Using #hashtags for your business – The whys and hows.

March 15, 2016

I assume, that for many, I do not have to explain what a hashtag is and it’s importance within today’s marketing trends and how the correct usage of them can help to build brand awareness online.

“A hashtag is a type of label or metadata tag used on social network and microblogging services which makes it easier for users to find messages with a specific theme or content.” Quoted from #Wikipedia.

So why, when and how should you be using them. Where do you start? Can you really build your business with them?

A hashtag can be just as important as your business name, it can lead a trend online and build itself a whole new audience, but in order to be successful using hashtags, you need to follow some simple steps.

  • Great, you are thinking about using a hashtag, just make sure that no-one else is using it! Simply check the hashtag you are thinking about using and search for it on social media making sure you check the most relevant channels as one may be used on Instagram and not on Twitter!
  • Make sure that the hashtag you are using is as relevant as possible to what you want it to explain. Yes, choice is lessening everyday as more and more hashtags are created so it will be unlikely you can lay claim to the likes of #LuxuryProperty or #Architecture or even #A1 as they’ll already be used so you need to dig deep and use your imagination!
  • If you are using a hashtag, think long term as you may wish to use it more than once going forward. Yes, it is great to add to hashtags years ie 2015 / 2016, but you will of course have to change them each year going forward…
  • Try and keep it as short as possible to make sure hashtags are not misspelt and lost in translation. Sometimes it is hard to achieve abbreviated hashtags and sometimes #CharityRunHydePark is better that #CRHP as the longer version hashtag explains what an event is and may encourage new enquiries whereas the abbreviated version may be missed. Shorter is better especially for Twitter when there is a restriction on the amount of characters you can use per tweet.
  • Try and stick to using just one hashtag that you call your own, running more than one will be hard work and may again cause confusion to your followers. Try and keep the same hashtag when using other social media platforms also.
  • Do not overload your social media timelines with your hashtag, be conservative and use when relevant.

The ideal hashtag will be fairly short, explain / sum up what it is referring to and of course, no-one else is using it. You may be lucky and your business name describes exactly what your business offers, ie you are UK Printing Ltd with #UKPrinting or www.ColchesterTaxis.com with #ColchesterTaxis and these should be adopted as your hashtags if unused, though think about hashtags that entice conversations and discussions too such as #VoteNoColchester or #AskYourEstateAgent etc.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Buying Alone? What Solo Buyers Need to Know Before Making an Offer on a House

Figures show that solo buyers accounted for 36.9% of Barclays’ mortgage completions in June 2026, as more people chose to step onto the property ladder without a partner beside them. Choosing independence over waiting for a joint purchase has doubled over the last 50+ years, with solo first-time buyers doubling from 15% before 1980 to…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How to Make a New-Build Living Room Feel Less Like a Show Home

An empty new-build living room can be surprisingly difficult to furnish. The walls are freshly painted, the sockets are in place, and there is nothing to remove before decorating begins. Yet once the sofa arrives, the room can still feel unsettled: too bare in some places, awkwardly crowded in others. The answer rarely involves buying…
Read More →
Breaking News

Mortgage Borrowing Dip

Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals decreased to £3.9 billion in September, from £4.2 billion in August, below the previous 6-month average of £4.9 billion. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases decreased to 53,400 in September, below an average of around 58,800 over the previous 6-months. Approvals for remortgaging increased to 42,600…
Read More →
Breaking News

Autumn Budget 2026: Property industry reaction

Following today’s Autumn Budget, reaction from property industry experts on six key areas for the property market. First-time buyer support: The £4.7bn Your First Home equity loan scheme, supporting 70,000 buyers, alongside the introduction of a new First Time Buyer ISA. Inflation and borrowing costs: The extension of the fuel duty freeze, household energy support…
Read More →
Breaking News

Can you legally BAN Halloween Trick or Treaters?

People who dread the annual knock of trick-or-treaters may have more power to keep Halloween callers away than they realise. As millions of children prepare to take to the streets on October 31, a property law expert has explained what homeowners can do if they do not want strangers walking up their path or knocking…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

What the sector need to do differently to give first time buyers a chance

By Peter Hawley, Director, SOWN (part of LRG) The mortgage and property sector needs to stop assuming that younger buyers are either ready to buy outright or not ready at all. For many, the reality is somewhere in between. They may have stable employment, a deposit and a strong desire to own, but still find…
Read More →