Hashtags provide a great way for higher education institutions to group conversations and encourage interaction on social media. When used correctly, hashtags can not only amplify your message, but they can also allow you to monitor the digital conversation and get real-time feedback.

With a mere # symbol, you can make any phrase a clickable link to connect with other people who are interested in the same topic. The idea of the hashtag started in Twitter where users started grouping conversations together using the pound sign (number symbol). They would just use Twitter's native search functionality to seek other people talking about a particular topic. The people at Twitter noticed the trend and in 2007 started adopting a streamlined solution that allowed clickable links with each hashtag. In 2013, Facebook took a similar hashtag functionality. Instagram, Google Plus, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn joined in the adoption of the hashtag model. LinkedIn later decided to drop the hashtag feature in July 2013.

Types of Hashtags in Higher Education

Following are the six main hashtag categories used for higher education:

• Funny: Sometimes institutions use hashtags to expand on a message and provide comic relief. A hashtag can help solidify a funny message and add a light layer to a social media update.
• Clever: When your institution/department needs to solidify a point or make a bolder statement, hashtags can be used to expand on an idea and provide a deeper message.
• Unique: Sometimes hashtags are used only to make a unique case come to light. Unique hashtags are not necessary intended for actual conversations but rather can be used to expand a message.
• Branded: When universities need to have a consistent brand experience, branded hashtags provide the most reliable way to do so. Branded hashtags help keep a close eye on events or conversations happening on campus and can provide an excellent overview of your brand for customer service opportunities.
• Trendy: When institutions need to add their feedback to an important event or provide support for a cause, trending hashtags can help add to an online conversation. Trending hashtags are great when your organization has subject matter experts or relevant institutional points about a trending topic.
• Events: If a division or department needs to build awareness and help like-minded people connect, event hashtags provide an excellent way to do so. Event hashtags are great for conferences or significant events on campus that might generate a good amount of comments or pictures online. They can be an excellent way to group event messages or updates and entice people to attend other related events.

When should you use a hashtag?

There are various reasons to use a hashtag. Generally speaking, you should consider using a hashtag if you need to:

• Build awareness: Using hashtags correctly can help you expand the reach of your message. Other people interested in the topic might be able to uncover interesting or previously unknown information about your topic. It also allows like-minded people to quickly find and share your content on a particular subject.
• Group a conversation: Hashtags can also be used as an open online forum to discuss important issues and help people find answers. Having a live Twitter conversation using a hashtag is an example of this.
• Measure responses: It is easier to measure brand sentiment when you use a hashtag. Many services allow aggregate hashtag analysis and can help you understand the best times to post, the overall demographic makeup of the people engaged with a hashtag, and related topics that you can explore in the future.
• Need feedback: Hashtags can also be used as an efficient customer service monitoring tool. This can be dangerous if not used correctly since it might also spread awareness of the concerns of your followers. To avoid PR disasters, make sure you monitor your brand hashtags regularly and respond to pressing issues promptly.
• Monitor trends: Hashtags can also be used to keep track of engagement trends and develop a strategy based on them.
• Develop a sense of community: One of the most powerful features of a hashtag is the fact that it can help people connect with each other and share their ideas on a topic. In this sense, hashtags can be used to create a sense of community and increase brand loyalty.

 You do NOT need a hashtag for every update.

Top 3 Hashtags Misconceptions:

• You should always use a hashtag: No, there are many instances where using a hashtag can reduce the overall reach of your post. Hashtags add a layer of information to a post, and the social media sites use this information to show the update to a particular group of people. You might think that an update might be of interest to a group but perhaps that group is not as active or engaged as another group that is not using that particular hashtag. Also, hashtags may distract people from your key message since many people have learned to ignore them altogether.
• You should always use trending hashtags to engage with your audience:  Not always, sometimes when an institution is voicing a general opinion about a trending topic might be perceived as not genuine. Unless your department/division is actively engaged with a particular cause, simply following online trends might backfire.
• Using a hashtag, you can control a conversation: No, you cannot control the online conversation even if you use a hashtag. Anybody can use a hashtag to post any update and sometimes even the most carefully planned hashtag PR strategy can go wrong. Plan accordingly and make sure you continuously monitor your key hashtags. Timing is everything in the online world.

How to pick the right hashtag?

There are some general points you should keep in mind when developing a hashtag for your event or promotion. Here are a few

• Make it memorable: The primary goal of a hashtag should be to generate engagement. Hashtags that are easy to remember are more likely to be used. Printing a memorable hashtag on your promotional materials can help people engage with your brand.
• Keep it simple: Sometimes you need to use complex hashtags (for example, one that you might use for a yearly conference or a very specific technical issue); however, simple hashtags tend to perform better since there is less room for error with them. Give your hashtag to five people, if they can easily recall the correct hashtag after a few minutes, you have a good hashtag.
• Make it original: Sometimes it is good to leverage existing hashtags, but if you rely too much on existing hashtags you run the risk of your message being buried among other updates. With an original hashtag, you have the added benefit of time to nurture the conversation around a topic and monitor its development closely.
• Compare your efforts with other universities: Keep a close eye on what other universities are doing to find inspiration and collaboration. Monitor what hashtags generate the most engagement and around what topics their audience gathers. This will help you uncover opportunities in your field/area.