How to Use Hashtags on Facebook for Business

Hashtags are widely used on popular social media networks and make it easier to search for specific word and phrases. People use hashtags to talk about topics, issues, and events as well as for searches. The hash mark, or the pound sign, comes before a word or a phrase.

The History of the Hashtag

The hashtag has had many uses and a history that dates back to the 12th century. Chris Messina first tweeted about using the hashtag on Twitter on August 23, 2007. June 1, 2009 is the official birthday of the #Hashtag, according to an infographic by Kevin Basset on SocialMediaToday.com. Google+ added the hashtag capability in September 2012, and Facebook added the hashtag feature last month. Hashtags are also used on popular social media networks like Pinterest and Instagram.

Hashtags on Facebook for Business

Hashtags are great features on Facebook for business. The hashtags are used to create links within your posts that are located on your Facebook timeline or Facebook Page. These hashtags are created with the #, and then the word or phrase follows it. Spaces are not included within the phrase. Once you click on the link that is created, there will be many posts that also feature that hashtag. This is how you can search for related information. Hashtags are also searchable through the search bar. The posts that you see are only the ones that have been shared with you.
Major brands are using Facebook hashtags. Two weeks after this feature was first available on Facebook, 56 percent of the Interbrand Top 100 brands made at least one post with a hashtag, according to SimplyMeasured.com.
Hashtags on Facebook allow you to search for information easily. Once you create a new hashtag on Facebook for business, you should list it on the social network. Hashtags that are on Facebook have specific URLs. While searching for these hashtags on Facebook for business, users can gain fans and connections as well. Even if Facebook users have not “liked” your Facebook for business page, they can search for topics and find your hashtag with the information you have provided.

How to Develop Hashtags on Facebook for Business

Hashtags on Facebook provide a great opportunity for marketing. Companies can create a game, sweepstakes, and other types of contests to increase their audience. You can analyze which words and phrases work well and which do not. While testing some of these words, develop a hashtag strategy. Once you develop a strategy, start campaigns and promote these hashtags to increase your reach on your Facebook business page.
When you are creating and testing hashtags, you must remember that they should be simple and unique words or phrases. Hashtags should be something Facebook users would potentially be searching for to gain information on a topic. Your hashtags should be unique to your company and very easy for users to remember. If used correctly, hashtags are ways to increase your reach on Facebook.

The Hashtag Feed on Facebook for Business

When a new hashtag is created and Facebook users start developing posts about the topic, a hashtag feed is the result. The hashtag feed is an important tool on Facebook for business. These feeds are conversations among Facebook users. You can search for the hashtags your brand has created and learn about how people in your audience are interacting. However, you will only see the conversations that are associated with public hashtags. Hashtag conversations provide the opportunity to understand what many people within your audience are saying about your company’s products and services.

Hashtag Tips

There are various tips on how to use hashtags. For example, do not use too many hashtags in one post on Facebook for business, just one or two hashtags. Use hashtags that are related to your industry and your company on Facebook for business. In addition, send your traffic to the URL that has been created for the hashtag.
Hashtags are important for marketing your business on Facebook. With a successful and effective hashtag strategy on Facebook for business, you can increase traffic to your Facebook business page—and your website.
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