Hashtags have certainly proven their effectiveness as almost all social media channels have integrated hashtags in their systems. Recently, Google+ took a step in the same direction and introduced hashtags that are closely similar to those used by Twitter and Facebook. It is an interesting addition that will bring changes on how one can promote their personal brand. Even if they have a semblance to Twitter’s, Google+ hashtags have integrated new features. Let’s take a look at these changes.
Google+ Hashtag’s unique features
- It works like magic. Hashtags are a fantastic way to categorize posts and capture the attention of readers. However, creating or choosing a particular hashtag can be quite a tedious task. This usually results in the misuse of hashtags that instead of making it easier for your targeted audience to find you, you end up getting lost in the crowd. With Google+ hashtags, you can correctly and intuitively assign a particular hashtag which is relevant to your post. This is a great solution for those who are confused with what hashtag to include in their posts. Thus, they are assured of yielding better visibility and reach for their targeted audience.
- The hashtag list is neatly placed in an expandable list where you can find hashtags that are relevant to your posts. [tweet this] This is particularly helpful when your creative juices aren’t flowing smoothly and you can’t think of an appropriate hashtag for your post. It provides convenience because you can add hashtags that will appear on the list or you can also remove them if you need to.
- Clicking on a Google+ hashtag will lead you to similar hashtagged posts and topics. This helps users find content/posts easier especially when they haven’t found what they were looking for with the hashtag that they used.
With these features in mind, using Google+ hashtags is promising especially when you are managing your personal brand. Here are some of the tips that you can use:
- Include your own hashtag in your posts. It is best to have a hashtag where your readers can associate you with even if Google+ provides suggestions. Keep it relevant to your topic and carefully choose the first three hashtags that you will provide in your post. The first three will affect what will appear in the searches.
- If you want to stay on top, provide great content in order for your posts to appear in the “Best of” stream. Be mindful that your post must have interesting titles and catchy visuals in order to attract readers to open your posts as other similar posts also appear beside yours. Readers will not have all the time to check out all the posts even if they are in the “Best of” stream. Therefore, it is important that you share the best content that you can.
Google+ hashtags are relatively new. Yet they offer a different perspective that can change how one promotes their personal brand. Have you tried Google+ hashtags yet?
Author:
Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of buzz2bucks– a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand. Maria Duron is founder and moderator of #brandchat – a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.
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