Facebook Hashtags

You may have heard that Facebook has recently added support for hashtags in Facebook posts. As usual, they’re rolling them out slowly, so all users won’t see them right away, but if you don’t have hashtag functionality yet, don’t worry – you’ll be seeing it soon.

Facebook expert Mari Smith posted some tips when using hashtags on Facebook:

  • Even if you don’t have hashtag functionality yet, Smith recommends that you begin using strategic hashtags in your public Facebook posts on both your personal Facebook Profile and your Facebook Business Page; those who have the feature already enabled will be able to click on those hashtags (and eventually everyone else, including you, will catch up).
  • Don’t forget to use hashtags when you’re posting to Facebook from your mobile device. Although there’s no support for hashtags on the mobile apps yet, they’ll work on desktop versions of Facebook.
  • Every hashtag on Facebook has its own unique URL with a status update box at the top. You can drive traffic to that URL from other sites to spark more conversation.
  • Search for hashtags by typing into the main search box, click on hashtags when you see them, or use your browser to search Facebook hashtags by typing: facebook.com/hashtag/xxx (replace the x’s with the tag you want to look up).
  • Hashtags work in both posts and comments.
  • The original post audience still prevails privacy-wise; in other words, if you restrict a post to Friends only and include a hashtag, the hashtag will be clickable and will open up other posts containing the same hashtag, but your post will still only be visible to your Friends.
  • Hashtags shared in private groups will open to show public posts with that tag (along with any friends’ posts with that tag), but posts from the private group will only be visible to members.
  • Hashtag searches reveal only posts, not individual comments.

Marketing company E-Webstrategy adds these helpful hashtag hints:

  • Be strategic with your use of hashtags
  • Use only 1-2 hashtags per post
  • Make long hashtags readable by capitalizing the first letter in each word
  • Use tags in trending topics related to your industry [or your clients’ industries]

Some Facebook users are already posting requests that people not overuse hashtags or posts links to articles with titles that include several hashtags. Instead, put hashtags after the title and link.

About Allison Shields

Allison Shields
Allison C. Shields is President of Legal Ease Consulting, Inc. She provides practice management and business development coaching and consulting services to lawyers and law firms in the areas of practice management, productivity, client service, business development, marketing and social media. A former practicing lawyer and law firm manager, Allison knows the unique challenges faced by lawyers today. She understands the law firm environment and the daily pressures faced by lawyers trying to manage and build their business while practicing law and successfully serving their clients. Allison is the co-author of Facebook in One Hour for Lawyers and LinkedIn in One Hour for Lawyers, both published by the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association in 2012. She writes and lectures frequently for legal organizations and bar associations nationwide, and contributes to several blogs, including her own Legal Ease Blog. Her website provides resources and information for lawyers to help improve their practices. Contact her at Allison@LegalEaseConsulting.com or (631) 642-0221.

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