To give some order to the process the website www.hashtags.org was created.

How To Make A New Hashtag

Start using a # symbol in front of a word or group of letters

Use hashtags in your tweets, preceding key words. For example #superbowl would be the hash symbol and the keyword “superbowl.” It can be helpful to do a little research first, to find out if the subject you’re tweeting already has an established hashtag.

Track your hashtag and others that you are interested in

Track other tweets on the subjects you’re interested in (ie: those containing the appropriate hashtags) by browsing/searching at www.hashtags.org.

Now go take action.

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Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media and author of 21 Days To Twitter Leadership. He is a producer, author, and speaker who consults with businesses and nonprofits on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter.

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Get the book “21 Days To Twitter Leadership” The Step-By-Step Guide On How To Twitter, Get Twitter Followers And Position Yourself As The Leader In Your Industry In Less Than 10 Minutes Per Day.

* Photo By jeffisageek

Twitter has opened a lot of doors for people, especially businesses.  For example, companies are posting job openings, news is spreading faster than it would through live TV, and start-ups are gaining more exposure each day.  But, contrary to popular belief, the Twitterverse is not easy to navigate.  It takes a lot to be noticed and network on one of the fastest growing websites on the Internet.  One good thing is that hashtags can definitely help out.

What are hashtags?

Hashtags can be easily compared to folders in a filing cabinet.  When something comes across my desk that I need to keep, I file it under the proper folder in my desk.  Hashtags are the same way.  When you are tweeting about a particular topic, you can apply a hashtag in order to “label” it correctly.  It’s like a huge filing system.

How do I use hashtags?

Hashtags are simple to use.  First, they are always denoted by the pound sign (“#”).  This symbol serves a few purposes.  Not only does it make the hashtag easily recognizable to followers but it also creates a link to Twitter’s search feature that will allow you to search all other tweets with that hashtag.  For example, if I apply the “#NFL” hashtag to a tweet, other users will be able to click on the hashtag and see all other tweets containing that #NFL hashtag.

You can apply a hashtag to pretty much anything but you want to make sure it is relevant to your tweet.  It isn’t very resourceful to apply a random hashtag to a tweet because users with commonalities won’t be able to search and find your update.  To get a better understanding, visit http://hashtags.org.  You will find a plethora of information there and will be able to view and search common hashtags.

Why should I use hashtags?

Hashtags can do wonders for your Twitter reputation.  The main purpose of hashtags is to find people with common interests and updates.  If I am watching The Office premiere, I can search Twitter for “#theoffice” and find other people who are watching it.  This could lead to some follows and new information.  Hashtags can also be used an organizational tool, a research method, and a trending device.  The possibilities are endless.

Eric Alpin is a social media enthusiast, blogger, creative genius, and devoted Abe Lincoln fan.  When he isn’t maintaining his website, ericalpin.com, Eric enjoys editing and shooting video, traveling, hanging out with his friends and girlfriend, and playing sports.  Eric works full-time for a telecommunications company and is currently seeking his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies.

*Photo By mobatalk