The Importance of a Hashtag

In today's society hashtags are used to promote events, brands and businesses. Weather you are hosting a work conference, graduation party, wedding, etc. a social media hashtag can always be incorporated. An event hashtag is used on social media for a specific event to brand together attendees posts, photos and opinions on the event for others attendees and outsiders to read. This is free marketing for an event and used to increase event awareness and visibility.

When creating a hashtag for your event it is important to remember the following tips...

• Short: Your event hashtag should be short. Remember attendees using the hashtag specifically on twitter only have a 140 character word limit.
• Unique: You want to use a hashtag that has not been used before. Search social media sites for hashtags that are already being used before you chose your event hashtag.
• Specific: Create an event hashtag that is specific to your event. You can do that by including the year of the event or using an abbreviation of a phrase or saying.
• Memorable: Choose a hashtag that will stick with your attendees and future attendees. Having a catchy hashtag will do just that for you.

Promoting your hashtag to your attendees during the process of the event is important. Your hashtag should be used before, during and after your event. There are many ways to engage event attendees while using your hashtag.

• Before the event: Include your specific hashtag in all of your promotional materials that are sent before the event. Be sure to research into your hashtag before the event to see if anyone has been using the hashtag. Create your own social media plan that includes trying to engage event attendees with the use of your hashtag. If you post to your event account using your hashtag hopefully others will use as well. 
• During the event: Post various social media posts to your social mediums that use your hashtag and allow event attendees to create conversation. That is easily done by asking a question that they can respond to. Promote and ask event speakers and attendees to post to their social mediums about the event using the specific hashtag. 
• After the event: Be sure the event social media accounts are responding to event attendees posts either responding to questions or thanking them for their opinions on the event. When sending a follow-up to the event, thank your attendees for being involved with social media and include the hashtag. 

Happy Planning,
Kelli