At first
glance, these two topics may seem totally unrelated, but read further and learn
how they complement each other. I’ll give you a clue, it has to do with the
topic of Search Engine Optimization.
Let’s start
with definitions:
A Hashtag is used with Twitter. It’s a
#(number sign) followed by a group of letters or words that makes the topic
searchable in the Twitter universe.
A Hyperlink (sometimes referred to as a
Hotlink or simply a Link) is a group of letters or words that, when you hoover
your curser over it, is clickable and opens a new window on the Internet. The
first paragraph of this post has a Hyperlink, Search Engine Optimization.
Still
curious how these two are linked? Here’s another clue, it has to do with the
research you need to do to use each effectively.
Hashtags
It’s
important to use hashtags when you tweet—but even more important to use them
correctly. It’s important to avoid using more than two or three hashtags per
tweet. Otherwise you run the risk of being mistaken for a sales person or a
spammer. Because of this, you need to do your research and make certain you’re
getting the most out of every one.
When
I look for relevant hashtags, I start with the obvious and then do a little
fact checking. For instance, when I started targeting military families with
tweets I assumed #military would be the hashtag to use. Fortunately I dug a little deeper. When I
checked what tweets that hashtag normally brought up I found it was geared more
toward those looking to date a soldier. Definitely NOT the audience I was
looking for. It turned out the hashtag I needed was #militaryfamily.
Here
are some of the places I research hashtags:
Hyperlinks
Here are some things you
need to know about Hyperlinks.
- Including them will raise the search engine ranking of your post and subsequently, your site.
- It’s a way to build credibility by linking to other sites you’ve written for.
- It’s a way to utilize previous posts and get more traffic on your own blog.
- They can give your readers more value by linking to valuable site that your readers may not have visited.
I want to zero in on how hyperlinks can raise our
search engine ranking.
Most people don’t know
that the words hyperlinked in your post are also searchable by search engines.
This means you need to choose the words you link carefully because you don’t
want to waste them.
Do you see the link between Hyperlinks and Hashtags
now? As I said, it’s in the research. Both involve topics trending on the web.
If you find a popular Hashtag, make a note of it. Then, when you have a related
post, use that topic as a part of your hyperlink.
Here’s an Example:
Look again at the hyperlink in the first paragraph.
I could have made the word Topic the link. It would have made
sense, after all I was referring to a topic.
But how often do people do a Google search for the word topic? Not very
often. So I linked to a much more interesting set of words, SEARCH ENGINE
OPTIMIZATION.
Also, this topic, #SEO is trending on Twitter,
telling me I’ll attract new followers by using this hashtag when I tweet about
my post.
This type of multitasking will help you get more
mileage out of your research time and give you the added benefit of tying your
blog posts directly to your Twitter updates.
Now it’s your turn, be sure to post your questions
in the comment section and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
