Hashtags can be an effective way to drive traffic to your website and boost your search engine optimization efforts by increasing your social media credibility.  They can create a buzz around a specific topic driving web traffic which can then be converted into paying customers.  A qualified SEO firm can help suggest hashtags.

Not all hashtags are created equal.  You want to create a hashtag that catches on.

Create a unique hashtag.  This will establish you as the authority on the subject and puts you in a thought leader position rather than a follower.  Hashtags from perceived trend setters or leaders are retweeted more often allowing you to control the conversation and quickly build up a following.

Keep it simple.  Avoid complex words that are hard to read.  Try to avoid words with double letters or that are often misspelled.

Get to the point.  The most effective hashtags are easy to remember and only use a few words. Twitter limits you to 140 characters.  Don’t create long hashtags that use up all the room — generally 10 characters or less.  Short and concise hashtags give consumers room to say something.  Abbreviations are ok as long as they are common ones.

Mean what you say.  Avoid embarrassing and possibly brand damaging situations by making sure your hashtag means what you think it means.  Check out www.tagdef.com to make sure.

Research it first.  Search to find out if and how your hashtag is already being used.  You want to be unique and avoid potentially damaging situations where the hashtag is being used for an entirely different situation.

Give it a chance.  Some hashtags will catch on quickly and others will take time.  Test out different strategies in both conceptualizing your tags and in tweeting in order to find out a good fit for you.

Tie into hot topics.  Use the hashtags that are trending that day. It will help your posts be part of important events.