Here at Clutch MOV, we believe in the power of a hashtag. We’ve seen first hand what one hashtag can do for a community, cause, or company. It might seem trivial, but one little tag can make all the difference.

For us, it began with #livelovemov. This little hashtag means a lot to us. It’s not just another catch phrase we toss around — it embodies our mission and our brand all in one. We use it to highlight moments of ‘living and loving life in the Mid-Ohio Valley,’ whether it’s a stunning vista of the river or a cup of coffee with a friend. These are only a few of the many reasons why we love living here in the valley, and we want to proudly put these moments on display to show the rest of the world what makes this place so special.

On instagram, this hashtag has been used more than 13,000 times. To us, this is an amazing thing – to see so many moments of happiness captured. It means that we are a community who takes pride in our local shops, our brick streets and our landmarks. It means that we enjoy our lives here and the many blessings that we have been granted. And we thank all of you for sharing these moments with us (and the world!) and putting a big smile on our faces.

Recently, Marietta was shortlisted for a $500,000 grant + 8-episode webseries through the Small Business Revolution on Main Street program. To get better acquainted with each community, the Small Business Revolution team created a unique hashtag for each city – for Marietta, this was #MyMarietta – and asked community members to use this tag to share why #MyMarietta means so much to them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Business owners, community leaders, college students and residents started to use #MyMarietta to share their stories. For some,  it was why they decided to open a brick and mortar shop in Downtown Marietta. For others, it was a favorite story from their time at Marietta College, or a time when they witnessed the community come together to make a difference.

It’s a way for our communities to share themselves with millions of people around the globe. And the best part is that every single one of us can contribute to that narrative.

It’s not that these stories did not exist without the hashtag; on the contrary, they are everywhere, around every corner and surrounding every person we meet in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Tags like #livelovemov and #MyMarietta just bring them together and make them easier for others to find. It’s a way for our communities to share themselves with millions of people around the globe. And the best part is that every single one of us can contribute to that narrative.

Each hashtag has its own purpose and function. While #livelovemov covers the greater Mid-Ohio Valley and is focused on local lifestyle, #DowntownMariettaOH and #DowntownPKB narrow in on the Downtown districts for Marietta and Parkersburg, and tags like #myohioadventure and #WVexplored are geared towards discovering places to explore across the state. Many of our local businesses have their own hashtag they promote for customers to share their experience and photos.

Here are a few of our favorite local and regional hashtags that we use to share our stories:

  • #livelovemov
  • #midohiovalley
  • #MyMarietta, #MariettaOhio, #VisitMariettaOH, and #DowntownMariettaOH
  • #ParkersburgWV, #DowntownPKB, and #VisitPKB
  • #ohioexplored, #myohioadventure, and #ohiogram
  • #wvexplored, #gotowv

So I encourage you to continue to share your stories about life here – stories that uplift and inspire and show the rest of the world that the Mid-Ohio Valley truly is a beautiful place.

In a partnership with Just-A-Jar Design + Press, we are handing out #MyMarietta letterpress hearts tomorrow evening during First Friday in Downtown Marietta! Designed and printed by Caroline Sigmon, these hearts are a perfect way to share your favorite places in Marietta. Simply take a photo of your heart in front of your favorite place in Marietta and share it using the #MyMarietta tag! February 11th is National Heart Bomb Day, so we encourage you to give your city a little love this Valentine’s Day and introduce your favorite places to the world using social media. For more information on what the Heart Bomb program is all about, visit: Saving Places

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