What Facebook Hashtags Mean To Your Business and Why You Should Be Using Them

Facebook has officially launched its long rumored support for #hashtags. Like many social networks utilizing these tools, Facebook has now become a more robust search engine for discovery and creation of content and engagement for businesses utilizing this feature correctly.

Here are some of the questions we see trending about hashtags and business...

What are hashtags?

Hashtags are a pound symbol (#) followed by a keyword used to categorize topics and conversations users are having about that particular keyword.

How do they work?

Businesses and everyday people implement hashtags followed by a relevant keyword to categorize their particular status or story. This is often utilized with a quote, link to a website, or a photo.

When this hashtag is used within a post, it becomes a hyperlink to a collection of posts using the same particular hashtag.

These hashtags can be used in any part of a status, and often times certain hashtagged words become trending topics, as we’ve seen with Twitter, Instagram, and Google+.

Why has Facebook implemented hashtags?

In the past, Twitter was one of the few social media networks implementing hastags. Recently, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest have adopted this same categorization system. With Facebook joining the group, social media campaigns can now become more standardized with one another. Also, with Facebook's recent purchase of Instagram, Facebook knew how much weight hashtags hold in other social media platforms.

Facebook users now can also search for the breaking news, latest tech products, and trending subjects that pique their interest.

What is the advantage of hashtags for my business?

There is a big difference when it comes to using hashtags for personal use and for business use. When using it for your personal account, you can ask questions, share things about your day, and voice your opinion.

In business, the use of hashtags is more than conversation. Searching hashtags relating to your industry or niche will connect your topic with questions people are asking or viewpoints they are sharing on it. If you can predict what people may be asking about your niche or products then you can hashtag these key words, connecting with potential customers and helping them out by answering their questions.

Another clear advantage of hashtagging your posts, is to help increase your engagement and attract other with similar interests. This gives your brand clear leverage over your competitors who are still not utilizing these social media tools correctly.

Are there any challenges hashtags may create?

The biggest challenge when it comes to using hashtags, especially on new platforms such as Facebook, is finding the sweet spot. Using too many or irrelevant hashtags may lead to loss of engagement. In the same accord, if you’re not using a single hashtag you are not utilizing this possible gold mine of opportunity.

Unfortunately, It is too early to tell what exactly works and what doesn’t when it comes to Facebook hashtagging. Within the next six months businesses will have a tighter grasp on how to use hashtags most effectively.

Until then, the best method to find out what works is: Test, analyze, test, analyze.

Below we’ve included a 3 best practices on how you can get started hashtagging (the right way):

• Use only 1-2 (never more than 3) hashtags in your updates. Too many will be seen as spam to your fans.
• Test the trends. Search hashtags relevant to your market, try making new ones. Sometimes hashtags can get convoluted and your post can get lost in hundreds of others.
• Don’t duplicate hashtags. You don’t have to wait to hashtag your words at the end of your status, use them in your sentences! (Example: “Did you watch the #NBAfinals last night?”)