I had just spent the previous four weeks crafting the perfect social media campaign. That’s what I thought it was, at least.
The idea was to raise money for a local entertainment venue with an easy social challenge — help name the theater’s main stage. It was mentioned during a client conversation about branding but came to fruition in a class devoted to social media for the public good. I remember thinking, what a fantastic opportunity to test educational theory with professional practice.
The concept was simple:
- Ask users to share their stage name idea using #upstagenewtown.
- Donate to the entertainment venue on a standalone microsite.
- Award participants with free tickets, swag, and backstage passes.
The week I was set to present, my news app recommended a timely article. The notification was conveniently titled, “The death of hashtags? Why social media is moving on,” and I immediately felt a lump where my heart once was (Marshall, 2025). Assuming the content would ruin the project’s strategy, I decided to save the article for later — I would share the campaign idea anyway.
Listen and Participate
The client was thrilled. After explaining how it works, the Executive Director made a comment about how engaging the campaign could be with residents. Instead of advertising events by pushing content out, effectively interrupting the user experience, the campaign invited the audience to participate directly in the venue’s social media channels (Quesenberry, 2025, pg. 54). It showed an organization willing to listen.
Plus, most of the content would be generated by users. Residents would share their personal experiences with friends online, helping to inspire others about the importance of the arts. It was participatory.
Listen and Look Ahead
According to Dave Kerpen in, Likeable Social Media, social media is always going to be P2P, or person to person. “There’s no such thing online as B2B,” he admits (Kerpen, 2019, pg. 30). Businesses are not leaving social media, nor should they. Yet so many organizations continue to struggle to make authentic connections with their audience. To avoid being invasive, businesses need to engage and interact just like the rest of us — as humans.
In the end, it turns out hashtags aren’t going anywhere, yet. Social media platforms simply prioritize algorithms that focus on user behavior and preferences. Artificial Intelligence can analyze content for relevance, making hashtags less critical for visibility (Sanae, 2025). Algorithms change, platforms die, and trends evolve, but human connection remains at the heart of social media success, even for businesses.
The notification I received prior to my presentation may have caused unexpected stress, but it was just a small hurdle. The idea remained strong, even if we needed to figure out a different tactical approach. If social media has taught us anything, it’s how to adapt in the age of constant change. I’m not sure if my client realized it — I didn’t, at the time — but our campaign idea was the result of listening. In turn, our campaign would enable social listening, participation, and engagement. Listening, I’ve come to believe, is the future of social media.
References
Kerpen, D. (2019). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on all social networks that matter. McGraw-Hill Education.
Marshall, N. (2025, February 5). The death of hashtags? Why social media is moving on. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2025/02/05/the-death-of-hashtags-why-social-media-is-moving-on/
Quesenberry, K. A. (2025). Social Media Strategy: Marketing, advertising, and public relations in the consumer revolution. Rowman & Littlefield.
Sanae. (2025, January 24). Are hashtags still relevant in 2025. Nuelink. https://blog.nuelink.com/hashtags-in-2025/
Taylor, K. (2025, April 23). Hashtags in 2025: Are they still relevant for social media marketing?. Ignite Social Media. https://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-marketing/hashtags-in-2025-are-they-still-relevant-for-social-media-marketing/
V, S. (2025, May 13). Goodbye to instagram hashtags - Mark Zuckerberg makes it tougher for influencers, Meta CEO removes option to follow hashtags to fight spam. La Grada Online EN. https://www.lagradaonline.com/en-us/instagram-remove-hashtags-zuckerberg/
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