Hashtags are “signals” that can be used across your social media channels to connect with a targeted audience. I think of them as similar to the smoke-signals that Native Americans used to communicate with each other hundreds of years ago.
Hashtags are used an online communication tool. They increase your social findability and social visibility, thereby helping you build your brand and drive traffic to your website. Used online they are words or phrases, with no spaces, preceded by a # sign. For example: #mauiweddingphotographers.
Hashtags are typically placed after your post content. I have seen some placed within the post content and I do not recommend that you do that as it distracts from the post message.
Using the right hashtags in the appropriate manner will help you reach more couples in your geographical marketplace who are planning a wedding – and help you book more weddings!
While most people associate using hashtags with Twitter and Instagram, they can also be used at Facebook or even in your blog posts!
Action Items & Resources:
Create a list of hashtags you could use by researching the hashtags that your competition is using at Instagram. While there, see which of their posts are getting the most likes. Do you see a pattern? How many followers do they have?
Look for “branding” hashtags used by local wedding planning websites and magazines in your marketplace (#mychicagowedding #capecodbride #bostonmagazine). Add these to your hashtag list. You might even want use the hashtags #weddingwire and #theknot.
Keep your hashtags easily accessible and ready-to-use (copy/paste) using Evernote (http://evernote.com).
Use 10 to 20 hashtags per post at Instagram, Facebook, and at the end of your blog posts.
If you having trouble creating your hashtag list, first give it a try, and then send me your list. I will take a look at it and tell you what I think.
