Are #Hashtags Stifling Your Creativity?

We all want our work to be seen. We want our stories to be clicked on, our videos to be shared, our posts to be “liked.” We all need some component of “marketing” to make sure our work is shared or experienced (if that is indeed your goal). But coming up with clickbaity headlines and unique hashtags is taking up almost as much time as creating your piece of work!

Let’s talk about writers specifically for a moment. What if - and I know this seems to be scary –a story could be FREE to be more than just a #hashtag? Have we allowed the hashtag to start to suppress the need for creativity, by forcing writers and users to try and get a specific word or concept to trend?

Think about all the good stories that don’t trend and that are so much more than a #hashtag or a clickable headline. If you have a cool image of yourself drinking a great cup of coffee while sitting in a great French restaurant while looking at the Arc de Triomphe. You are left wondering what should the hashtag be, compared to thinking about how you should communicate this experience in a meaningful way. Or, if you have just completed a very serious op-ed on the threat of global warming – doesn’t it seem a bit cheap to think about how to tag it? (#TheWorldIsEnding is likely taken by someone else anyway). The way Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google (and others) are wired, you have to use hashtags, geotags and SEO in order to get noticed. And because of that, people are expending way too much creative time and energy on the marketing of their piece, when they should be thinking of their next big creative endeavor.

Soon (BIG HINT) you won’t need hashtags to make sure your work gets to the right audience. What we are creating is a space for creators to do what they do best – CREATE. We will make sure that your audience finds you and your work and notthe other way around. (NOTE: if you are a creator and would like to work with us on our beta – check out how to get involved here).

If you MUST use a hashtag, be smart about them! This post is a little PG-13 – but what he says makes sense! Now, go forth and CREATE!

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