Top 10 small business twitter hashtags

#DontBeObvious

Everyone knows that you’re supposed to use hashtags on Twitter to get more attention, but not many are good at actually pulling it off. Here are some of the most useful ones for small business owners.

#(InsertTrendingHashtag)

Remember when as a kid you’d play soccer and everyone would mindlessly chase after the ball and not pay attention to their larger role within the team? The same can be true of hashtags that are trending. If something is crazy trending (like #grammys during the Grammys) it means that your post will be buried by hundreds or even thousands of posts within seconds. Makes it hard not to get lost in the noise. On the other hand, you don’t want to add the least popular hashtags that no one looks for. There are endless sites that provide constantly updating lists of trending hashtags.

#startups

The main downside of this hashtag is that it involves even more self-promotion than normal for Twitter. BUT….it is one of the quickest ways of finding out about genuinely new and unknown innovations in the startup world. If you want to be an early adopter of something cool, even something that may not totally catch on, this is a great place to start your search.

#smallbiz

Seems obvious. But it works. Especially helpful for the more “official” small business posts, like government or banking programs or scheduled online discussions led by business leaders, for those who prefer more interactive learning as opposed to just reading endless online posts (#LikeThisArticle)

#leadership

At first this hashtag might seem like it will bring only corny motivational results (and there certainly is some) but some of the most insightful advice from business leaders, tech innovators, and even spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama will often use this hashtag. If you find yourself in need of a small business pick-me-up without endless sales pitches or complicated business plans, go here.

Simple, to the point, and only using 1 hashtag.

#YourCompanyName

Actually, you need to be careful here. It depends what your business name is. #StephaniesSuperHairAndNailSalon is obviously a hassle to write. Even if someone remembered it, it sounds so boring no one would bother looking for it. On the other hand, #StephsCrazyHair would stick out more and might make them think they would see some interesting stuff.

#YourPromo

Encourage customers to return by telling them that you have exclusive promos to people who read or follow your Twitter. Don’t put up a big sign in your place of business advertising it, because then people will just take out their phones and use it for a quick discount without a reason to be loyal. Instead, tell a customer that every Tuesday a specific item has a huge discount if you come in and mention the special hashtag you used. Make it easy to remember but not the exact same as your business. Maybe#AlmostFreeBeer for a drink special or #TuxedoTuxedoTuxedo to get teenage prom-goers to your shop instead of your competitors. Come on, be creative.

#socialbusiness

This hashtag is mostly for small business owners who are specifically trying to improve their use of social media to grow their business. A combination of useful articles and people trying to sell you stuff, as is always the case, but if someone consistently posts that hashtag with useful articles, they probably know what they’re talking about.

#productivity

While you may be surprised to learn you can use Twitter to INCREASE productivity and not just spend all day reading celebrity gossip, it turns out you can discover some new time management apps or just some good daily habits you may not have heard of. This hashtag is closely related to its younger and more hip cousin, #LifeHacks

Imperfectly perfect. Sounds like an actual human wrote it, not a committee.

#shoplocal

This is one of the few business hashtags out there that seems to put community and economic sustainability before just making money, even if a small business is using it because they would like more customers. It lets the customer feel like a hero and not a sucker. As is so often the case, the least sales-y it seems, the more it can actually help out sales.

Your boss loves it when he sees you looking at pictures like this at work.

#kittens

Ok, this won’t help your small business unless you sell adorable posters of kittens. But hey, every small business needs a good attitude to survive the day to day. (Please note that this hashtag produces the exact opposite results of #productivity).

When not posting pictures of kittens, TrustLeaf helps small businesses raise money from friends and family.