What is the Overuse of Hashtags on Twitter

Twitter has taken the world by storm over the past few years. While I'm not going to be the one to say that Twitter is the be all and end all of of all forms of advertising, it can in fact be useful. It is one of the many tools that you can use to help build your business or at the very least, get some added sets of eyeballs right on your blog.

The methods are many and obviously there are many who have done very well utilizing Twitter marketing. There are many ways to send out a tweet, using 140 characters or less. One very common method is a hash tag or "#" symbol.

The hash tag can be useful but it is also a metric where people can overplay their hands gravely.

The Use and Overuse of Hash Tags in Twitter

I will be the first to admit where there have been times where I have gone overboard with hash tags. Potentially recently and there is a chance I will have to slap myself on the wrist to prevent myself from going overboard once again.

Those who "know the social media game" tell you that hash tags are the way to go on Twitter. You need to use hash tags to have people find your tweets, click on your links, buy your products. You know the drill, you've heard the spiel.

Naturally they neglect to tell you that while hash tags do not work, there are times where they don't work. I mean what is the use of a hash tag if you would have performed the same way with or without one. A few extra key strokes but every second of time we save can be something that can be the difference.

With that in mind, hash tags can work. If they are used smartly. If they are timed right. If you don't stuff your tweet full of hash tags.

Again something that I have been guilty of but you live and you learn.

As we know, the limit of characters on Twitter amount to one hundred and forty characters. There is not a lot of time for idle chatter, those one hundred and forty characters can be a rather precious and each individual punctuation mark is important.

As it results for hash tags, you can really find that eating into your limit. And if your post looks something like this

"#This is an #example of #overuse of #hashtags on #twitter. yoururl.com #nitwit."

That looks overly clunky doesn't it? Hash tags are short snappy words that are key phrases.

One hash tag if you are inclined to use them is likely the best practice. The most important thing that people searching for your tweet will go away with.

Two, might be fine but it dilutes the tweet, perhaps undercutting the value. Still if you must, you likely aren't going to lose too much steam if you play your cards right.

Three is really pushing it but only in exceptional circumstances should you use three hash tags on Twitter.  It can be done but should you do it is a question that you should ponder nice and carefully.

Four and beyond, that is overkill to the greatest later. And overuse of tweets can be considered to be spam. Which means you will be in deep manure with our lord and master of the Internet, Google.

Google doesn't like many things these days. Too many words. Not enough words. Too many advertisements above the fold, too many links on a single web page, you pretty much can do a lot to incur the wrath of Google and not have them index your links.

The overuse of hash tags is just one of those things.

Now using hash tags can be beneficial but sometimes they are not needed. You should not feel that you have to use them, but rather you can utilize hash tags on Twitter if they appear to be useful.