Hashtagging...an idea that social media users know about, but barely know how to do. One of the easiest ways to group certain content in its relevant "categories", and a free, easy way for social media's version of "search optimization", hashtagging is signified by a "#" sign before the actual tag word. However, none of this matters if you don't know how to hashtag effectively. Below are three tips on how to get hashtags to work in your favor.

     1. Think of the purpose of your post and think of the category it belongs in. 
              Before saying anything, it is important to understand that hashtags should not be used for no reason. The purpose of hashtagging is to allow your post to be found and organized through social media searches. If someone wants to search for baseball information they will search baseball relevant hashtags - when hashtagged properly, baseball related posts will be found. With that said, it's most important to think of the purpose of your post and choose a hashtag that fits in a particular category. If your post is geared toward "#beauty" then the appropriate hashtag would simply be "beauty" or even "#beautytips" (depending on the post). If you're posting on behalf of an organization, the most effective way to hashtag would be to hashtag the field in which the business is in, the name of the business, and whatever category the post fits in. For example, a post written on behalf of a PR firm would include a PR hashtag, a hashtag of the firm's name, and then a hashtag of the category in which the post fits. It is okay to use multiple hashtags in one post, just don't overwhelm the reader; meaning no more than 3 hashtags per post.
           When using this method, it is important to think of keywords that you would use to search for the specific topic in which you're posting about. Chances are, the keywords you create will be the same ones someone else uses to search the topic. 
     2. Let "Trending Topics" guide you
            If you're unsure of what to use, don't be afraid to reference Twitter's Trending Topics (new or old) and use them. Once again, make sure they fit the purpose(s) of your post and are relevant for those who happen to search the specific hashtag. 
     3. Make it sound cool!  
          It can go without saying, that people will read and search for things that sound cool. It's equally as important to create tags that are interesting and catchy...not complex, but catchy! Use keywords that you think can catch the attention of the post's targeted user and that is still relevant to the post itself.


By following these easy steps, your hashtag experience will be effectively used. Once mastering this, we can get on to more complex hashtag tips and ideas for both personal and professional use. In the meantime, what are your favorite hashtags? What was your first hashtag? Share it here. Leave comments, ask questions. 

MediaTakeOut has been considered one of the most visited urban celebrity gossip sites since its launch in 2006. Written in a short blog-like format, MediaTakeOut informs the public of the most recent celebrity gossip, providing articles, pictures, messages, and tweets from MTO's unknown souces. Getting attention for its "naked pics" and its "guess who did this now!" headlines, MTO has quickly become some celebrity's worst nightmare; but can the same be said for the celebritys' PR agents? Is MTO a nightmare for PR agents, or does its (perceived) lack of credibility put MTO at the bottom of their list of concerns?

To effectively answer this question, I took to Twitter and sparked a discussion with a few public relations professionals. Of course MTO is not a site that should be completely ignored, since, despite its credibility (or lackthereof), still maintains a solid following, but to what degree should PR agents worry about it? The main conclusion drawn from the many ideas of the discussion is that the agent's concern depends on the damage the celebrity would receive from the specific MTO post. An idea shared by a majority of the publicists is that the public does not necesarily care about credibility, and from personal experiences I can attest to that. In reality, the degree to which a celebrity's PR agent should be concerned depends on the damage anticipated from the post. Although a publicist should be ready to counter any negative press, if the post is minor, the agent may not even consider addressing it - and that is a decision left solely up to the client and the publicist. However, a more damaging post should yield appropriate plans to counteract the negativity created. With that being said, although MTO may not be highest on a publicist's list of concerns, the site should still be monitored as closely as other forms of media.
Please note: Not all of MTO's posts are negative.

I was so consumed with love...and probably lust just remembering my night, that I couldn't even think of an appropriate introduction for this post.  Anyone who knows me, knows my love for Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, Diddy can get a bit out of hand. I've dreamt of working for Bad Boy Entertainment for about 7 years of my life...way before I knew that entertainment PR is what I wanted to do. I promised myself that any opportunity I got to see Diddy (being in CT doesn't allow too many opportunities), I would. I was even planning a night trip to Philly to attend one of his celebrity parties, although by the time I found out about it, Enterprise Rentals was closed. That $250.00 ticket and 5 hour drive didn't mean a thing to me if I got to attend an actual Diddy party.

About a year after that event, my best friend surprised me with tickets to the Diddy - Dirty Money concert for their debut (and only) album Last Train To Paris (which might I add was amazingly produced). Needless to say, that concert gave me so much life. The people who sat next to me got to meet him, and apparently they gave them towels as a memorabilia. At the end of the night, those towels went home with me.

Another year after that, I was driving to work listening to the radio, something I barely listen to, and I heard the DJ's announce a Diddy party being held at a near by CT casino. I got to work. Got out of my car. Went into my office. And 15 minutes later booked the Platinum Party package - early entry, hotel room, and guaranteed access into the party. I didn't even need to know who I was going with, as long as I knew that I was going. I called up my best friend and of course he was all in.
That night may have been the greatest night of my life. The party atmosphere was great. The way the room was decorated, the perfectly costumed cage dancers, and the acrobats doing tricks from the ceiling all made my money worth it. The Djs, ehhh, not so much, but I could care less, I wanted to see Diddy. He arrived, and performed for about 15 minutes....SUPER DRUNK. I couldn't even be mad at him; afterall, it was his party.

For some reason, though, the moment he came out, I was less concerned with him, and more concerned with my dream. I seen everything I wanted right before me. The excitement I had for him, I want to have for someone... someone I actually know. Someone who has been through the wire to accomplish their dream. I want to be on the stage as part of someone's team, representing them and all they're doing. I want to publicize, market, and plan these events for a hardworking client whom I see nothing but potential in. I want to put on the best dress and be a part of the hype - not for myself but for my client. I don't want to smile because I see my dreams manifested, I want to smile because I know I've played a role in someone else's manifestation. Someone who had all it took except public recognition. Someone who had all the talent but no brand. Someone who had all the ideas and tons to talk about, but no way to communicate them to the world. I want to aid in someone else's development, so that one day, their Platinum parties could be as popular as Diddy's are.

I could only dream that one day I won't be the one holding the camera in the audience, but the one forming a positive connection with, communicating with, and gauging the satisfaction of the audience. An audience in which my client's success or failure depends.