Hashtags continue to grow in popularity, and not just on Twitter. People use them even in common phrases when they speak to one another too!
But what’s the right way to effectively use hashtags in social media for your brand’s campaigns? Let’s take a deeper look:
Why do brands use hashtags
- To corral conversation around a topic such as a fashion line, an event, or a product/service
- To continue the conversation online such as from a video, article, or event
- To join a conversation with a pre-existing hashtag and contribute the valuable content your brand has
- To bring awareness to the brand/topic/tweet
- To bring engagement around a topic such as a new fashion line
- To utilize the second screen / socialize TV such as around an event like the oscars
- Cross promote content across social channels – ex. email and twitter
- To corral conversation in Twitter chats and be able to respond and follow more easily
Quick tips on creating tweets with hashtags
- Use 1 to 2 hashtags in a Tweet (not more or people get lost in all the ###s)
- CamelCap the hashtag: #dontdothis #DoThis
- Be sure to keep your hashtag short and easy to remember. By keeping the hashtag brief, you’ll save your audience some room to include more commentary about your content in their RT.
Quick tips on choosing and introducing a new hashtag
- Jumping Into Conversations: Introduce your hashtag by piggy-backing on trending or relevant hashtags when applicable to the content and/or conversation.
- Use your social real estate – add your main hashtag in your Twitter Bio and cross promote across social media and other marketing
Try to Avoid the following when using hashtags
- Using general terms for hashtags like #fashion or #shoes
- Using hashtags that have sentiments involved Ex. Love in them
- Beware of hashtags that may get abused or become bashtags
Always remember to listen first, and continuously monitor a hashtag
- After you decide on a keyword or a phrase, search for it. Visit Search.Twitter.com and enter your preferred hashtag in the search box. Did you get any results? Is someone else already using that hashtag for their event or campaign?
- A large conversation does not mean it’s relevant – ensure it’s not too far away from the topic and brand.
- Monitor what conversation is occurring before using a hashtag (Ex. Aurora) up until the moment it’s tweeted.
- Monitor after using to ensure conversation is staying on topic; respond/comment as needed.
- Note: Even if it’s trending you want to ensure the conversation is relevant too.