Importance of #wafflefries. I mean #HASHTAGS#.

I know, I know.  It has been over a month (or 2) since posting a blog.  Bad, Tara.  But sometimes, inspiration for a good post just hits you out of nowhere and once you think about it- it can consume you, until you put your thoughts to paper.  So bear with me.  I may or may not have drank some "mom juice" aka coffee.  

Anyone know what a hashtag is?  Well, before social media took off- it was known as a "pound sign."  It is simply a word or sentence with the symbol # in front of it.  Hashtags are a MUST for a business owner to use on their social media platforms.  In fact, if you own a business and you are not active in at least 2 different social media platforms (I, myself, prefer Facebook and Instagram)- then you better get on it!  But using social media for business marketing and brand awareness is for another post.  This one is purely on the importance of a HASHTAG and why it is so important.

Before I continue, let me add that I am not looking up facts online and regurgitating them.  I use #hashtags for my online women's boutique that I run from my house. www.shoptiel.com (Yes, I just did that.) My kitchen, to be exact.  I started in March 2013 when we were stationed in Tacoma, WA- pregnant and with a 7-month-old newborn.  At the end of 2013, I sold almost $100,000 worth of items withOUT even having a website for the first 4 months.  Not profit ( I wish), but total sales.  I was shipping to states I had not even been to with the help of social media!   Not bad for a new mom, who never ran a business before.  For those that are wondering: 2014 and 2015 my sales were not as great because I moved back home to Maui and worked on a food truck (RIP "DA LUMPIA LADY) and other projects.  Why?  Because shipping items to Maui were astronomical and I just could not wrap my head around paying more for shipping costs than for the items themselves.  In hindsight, I should have rode the wave and bumped my price point up, and kept the boutique active.  But oh well.  You live and you learn.  (Sniff.)  But now that I am back in Vegas, it is ON.  You can follow my boutique IG @shoptiel and my FB page, "Tiel Boutique" to see all our new items.  HA!  Sorry, I can't help it.  But back to the real reason for this post.  The importance of hashtags.

We will discuss the importance of hashtags using Instagram as our social media platform example.  According to Wikipedia, "Instagram is an online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing, and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures and videos, and share them either publicly or privately on the app..."  Did you know that when you upload an item to Instagram, you can click a few buttons and voila!  The post can automatically be added to all your other social media platforms! Instagram is my favorite for that reason.  It can be a great platform for real estate agents.  Why?  For example: If you were a real estate agent, you could post a 15 second walk through of a new property you just listed.  (Eureeka!  She's pretty smart.  You can thank me later.  LOL)  

Anyways, the easiest way to discuss #hashtags will be through pictures.  (You can also hashtag a WRITTEN post on Facebook.)  Hashtagging a post, is just a way for all pictures/videos to be grouped together.  Like a photo album, if you will.  All posts with the same hashtag will all appear on the same page.  Easy.  That's it.  You and everyone else that use the SAME hashtag will appear on the same page together.  But WHY is this good for marketing?  Because everyone that has an instagram will see YOUR post when they click on that particular hashtag.  So what should you #hashtag?   It all just depends on what the picture is, the type of audience you are attracting, and where you think potential customers are looking.  That's right. WHAT hashtag do you think potential customers are looking at, is the one you should be always using.  Say for example: You are a GMO-free candy maker?  All your posts should ALWAYS include #gmofreecandy.  Why? Because that is probably what a customer is looking up.  What your business sells, is what you should always #hashtag.  

I will upload a picture of my favorite ice cream to my personal IG account @mamataralee and walk you through the explanation.  It will make sense if you can actually SEE it, while I describe it to you.

**By the way, it is crucial to note that your social media platforms should all be PUBLIC.  Things you don't want everyone to see goes on your private account.  And yes, business and private account should always be separate.   

I posted a picture to Instagram of my favorite ice cream.  The hash tag that I used to DESCRIBE my picture was #icecream.  Pretty simple.  I could have also used #besticecreamintheworld #benandjerry #lunch #snack, anything.  Pretty much the sky is the limit on what you use on the bottom of your post.  There is NO limit on the amount of hashtags.  If it was a picture of my kids, perhaps I would use #toddlersofinstagram.   Be creative.  The more of diverse of an audience you can capture, the more clients/customers you could potentially have. 

Now when I CLICK on that #icecream hashtag this is what pops up:

MY picture on the page of every single post in the world with the #icecream hashtag.  If you look on the upper right hand corner- there are over 19 MILLION posts.  Which means the chances of your business being seen by people who have never heard of you before, are quite high.  The posts are also arranged in chronological order.  So in 10 minutes there may be another post in front of mine.  Which is why you should also be on some kind of posting schedule.  

So now do you understand why #hashtags can be very important for your business??  Say Jimmy went on a vacation in Thailand and he didn't know what to do.  Jimmy searched #thingstodointhailand via Instagram and a billion posts popped up leading him to the nearest hike or business.  Now whatever business used #thingstodoinThailand, they just gained another customer at no extra cost.

I hoped this post has helped you realize the importance of using #hashtags for your business.  If you are not using social media as a way to market your business, you really should.  It does not cost anything.  Happy #hashtagging!!!

By the way, I am working on a new project for all my restaurant owners/managers in Vegas that are reading this.  It is called "Eat Las Vegas."  I will be implementing all my social media savviness to help market restaurants and their food.  Sometimes in life, you realize what you are good at and passionate about and decide to make that your career.  I am passionate about food and am really good at marketing.  For more info, Email me at eatlasvegas@yahoo.com.