How to Hashtag like a Real #Millennial

Can you believe that less than ten years ago the ordinary and unpretentious pound sign was just a pound sign?

Fast-forward to today and that same pound sign has since transitioned from a simple icon to being the cultural identifier for Millennials. Who knew the absurd thought of categorizing topics using the pound sign would turn our world into a land filled with #tbts? And to be completely honest, we’re really #sorrynotsorry about it.

All joking aside, hashtags have really become a part of the way we communicate.

We use them as conversational punchlines, inspire social and cultural movements, cover international news, and see them plastered to just about every advertisement and branded message out there.

To my dear Gen X-ers or Boomers, hashtags can be a bit confusing; while many try to embrace the hashtag it can often end up being an epic #fail. But, as the resident Kander Millennial, I’ve put together a beginner’s guide so you’ll be hashtagging like a pro in no time.

NO SPACES.

Rule number one in hashtagging: For the love of pineapple, please don’t use a space. I constantly see this where someone clearly meant to use a multiple-word hashtag but it only ended up being “#Epic Fail.” When you use a space it signifies that your hashtag has ended. If you want to differentiate between your words use capitals instead of spaces; so you get: #EpicFail. See the difference?

Be Specific.

Hashtags allow you to target a specific audience, and last time I checked, a targeted audience generally means better engagement. So, if you want to target a bunch of hipsters to buy your kids’ lemonade, try something like this: #ArtisanLemonade #HomeBrew. (Side note: This is just an example; I don’t recommend broadcasting to the general public that your child is having a lemonade stand at your home… You know, for obvious reasons.)

Keep it simple.

While it’s great to identify what you’re talking about, using too many hashtags can come off as spam. Rule of thumb: Keep it to a maximum of three hashtags on your Twitter and Facebook posts. As for Instagram? Go ahead and add a bunch of hashtags, but add them as a comment.

Another tip for keeping it simple: Don’t use the same hashtag twice. We get it, you love the movie Trolls, but sending out a tweet that reads: “#Trolls is a great movie. Everybody go see #Trolls.” Well, it’s a bit #redundant.

Using hashtags will allow your content to be discoverable by a wide, targeted audience. They allow you to make an impression to that audience, so make sure you’re sharing the best content and making the right impression. (Like you know what you’re doing when it comes to #hashtags.)

Now that we have covered the basics, you can go on your way to hashtagging like a pro. I’ll leave you with but one last example. You’re welcome.