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What Are Hashtags and How To Use Them

How To Use Hashtags

I am going to assume you have seen a #hashtag before…even if you are not sure where they came from or their purpose.

Allow me to provide some insight.

What are hashtags?

According to Twitter:

The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.

But it is important to understand they existed long before Twitter and are not a creation of their’s or of the Twitter community.

In fact, hashtags were first seen in IRCs (Internet Relay Chat) which were created in 1988.

Their purpose was to label groups or topics and to mark individual messages as relevant to a specific channel. Their use on Twitter was a natural result of their use in IRC channels.

You can learn more from Wikipedia about the history of hashtags and IRCs.

How do I use them?

Can I create my own?

Yes and it is simple. When on Twitter, Google+, Instagram, or other network that uses them, place a # in front of a word or phrase with #nospaces. Once you enter a space or other character that is not a letter, the hashtag breaks.

How are they useful?

In the below screenshot notice how many of the trending topics on Twitter consist of #hashtags. 6 out of 10 or 60% (if I counted correctly).

Only the most popular topics appear in this list so a lot of people have to be using those hashtags for them to become trending.

With that said, whether on Twitter or G+, use hashtags in the search box to find like-minded individuals. For instance #Music101, #Parenting, or #FF (follow friday).

Twitter Trending Topics with Hashtags

Here is a list of ideas for using hashtags:

  • find people to follow.
  • find news or follow events.
  • start conversations or get involved in existing discussions.
  • brand your album, event, or new single.
  • make it easy for users to find your band by creating a custom, easy-to-remember hashtag.
  • run a contest or other marketing campaign and use hashtags to track sharing and other activity.
What are some tips for using hashtags?

Keep them short and relevant. Typically one word or short phrases like #IGotAThingFor.

Use them to search for groups of people that share your interests. Searching for genres (#hiphop) or phrases like #newmusic or #indiemusic can help you find others to follow and connect with.

Specifically on Twitter, including #nowplaying or #video when Tweeting your songs or videos can potentially put your links in front of more people.

Organize campaigns around your new album or an upcoming gig by creating a hashtag specific to each event. Use your existing fans and your mailing list to make your hashtags popular.

I have included some useful links below.

Resources

Update: Google Specific hastag tips posted by C Bret Campbell

http://www.midtnmusic.com/hashtags-for-g-and-youtube/ #jedihashtag

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Last updated on Tuesday, 15 January 2013
About Joshua Smotherman

Known as the fertile father of 3, Joshua is a music blogger, songwriter, and a WordPress junkie. Since 1999, he has been writing and performing as BUNKS. Middle Tennessee Music is his way of giving back to the independent music community. He currently acts as website manager and online marketing consultant for bands, indie labels, and small businesses. Connect on Google+.

  • http://artists-edge.com Debra Russell

    What makes me crazy is that people use hashtags on FaceBook and G+ – am I wrong to think they do nothing on those services?

    • http://www.midtnmusic.com Joshua Smotherman

      They do nothing on Facebook but they are very useful on Google+. Here is Bret’s article about that: http://www.midtnmusic.com/hashtags-for-g-and-youtube/

    • C Bret Campbell

      Most of them on Facebook come from using a connection between accounts that sends your tweets (or other) to Facebook as a status – a pet peeve of mine. On G+, they are more than helpful, and can be used in a multitude of ways.

      • http://artists-edge.com Debra Russell

        Thanks guys! I didn’t realize that they were useful on G+ That’s the new social media frontier for me. And yes, Bret – I agree about pushing tweets to ANYTHING. It also makes me crazy when people push tweets to LinkedIn – it’s just so unprofessional.

        • C Bret Campbell

          Oh, Wow! Yeah! Pushing to LI is suicide for my contacts! At Worst, I’ll use Share-a-holic to post to LI and twitter separately. Again, edit the posts so they are not the same. I have to admit that I should get Much more involved with Linked-In.

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