1. The Power and Use of
#Hashtags
Tiffani Stephenson
UF/IFAS Social Media Manager

2. Agenda
• The Hashtag
• Who Can Use ‘Em?
• Basic Rules
• Top Hashtags
• Do’s and Don’ts

3. #Hashtag
This is how you sound if you’re using hashtags the wrong way!

4. Hashtag Misuse
If #YOU had to #change in order to #succeed with #YOUR#social media
efforts – could you?
If you answered YES to this question….congrats! If you answered NO –
HOW CAN I #HELP YOU? Change, despite being necessary at times, is
not easy!
(Taken from a Facebook Status Update)

5. “Social media is a source of a whole lot of noise, use [hashtags] as a
way to create signal… not add to the noise.”
-Josh Decker, Tagboard’s Founder and CEO

6. The Hashtag
• Once your phone’s pound sign, the octothorpe now
has a place on most popular social networks, including
Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Vine and
Pinterest.
• The hashtag is likely the most popular means of
categorizing content on social media.
• It makes your own content discoverable and allows
you to find relevant content from other people and
businesses.
• The hashtag also allows you to connect with and
engage other social media users based on a common
theme or interest.

7. Who can use Hashtags?
• Anyone can make a hashtag at any time!
• They are a completely organic form of organization, created and
managed by users, not the platform.
• Big brands build hashtags to create and monitor a conversation
surrounding a specific topic.
• Individuals use hashtags to either take part in a larger conversation or
begin a conversation of their own.

8. Basic Rules of a Hashtag
• Always use the # before your chosen keywords.
• Do not use punctuation or spaces in hashtags. If there are numerous
keywords in a hashtag, #theyshouldallflowtogether in one fluid
phrase.
• Never put characters immediately before the #. For example, it
wouldn't be: news#WorldCup. Instead, you'd write: #WorldCupNews
• Use letters and numbers, never numbers alone. Using all numbers like
#1 will not generate a positive search but #No1inSports will.
• Keep it brief! Some people use too many words in a hashtag. Use the
most distinguishable keywords or phrase as possible.

9. Top Hashtags
• You can monitor a hashtag in the search option of Twitter or you can
visit sites like Hashtagify.me or hashtags.org and check out what’s
being talked about, the top influencers, and even usage patterns.
• There is even a Twitter Account for @hashtag that monitors
conversations and all things hashtags.

10. Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags
• DON’T:
• Go too long or too clever
• Use inaccurate hashtags
• Have more hashtags than words
• Hashtag everything
• Not use Hashtags

11. Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags
• DO:
• Be specific
• Cater to Social Network (Instagram,
Twitter)
• Come up with relevant, unbranded
hashtags
• Join a conversation
• Engage with Fans and Followers

12. Questions?