Don’t make a Hash of it. Facebook #Hashtags, Why Your Brand Needs to Get on Board

Waseem Saddique Marketing Services, an online marketing solutions service provider, examines the early impact of Facebook Hashtags and makes the case for business brands to get on board.

The Facts

According to Social Media Today, in the first two weeks of hashtags being launched and made clickable some very interesting stats emerged:

·         56% of the top 100 brands on Facebook used hashtags in a post

·         38% of the top 100 brands on Facebook posted at least two updates with hashtags

·         18% of the top 100 brands on Facebook posted more than five times using hashtags

·         6% of the top 100 brands on Facebook posted more than 10 times using hashtags  

Waseem Saddique comments: “If big name brands have embraced the use of hashtags on Facebook, it makes sense for all business brands, on Facebook, to follow suit.”

Hashtags on Facebook are a relatively new addition however; hashtags have existed on other social networking sites since their inception. The # is most commonly associated with Twitter and other social media sites such as Google+ and Instagram soon followed suit.

For many social media analysts it came as no surprise that Facebook joined the hashtag revolution, as they allow users to keep track of information, conversation threads and their favourite business brands. 

Why do businesses bother with hashtags?

Simple, it allows them to implement interactive and unique conversation threads that are relevant to the business brand. It also allows companies to establish a consistent brand message spanning multiple social media channels. For instance, now that Facebook has initialised hashtags brands that upload a large amount of visual content on Instagram or Twitter can make it simple for their followers to see a consistent message that carries a consistent message across many platforms.

How to use Facebook hashtags

The most important aspect of using Facebook hashtags is to create a tag relevant to your brand. It should be unique; to avoid getting lost in the clutter, but not too obscure otherwise followers will not engage with it.   

The Facebook help centre provides a practical example of how to use its hashtags:

‘Hashtags transform subjects and phrases into clickable links in your posts on your personal timeline or Page. This helps people find posts about topics they’re interested in. To make a hashtag, write # (the number sign) along with a topic or phrase (written as one word) and add it to your post. For example:

I walked up so many hills today! #SanFrancisco

When you click a hashtag, you’ll see a feed of posts that include that hashtag. You'll also see some related hashtags at the top. You can search for a hashtag using the search bar at the top of any page.’

Waseem Saddique says: “To enhance your business brand on Facebook, hashtags represent the best course of action. They’re target specific, yet flexible, allowing users to implement unique conversation topics and quirky & catchy slogans that capture interest and provoke intrigue.”

Facebook hashtags have featured prominently over the last couple of weeks, particularly in recent news stories including: #royalbaby in relation to the impending birth of Prince William and Kate’s baby, #georgezimmerman and the not guilty verdict given in relation to Trayvon Martin’s murder and #iOS7 marking the launch of the new Apple iPhone.   

Waseem Saddique Marketing | A 3 Step Guide for Using Facebook ‘Hashtags’ to Enhance Online Marketing

Following the announcement that Facebook will be introducing ‘hashtags’(#) to the social networking site, Waseem Saddique Marketing reveals how businesses can capitalise in terms of enhancing their online marketing efforts.

Waseem Saddique Marketing provides a 3 step guide that will pave the way for increased communication with current and potential customers.

Step One

Increase Advertising Efforts on Facebook – Waseem Saddique states: “The new Facebook ‘hashtags’ will allow advertisers to identify ‘hot-spots’ of activity relevant to their business. Therefore, an online marketing campaign incorporating Facebook and the new ‘hashtag’ system will allow businesses to be even more target specific.”

Step Two 

Be Proactive – Maintenance of a Facebook page will be vital following the introduction of the ‘hashtag’ system. Potential customers will be entering into online conversation topics in real time providing an immediate way for businesses to promote themselves to a particular audience, live!

Many organisations now employ social media specialists to administrate and monitor the day-to-day running of social media activity with hugely successful results. Waseem Saddique states: “The implementation of ‘hashtags’ on Facebook will only increase the need to be posting regularly on Facebook. To stay ahead of rivals it’s highly recommended to update Facebook profiles and pages consistently.”

Step Three

Engage the Audience – Consumers recognise, and are attracted to, Facebook pages that are updated regularly. Hashtags will enhance the ability to attract an audience and by drawing in the consumer audience it presents businesses with the perfect opportunity to instigate a hashtag conversation that’s relevant to both business and consumer.

The ‘hashtag’ system will be an ideal platform to initiate a fact finding exercise. Waseem 

Saddique recommends the following:

·         Conduct a poll using the hashtag system

·         Promote offers and competitions

·         Provide ‘Did You Know?’ data such as statistical information relevant to your business

·         Ask questions that generate debate, but subtly glean information i.e. Is Chanel’s new perfume slightly overpriced? – If you’re a perfume supplier you’re creating debate, yet subtly establishing whether your audience uses Chanel or another brand of perfume

The Facebook ‘hashtag’ system will reveal all this information in real time and allow businesses to react instantly to the information that’s supplied. In terms of enhancing online marketing the Facebook ‘hashtag’ system hopes to emulate the ‘hashtag’ system of Twitter, the social media site from which the # (hashtag) originates.

As a supplementary incentive for businesses, ease of access to target audiences will be made simplistic as companies will be able to click hashtagged words and instantly view discussion feeds related to a particular topic.

In a statement from Facebook executives, they said: “The online marketing potential for businesses worldwide will be taken to a whole new level. At present we have plans to roll out hashtags to 20% of our users, with a global roll out planned shortly afterwards.”