At Converge, we are always talking about what’s next and what’s new in higher education marketing. Last week, I read this great article on hashtag optimization. I’ve felt inspired to write a blog about hashtags ever since.

What is hashtag optimization?

Unlike SEO, which focuses on gaining higher rankings in the SERPs (search engine result pages), hashtag engine optimization (HEO) is all about following social media trends and using them to our marketing advantage.

The idea is that you jump on a trend and create relevant content to gain exposure with the goal of directing traffic from social channels to your website or landing page.It’s a perfect example of how to strategically apply inbound marketing in #highered.

The cool thing about HEO is that it’s still a relatively new concept. There’s less competition, leaving room for more immediate results. We plan to be on the leading edge when it comes to HEO and we believe you should too.

How do I use it?

One of the many things we love about hashtags is their versatility – they lend themselves seamlessly to the “create once, publish everywhere” (COPE) mantra of inbound marketing. While Twitter may have coined the idea, other networks like Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Instagram are now following suit.

Recent data shows that close to 95% of all teens are online and 81% are active on some form of social media. Nearly all of your prospective students are active on social networking sites, which means you should be too.

To standout in a saturated marketplace, you’ve got to be smart and creative. All of your marketing efforts, including social media strategy, should be memorable andmeasurable.

Make it memorable.

From small-scale Instagram contests to full-blown trend hubs, the range of #possibilities is vast and wonderful. Here are some creative examples we love:

• The University of Iowa started a trend hub for #TheUforIowa that pulls posts from multiple social channels to a campaign landing page.
• LSU shared posts about an alumni on ABC’s The Bachelorette. Referencing pop culture is a fun and engaging way to personalize your brand while connecting with your students and their interests.
• Simpson College promotes student recruitment and engagement through #ChooseSimpson.
• UCLA challenged students to participate in the #HealthyUCLA Happiness Challenge on Instagram for a chance to win a $25 bookstore gift card.
• Stephen F. Austin University encourages school spirit and student engagement with #AxeEm. Two student athletes even made a YouTube parody called “#Hashtag” with Trey Pinkney and Thomas Walkup.

Make it measurable.

After you’ve launched a hashtag campaign, check to see how your social metrics are impacted. Are you getting more Retweets? Track traffic in Google Analytics for an uptick in new visitors from social media sites. If you see more incoming visits from Twitter, engage your users with more tweets.

Discover what works and don’t hesitate to give the people what they want. Social media is less about promotion and more about engagement, so follow trends and never be afraid to jump on the bandwagon. You have the opportunity to personalize your brand through social networking and see some immediate ROI with hashtag optimization. Take advantage!

Is your institution doing something remarkable with hashtags? Share your stories by commenting below. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!