1. Hashtags? What? How? http://mashable.com/2009/09/04/twitter- hashtags-business/

2. One of the most complex feature for new users to understand is the hashtag A topic with a hash symbol (#) at the start to identify it. A way to organize topics A way to find topics in a search

3. Hashtag? Allows you to create communities of people interested in the same topic Users must put the # before a word in order for it to be searchable They are not an official Twitter function – Company doesn’t create – Users create

4. Identifying Hashtags WhattheTrend.com – This useful little service makes it easy to learn about trending hashtags Twubs.com – Uses a wiki system to disseminate information on a hashtag Hashtags.org – Shows you tag use overtime and recent tweets

5. Tracking Hashtags What’s buzzing on Twitter right now? – If you are tech journalist, marketing professional, or a person interested in trends Twitterfall – Track tweets from hashtags in real-time Hashtag.org – Provides graphs and information on top hashtags

6. Using Hashtags UNWRITTEN RULES Now Written 1. Don’t overuse them – If everyone of your tweets is a hashtag, you dilute the usefulness. 2.Give your hashtag context – Most people won’t know what it means – Give a quick explanation in one of your tweets 3.Be sure it adds value for yourself and your followers 4.Best way to utilize them is when you need to organize information – Conferences, major events, and reminders will help organize specific tweets

7. Organizing Hashtags If you are putting on an event or want to start a conversation Choose a single hashtag early – Make it simple – Easy to spell – As short as possible Remind about the hashtag constantly – On your website – Twitter feed – Throughout the day Provide a website widget – An easy conversation tool on your website Widgetbox Tweetgrid