How #Hashtags Can Help You

If you've been using Facebook or Twitter and wondered why people keep putting the "#" symbol before certain words or phrases (and possibly been irritated by it), that little hashtag can actually be your best friend. Social media sites use hashtags to categorize your tweets, updates, and posts. Putting a hashtag symbol in front of a words or phrases transforms them in to searchable keywords. Not only do hashtags help people with common interests find you but they also help you find them!

Let's say you want to find a mentor to help you get started in rehabbing houses. Find the search bar in whatever social media site you're using and type in keywords like:

• #realestate
• #homerehabbing
• #houseflipping
• #fixinghouses

You will then get a list of all the posts that have those phrases in them along with the person or organization who posted it. The content of the post should give you clues as to whether the person who posted it is who you're looking for. Once you've check out a person's bio information and you're sure you've found who you're looking for send them a message to start building a relationship.

This technique makes it so much easier to find people through social media on just about anything you're interested in. So start hashtagging and make some new connections!