Oh Twitter, you’ve turned thousands into Beliebers, kept us up-to-date through elections, and helped numerous agencies raise money for great causes. “How is so much information passed through only 140 characters though Jordan,” you might be exclaiming out loud to your monitor. Well, instead of hoping to achieve over a million followers that hang on your every whim (I’m talking to you Kutcher), instead you should be using the amazingly simple yet efficient hash tag – #.
The hash tag allows multiple users that aren’t normally connected to instantly follow a specific term they are interested in as long as the term is started with a hash tag. This allows you to follow specific conversations with people you wouldn’t normally follow, or jump in on a campaign to help raise money, something like #Tweetsgiving or #CharityWater. Below I’ll show you how you can quickly start utilizing hash tags to fully flesh out your Twitter time.
Start your own Twitter Sessions:
You can set up a conversation between multiple Twitter users happening in real time solely on Twitter. Usually these conversations center around a specific issue and last for a short time. It’s a great way to get a lot of insight from individuals you wouldn’t normally have access to or associate with.
Many of these Twitter conversations use a specific hash tag to include in your post so everyone following that hash tag will know what you added to the discussion. Usually informal, it’s a great way to initiate the first level of networking and oftentimes will lead to followers that may be pretty influential, especially if you’re involved in a discussion that deals with any form of technology or social media. It’s also a good way of determining who the big shots in your industry are on Twitter. If you’re going to want to set up your own Twitter discussion first make sure the hash tag you want to use isn’t already in heavy rotation so you only receive individuals who want to be in on the discussion.
Follow Up-to-date News:
Twitter has become one of the quickest ways to initially learn of any important news that has just occurred. It wouldn’t be practical to try and follow everyone on Twitter, but hash tags commonly pop up and you can search for specific hash tags on the Twitter site. They also display a field called “Trending Topics” encompassing the most used hash tags at the moment. Simply start following the hash tag and you’ll have up-to-date info on a number of subjects.
Get Metrics on Popular Terms:
Hash tags commonly rise and decline in popularity quickly, but a select few can remain around a bit longer. Tracking these terms can be especially important if they deal with your brand in any way. Several sites allow you to track metrics on Twitter while hashtag.org specifically allows you to search and track hash tags. By understanding what your core group of users are interested in and what hash tags they are following you can easily send out relevant content to a larger number of interested individuals than just your follower count. This can help individuals to follow links that can be directed to content such as your website and also can help to raise the number of followers you have.
Hash tags are just another component of the Twitterverse and after you’ve got the basics down you’ll be sending out even greater relevant tweets that your customer base will truly enjoy. Have anything you do in a specific way on Twitter? Let me know below in the comments section, and stay posted for more in the Twitter Power series in the following weeks.
wheres your rss feed? probably hidden in plain sight knowing me lol