More than just a metadata tag, the hashtag has become a social phenomenon. Chris Messina first used the symbol “#” in Twitter as a way to create a group organizing framework. This Twitter-specific suggestion has grown to be so popular that it can now be considered as a standard in group organizing in almost all, if not all, social media platforms.
This article will explore what hashtags are and how they can be used to enhance social media management strategies for the real estate industry.
Brief History of Hashtags
Hashtags are metadata tags that organize topics on social media platforms. These tags make it easier for people to explore the topic and see what other people are saying about it.
The simple format of an octothorpe (#) with a string of space-less words (tags) was first used in 2007. But its potential as a marketing tool was revealed with #sandiegofire.
The Importance of Hashtags for Social Media Management
Hashtags offer a myriad of benefits for brands and companies. Here are a few of them.
Captures People’s Attention
Social media feeds are chaotic. A post without any tag can be easily lost in the sea of content.
Hashtags are hyperlinked tags. This means that aside from the octothorpe, its different text color makes hashtags stand out. When you learn to construct the right hashtag phrase, then you can easily inform the user of the nature of your content at a single glance.
Improves Brand Awareness
Hashtags function similarly to SEO keywords. When site visitors use SNS search bars, the presented results are content exactly what the user typed or hashtags closest to their search inquiry.
If you have done your hashtag research and used keywords related to your business and industry, you can be included in the top results. However, you need to consistently publish quality, relevant, and engaging content. This is to ensure that your post and profile remain on top of the pile.
Builds and Fosters Communities
A community, in essence, is a business’s customer base that interacts with one another. Using hashtags helps businesses know more about their audience, engage with them better, and foster brand loyalty.
Turning your business name into a hashtag is a basic best practice. This allows existing and potential clients to see your content faster. It also gives them a space to meet and interact with your brand and with people who already love or are just interested in what you have to offer.
Gives Insight into Your Competition
When you use an industry-specific hashtag, your content will be mixed with content from your competitors. This is a prime opportunity to see what your competition is doing and learn from their experiences and mistakes.
Explore your industry tag and take note of the top tags that your competitors are using. Test those hashtags out in your next posts. Just keep a close eye on your analytics tools.
Hashtag Pointers for Your Real Estate Business
Hashtags can easily be misused and dampen the positive impact they can bring to your business. Here are some pointers you should take note of to maximize hashtag use.
- Research and use tags that are trending, unique, and relevant to your field.
- Know how many hashtags are ideal for use per post and practice it.
- Keep it simple, but make it memorable.
Conclusion
Hashtags are powerful tools to pull ahead in the social media management game. When used properly, they can help capture people’s attention, improve brand awareness, build communities, and give insight into your competition. But to fully harness the strength of the hashtag, you need to know what hashtag to use and how many you can use at the same time.
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