It’s always a joy to receive an email from someone I follow that reaffirms my thoughts and practises. This week, I received a link to a blog providing a list of 180 hashtags for bloggers. Reading through the article, I discovered this was not just for bloggers, but for anyone wanting to be noticed on social media. 

Hashtags have come a long way in their meaning and how they can help us advertise to get the word out there Following hashtags that are trending is made easier by lists compiled on social media platforms. 

“But I don’t Tweet and I am not on a lot of social media. Why would I need to use #hashtags?”

You certainly don’t have to; however, the use of one #hashtag using your business name or product at the end of anything you post, is better than nothing. 

Consider this. If you are working you’re butt off to get the books you've written noticed, you might want to end your blog, your twitter post or your FB post with a few hashtags like #BookMarketing #AmWritingFiction and maybe your latest book title #TheQuietSpirits.

If you only post on a specific day of the week, utilize the hashtags that direct people to the day along with a few highlighting the topic you are posting about - i.e. #MondayMorningBlogger #ThoughtsOnTuesday #WellnessWednesday #ThrowbackThursday #FunkyFoodFriday #SaturdayStomp and #SelflessSunday.

Selling specific products should include a #hashtag referencing direct to your business. If you do custom work include #CustomFiberArt. If your business is a service, use #CateringByXYZ or #RanchBandB or #AllNaturalSoap.

Instagram will tell you if the hashtags you are wanting to use is popular, has been used before, or this is the first time they’ve seen it. 

Each time you type in a #hashtag on Instagram, there will be a number beside it. Try to find a happy medium with around 5000 uses (my preference). Under 100 uses is okay, if it is something you want to use and plan to use over and over again as part of your #hashtag program. If the hashtag you want to use shows up with a red line under it, that means it has never been used before. Try a variance of the words to see if you can get it to register. If you’re set on using it, just know that no one out there is doing a search for information that includes the word(s) the way you have written them. 

Twitter is a little less forgiving in my opinion as their trending list will show up on the sidebar and is a rapid state of flux changing more often in a day than I care to speak on.  Using any of the trending #hashtags will most definitely push you up the ranks. 

Play with it, have fun with it, be creative. It is after all free and one of the easiest ways to promote yourself, your product and your business.

Some #hashtag samples from our Instagram and Facebook. 

#AnnEdallRobson #TheQuietSpirits #MoonRising #FromWhereICome #CapturingMomentsOthersMayNeverGetToExperience

Here are a few more inbox thoughts.

My first visit to the Ranch took place shortly after the launch of Moon Rising: An Eclectic Collection of Works. It was an 'in limbo' time for me while I pondered the need to continue writing as I had been, short stories and poetry or dive into the world of novel writing. The latter eventually won out, and not only did I start one manuscript, I soon found I had three irons in the fire with other ideas flying around the brain wheel. The Quiet Spirits was the novel that got to the finish line first. The others are still under the banner of WIP and have now been joined by the sequel to The Quiet Spirits. In between, I continue to blog, write a monthly newsletter and have published the first of my Backyard Series - Birds in my Canadian Backyard.

​Life is grand!

Being involved with the Rough Writer Tour Around the World, encouraged me to take a trip back in time, though my 99-word archives. I couldn’t remember what my first submission was to the Carrot Ranch, and what I found made me smile, nod my head and whisper, “Damn straight!”

I found it interesting how my first post at the Ranch has so much more meaning with the completion of The Congress of the Rough Writers Flash Fiction Anthology Vol. 1.  The words I wrote, titled Ivor Oaks, fits the concept of the Carrot Ranch and Charli Mills’ vision to a tee. The prompt on that day in April 2015 - write a story about nurturing a neighbourly relationship.

Not once, did I imagine my early days of writing 99-words would eventually resonate with life at the Ranch, but they have. They are the epitome of what has happened over the years, driven by Charli’s dream for the Carrot Ranch to “provides words for people: stories to read, encouragement to practice craft and a commitment to creating community through literary art.” 

​I leave you with Ivor Oaks . . .