Hashtags are a great tool in building reach and visibility to people interested in a topic. For example, #businesstips is likely being seen by people who own a business and like to read up on tips and strategies. But making up your own hashtag, even one for yourself or your business name, seldom pays off.
Here’s why: the purpose of a hashtag is reach; you want more people to see your post on social media. If I self-brand a hashtag, the only people who will be looking for it already know who I am. For example, if I used #Chicadita on posts for my business’ name, who might see that? People who are already looking for Chicadita. These people already know me and likely already follow me.
But what about using a self-branded hashtag to tie my posts together under one stream? Your profile does that already. It’s actually more likely that someone will click on your user name and profile icon than it is that they will click on your hashtag. Both clicks will take them to a stream of your posts, so plan to work with the one they’re most likely to click.
But Pepsi and Coca-Cola make their own hashtags, you say? They do, but always with the intent of their fans, the ultimate brand advocates, using them. If Pepsi makes their own hashtag, say for their old slogan like #tasteofanewgeneration, they likely will also have a promotion asking fans to post using that hashtag to enter. They have enough reach already that this strategy works. If you want to make a hashtag, say for an event, you have to make sure your fans know how to use it and are encouraged to do so.
Should you hashtag your business name? Ultimately, no. But you should be listening in case others do. Set up a saved search for it on your frequented social media platforms. You never know what someone else might be saying!