Are you confused by seeing #hashtags everywhere you turn? It’s time to learn about them. Hashtags aren’t just a passing trend, but are a new force in social media categorization, branding, and language itself. This presentation will explain what hashtags are and how to use them, as well as detail hashtag-heavy social media platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

1. Introduction to
HASHTAGS
# # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Lindsay Nyquist
Director of Digital Communication
Fort Lewis College
@nyquistify

2. What is a hashtag?

3. What is a hashtag?
A hashtag is a word or
an unspaced phrase prefixed
with the number sign ("#").
Wikipedia

4. What is a hashtag?
It is a form of metadata tag.
Wikipedia

5. What is a hashtag?
A theme for a conversation.

6. Hashtags are …
Specific to their platforms.

7. Hashtags are …
Created through usage.

8. Hashtags are …
Not owned by anyone.

9. History of the hashtag
Added to the Oxford English Dictionary in June 2014
Wikipedia
Use of the # sign in Twitter was created by Chris Messina in August 2007:
First use of the term "hash tag" was in a blog post by Stowe Boyd,
"Hash Tags = Twitter Groupings,” in August 2007

10. What is the difference?
#visitdurango
@visitdurango

11. Technical specs of a hashtag
• No spaces
• Numbers and letters only
• Upper & lower case letters are
interchangeable
• Can be used in a sentence or following it

12. Ways to use hashtags
1. Join a global conversation
#SuperBowl
#Olympics
#FeelTheBern
#MarchMadness
#GOP
#WomensHistoryMonth
#NationalOreoDay
#Trubama
#kittens
#YOLO

13. Ways to use hashtags
2. Start a local conversation
#fortlewiscollege

14. Ways to use hashtags
3. As an aside / joke
#icantbelievethisishappening
#thisisthebestdayevereverever

15. Use in advertising

16. Can hashtags use go wrong?
Yes.
BASHTAGS

17. Bashtags: #mcdstories

18. Bashtags: #mcdstories

19. Bashtags: #mcdstories

20. Bashtags: #mcdstories

21. Bashtags: #mcdstories
Last Thursday,we planned to use two different hashtags during a
promoted trend — #meetthefarmers and #mcdstories.
While #meetthefarmers was used for the majority of the day and
successful in raising awareness of the Supplier Stories campaign,
#mcdstories did not go as planned.We quickly pulled #mcdstories and
it was promoted for less than two hours.
With all social media campaigns,we include contingency plans should
the conversation not go as planned.The ability to change midstream
helped this small blip from becoming something larger.
--McDonald’s social media director Rick Wion
Hypervocal..com

22. Twitter
An online social
networking service
that enables users to
send and read short
140-character
messages
Launched July 15, 2006
Wikipedia

23. Twitter accounts
Username & password
“handle”
15 characters or less

24. Twitter accounts
Business accounts
vs.
personal accounts

25. Twitter accounts
Verified accounts

26. Twitter terminology
TWEET
An update that you post to Twitter
that is 140 characters or less.
Noun or verb.
Visible to anyone on Twitter.
HubSpot

27. Twitter terminology
FEED /
TIMELINE
List of tweets that
constantly updates.
In chronological
order.
HubSpot

28. Twitter terminology
FOLLOWER
Someone who follows you on Twitter.
They see your updates in their feed.
HubSpot

29. Twitter terminology
TREND / TRENDING TOPIC
A topic being discussed across Twitter.
Noted by hashtag or keywords.
HubSpot

30. How to use Twitter
LIKE (formerly FAVORITE)
Represented by a small heart icon in a Tweet.
Used when users like a Tweet.
Lets the original poster know that a user liked
their Tweet.
HubSpot

31. How to use Twitter
RETWEET
Sharing others’ content.
Can be exact or quoted.
HubSpot

32. How to use Twitter
@ MENTION
Tagging someone on Twitter.
That user will be notified.
HubSpot

33. How to use Twitter
DM / DIRECT MESSAGE
A private message between two
Twitter users who follow each other.
HubSpot

34. How to use Twitter
REPLY
Conversation back and forth between users.
Tweet begins with @username.
Replies can be seen
by everyone.
HubSpot

35. Managing Twitter
WEBVS. MOBILE

36. Managing Twitter
NOTIFICATIONS
• Notifications tab shows you
– which of your Tweets have been liked
– the latest retweets (of your Tweets)
– Tweets directed to you (@replies and mentions)
– your new followers
• Can be found online,Twitter app, push notifications,
and web notifications.
Twitter Help Center

37. Managing Twitter
LISTS
A curated group of Twitter users.
You can create your own lists or subscribe to lists created
by others.
Viewing a list timeline will show you a stream of Tweets
from only the users on that list.
Twitter Help Center

38. Managing Twitter
MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Tweetdeck
Hootsuite / Sprout
Link shorteners

39. Voice on Twitter
Brief (140 characters) and abbreviated
Popular with news, updates, timely information
Direct or funny
Hashtag-friendly
Links, photos, videos,Twitter cards becoming more
popular

41. Pinterest
A virtual discovery,
collection and
storage tool that
allows users to
create pinboards
on which to
collect ideas.
Launched March
2010

42. Pinterest accounts
Business accounts vs.
personal accounts
Statistics
Verification of website
Rich pins
League Computers

43. How to use Pinterest
FEED
Chronological collection of pins by users you follow
and recommendations from Pinterest
HubSpot

44. How to use Pinterest
PIN
A piece of content
pinned by a user
Includes a caption,
often with
hastags
Clicking will usually
take users to a
site with more
detail
HubSpot

45. How to use Pinterest
REPIN
Post that piece of content on your own board, with
your own caption and hashtags
The original poster is notified
HubSpot

46. How to use Pinterest
LIKE (LOVE)
Indicate that you like the content
The original poster is notified
HubSpot

47. How to use Pinterest
SEND
Send the content directly and privately to another
Pinterest user
HubSpot

48. How to use Pinterest
SHARE
Post the content on Facebook
HubSpot

49. How to use Pinterest
RICH PINS
Additional content
App Pins, Place Pins,
Product Pins,
Movie Pins, Article
Pins, Recipe Pins
HubSpot

50. Managing Pinterest
MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Statistics available within the app, but no pre-
scheduling
Tailwind
Piqora
HubSpot

51. Voice on Pinterest
Inspirational, enthusiastic, engaged
Honest, but sales messages accepted
Hashtag-friendly

53. Instagram
An online mobile
photo-sharing,
video-sharing and
social networking
service that
enables its users to
take pictures and
videos, and
share them
Launched October
2010

54. Instagram accounts
Username & password

55. Instagram accounts
Business accounts vs. personal accounts

56. Instagram accounts
Mobile access required

57. How to use Instagram
HOME / FEED
Reverse chronological listing of
all users followed

58. How to use Instagram
EXPLORE
Find new users or posts
Search by users, hashtags,
or popular

59. How to use Instagram
NOTIFICATIONS
• When a user likes or comments on
one of your photos.
• When a user @mentions you in a
comment.
• When your photo is posted to
the Popular page.
• When you are tagged in a photo.

60. How to use Instagram
PROFILE

61. How to use Instagram
POST A PHOTO
• Take a new photo or choose
existing
• Crop to square (or not!)
• Apply filters & adjust settings
• Add a caption, location,
hashtags, and tag people

62. Voice on Instagram
Younger, more urban
Hashtag friendly; often stacked at the
bottom of posts
Funny / ironic