An event hashtag is the absolute key to bringing online “visibility” to your event or speaking gig. There is nothing more important to an SEO coach as using keyword focused and topic relevant content in making your event findable online.
Learn more about SEO hashtag strategies, plus how using branded hashtags help your event to be recognized and to stir up conversations. All of our SEO strategies are fully focused on helping you to promote your online or offline events by gaining more online visibility. Scroll down to read more about event hashtag visibility now.
Build Your Event Visibility Step-By-Step With The Right Event Hashtag Choice
Let’s get started! First let’s define what an event hashtag should be.
What is an Event Hashtag?
- word or word combination with a number sign # in front of it
- topic related search term
- fantasy word
- name of an event
- shortened name of an event
- something people search for to find a specific event type (#webinar or #seminar for example)
As you will see, hashtags used to promote events should not only be one type, but can be many different variations. Go through Day 1 – Day 7 and find out more about how to gain online visibility for your event or speaking gig.
Visibility – Day 1
When you think of an event hashtag you want to think of these three different hashtag types:
- Keywords: These are hashtags that have a search demand and include the topic or geo location of the event, the problem or need your event target market has, and/or the solution they are looking for.
- Branding: These are hashtags referring to the name you gave your event or what you chose to brand your event under.
- Event type: When people search for events they have specific types in mind, webinars, seminars, conferences, workshops, and so on.
Visibility – Day 2
By now you should have a list of possible event hashtag ideas from Day 1. Now it’s time to see which keyword and event type related hashtags being used in the social media networks you have in mind, and which hashtags are more popular than others. This will allow you a good base from which to pick your final ones. Internal Search Most, if not all, social media networks have an internal search function. By typing the number sign (#) in front of the related keyword and event type you can find out if these words are already recognized as “hashtags”. By showing up as a suggestion or if you have to type them full out will indicate the current use. External Search Use the Google Adwords Keyword Planner to find which keyword related and event type related search terms have an existing search demand. Branded event hashtags are normally created specifically for an event and if they have never before been used, will have no existing search demand.
Visibility – Day 3
By Day 3, you picked your event hashtags and can start to create social media messages promoting them. To make the most out for your time, set up automated social media postings in Hootsuite or Socialoomps. The goal of Day 3 is to start building awareness and creating conversations where your hashtags to promote your event are an important part that will be re-shared again and again.
Visibility – Day 4
It’s all about event hashtag marketing. At this point you invite followers to use all event hashtags you created to promote the event. Divide your followers in interest groups. Not everybody will be interested in the same topic. You gain the best results when you share with your followers hashtags that “speaks” to them and their needs (what they hope to gain from the event or fulfill their needs the most). Make your hashtags “edible” by creating posts your followers can easy share and has the hashtag already in it. It can be part of your image, text post, or as hashtags in your video description.
Visibility – Day 5
Tracking, measuring, and evaluating is key. Do internal searches by using the number sign (#) and the chosen hashtag term in the social media networks you use. Evaluate the search results that come up when you type in your chosen event hashtags. Depending on the automated social media posting service you use, you can also see the tracking results there.
Visibility – Day 6
At this point, use your event hashtags like an email campaign. Remind people to come to your event, what they can expect or miss if they don’t participate, and to share the event with their followers, friends and family.
Visibility – Day 7
Start leading the conversations offline and online. Use your event hashtags everywhere. In your print material, in your press releases, on your website, in taglines, wherever you have the chance to promote your business. Make it a habit to share verbally, visual (selfie ready), and in text form what your event wants to be recognized for.
Conclusion
An event hashtag gains power through organic search demand (keyword related event hashtags), re-shares (branding related event hashtags), and by people recognizing the event type (#webinar, #event, #conference, #seminar, etc). You want to use all of the different event hashtag types to create a movement. Don’t forget to lead, track, measure, and evaluate your hashtag activities on an ongoing base, before, during and after the event. Especially if you host the same event on an ongoing base.