Hashtag Whitecourt or should I say #Whitecourt

By Fay Fletcher

For those of you who have no idea what a hashtag is, join the club. I think my social media prowess topped out with MSN Messenger and MySpace (What? Is my age showing?). Although, in my day, proper English did not consist of BRB, nice2CU, and the obligation to retweet various phrases in order to show my outrage over the social media drama of the moment, I have come to realize – cherish even – the role of social media in growing a community.

The advantage of social media in a town like Whitecourt is that it keeps us connected, allows us to quickly warn others of everything from icy lanes to shady contractors, and gives us a platform to give those all-important shout-outs to the people who make our day. Thanks to social media, we can see photos of events (flying snowmobiles last week, anyone?) in real time even if we can’t be at the show.

Out of curiosity I decided to type #Whitecourt into the Twitter search bar – after I looked up what a hashtag was. A hashtag is a word or phrase that is proceeded by the # symbol. When you use a hashtag, you are linking your thoughts to a particular social media movement or discussion. When one searches for that hashtag, they can read a wide variety of expressed options on that topic.

On Thursday, February 13, these were the top tweets when I typed #Whitecourt into the search bar.

• A job post looking for someone to learn classic car restoration
• Sad news about an ATV accident
• A caution against feeding wild animals
• An update on the Wolverine’s last game
• Freezing rain reported on Highway 43
• The curling club is hosting a party
• A shout-out to the Whitecourt Business Support Network
• An amazing photo and recap of the World Snowmobile Invasion from SnoRiders magazine

As you can see, the tweets were as varied as they were interesting. From sports to weather to jobs to social events and articles, #Whitecourt encompassed it all.

Get involved! When you #Whitecourt, you draw others into what is good, interesting, and loveable about Whitecourt. Use the hashtag to talk about the great customer service you received by shopping locally, to help others avoid an accident on the highway, or to connect job seekers with job hunters; and don’t forget to search #Whitecourt to stay in the know on what is going on in and around town.

Now it’s time for me to take to Twitter and write, “The Snowmobile Capital of Alberta is also a great place to find great food, friendly people, and cool events. #Whitecourt.”