Trying to stand out on a platform with 1 billion active monthly users is a difficult task — and that’s where the value of hashtags come to play. Hashtags are ingenious. They function as a way to label your content and make it discoverable for people everywhere. The right hashtag can connect you with your audience on social media, help leverage your digital identity, and create a ton of user-generated content.

But hashtag marketing is not as simple as slapping a “#” on just any word or phrase. Instead, it requires taking careful consideration of how you want to categorize and brand your content.

Memes have become so ingrained in modern culture, it was inevitable that brands would pick up on the trend at some point. Because they have a special way of communicating attitudes, feelings, and relevant situations, brands have tapped into their power. On social media, memes generally take the form of a static picture and oftentimes have text layered on top.

Sharing images on social media isn't just proof of engagement – although that is always a plus. When followers share your visual content with others, that immediately exposes your brand to a wider audience – and shows customer engagement and appreciation. That leads to more traffic, more brand awareness, and ultimately more sales.

Traditionally, consumer goods market themselves. We live in an age where product packaging is essentially a science, where innovative designs lure consumers in, and where hundreds of items perfectly positioned on shelves vie for your attention. But in our evolving digital world - where an astounding 30,000 new consumer goods hit the market every year - social media is a necessary tool for CPG companies to drive brand awareness of their products.