It’s amazing to consider how powerful hashtags have become for audience engagement. Who would have thought the humble pound sign would turn into a stepping stone to building online communities and uniting people on a global scale?

From inspiring intellectual conversation to promoting events, organizations marvel at how flexible the social media tool is. In fact, organizations have become so enthusiastic about hashtags that many companies have begun trademarking their own unique tags. And the trend continues to grow.

In 2015, 1,398 hashtag trademark applications were filed, according to Thomson CompuMark research. Although the United States leads the world in applications, organizations in countries such as Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom have begun to jump at the idea of personal hashtags, the Wall Street Journal reported. In 2010, only seven applications were filed.

“With more and more time being spent on social media, it’s important that companies do what they can to protect their brands in this new space,” Rob Davey, Thomson CompuMark’s senior director of Global Services, told Digital Trends. “As this study shows, companies across the globe are heeding that advice.”

The concept is a great and easy way for organizations to stay relevant in the digital universe, using hashtags to engage followers through recent news events or with campaigns like Pepsi’s #sayitwithpepsi.

But take note: There is a risk attached to this strategy. Hashtags can be used by anyone in the digital realm, and not everyone has good intentions. A well-planned campaign could turn into a marketing debacle if an organization wasn’t careful. For many organizations, though, the risk is well worth the reward.

Pranks of the Day

A comprehensive, updating (and upsetting) list of 2016’s April Fools’ Day hoaxeshttps://t.co/rS3JEEwxBt

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 1, 2016

Happy April Fools’ Day! Along with your more mischievous coworkers, brands have a history of pulling their own creative pranks to show the world their funny side, with varying success. The Washington Post‘s Abby Ohlheiser and Caitlin Dewey present a list of this years corporate hijinks.

Other Good Reads

Having trouble coming to a decision at meetings? Over at MultiBriefs, William D. Pawlucy’s break down of “Robert’s Rules of Order” may boost your decision-making.

Organizations are turning to automation. See how companies such as Microsoft are letting users complete mundane tasks with the click of a button.

Need help bringing in new employees? Human Resources contributor Jerene Ang explains what one company did to make its employee referrals skyrocket.

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