Hashtags are the new approach for today’s marketing games. To increase engagement and brand awareness on social media, brands are focusing on hashtag campaigns.
Why not? Because now nearly all social media platforms support hashtags.
So creating a hashtag campaign for your brand is a good idea. Through hashtag campaigns, you can boost your marketing efforts and sales.
What is a hashtag campaign?
As its name describes, it works around a specific topic or hashtag on social media platforms. It is also known as a social media marketing campaign.
Hashtag campaigns allow people to join your brand, spread awareness and empower you to turn your customers into brand advocates.
Brands can use hashtag campaigns for multi-purposes. From driving conversations around a specific topic to marketing your products, running contests, hashtag campaigns work great for all of them.
Even nonprofits run a hashtag campaign to raise funds and spread awareness. In earlier times campaigns used to happen with people coming out on the streets, but now you see, just social media platforms are always more than enough.
People come together and support an idea. They have the power to change things if it is for the good.
We have already seen some out-of-the-box nonprofit hashtag campaigns in recent years such as #firstworldproblems by WATERisLIFE, #IceBucketChallenge by ALS Association, and so on.
Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtag
Without keywords, SEO strategy is incomplete. Because keywords play the most important role to help you to reach your business ranking on the first page of Google.
The same goes for hashtags. Where keywords are the vital part to rank in Google, in the same way, hashtags are important for the hashtag campaign on Social media platforms. A higher number of impressions and reach define the success of your hashtag.
An eye-catching and user-friendly hashtag can be remembered and accessible easily for people. A unique and relevant hashtag enables you to increase more followers and brand awareness.
That’s why a good and well-researched hashtag is always recommended to establish a positive brand reputation.
So before launching a hashtag campaign, it is necessary to create an attractive and relevant hashtag.
Finding the right hashtag that can reflect your brand image correctly, is not an easy task.
Here are some useful tips for you that can help you while choosing a hashtag for your brand or event.
Do’s:
#1. Keep it small and simple. (Follow KISS Rule).
#2. The hashtag should be easy to use and eye-catching.
#3. Pick a hashtag that can be unique and relevant to your brand.
#4. The hashtag should be meaningful.
Don’ts:
#5. Don’t use copied hashtags or others’ hashtags.
#6. Don’t use punctuation marks (,!@$:;”) in a hashtag.
#7. Avoid hashtags that have a double meaning – Eg: #susanalbumparty (Right meaning – Susan Album Party).
#8. Avoid long hashtags.
How to Create a Successful Hashtag Campaign
#1. Know your audience
Before actually doing something, plan things out. We need to know who we are targeting.
For example, the #10YearsChallenge thing campaign is targeting young people who are active on social media and can share their pictures of this day and one of ten years back.
Along with this, tracking the social media activity of the targeted group is the next important step.
The most used social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook happen to be suitable for stating such a hashtag campaign. This is because there is just plenty of crowd seen using these apps.
So, it is important to understand your audience. Go with more research and know your audience’s demographics like what is their location, age, gender, and content they like.
Also, you must know the customer’s behavior and pattern before launching a hashtag campaign.
#2. Choose a unique, short, and meaningful pile of words
Again, the hashtag must not be long enough. The pile of words must have only 7-8 words maximum.
I recommend using the least lengthy sentence that would be enough to describe the entire motto. This way people find it easier to read, remember and follow.
Wrong hashtag selection: #thishashtagissuperlongandhardtoread
Right hashtag selection: #MuchBetter
The hashtags are written without providing space between the words.
Once written on a social media handle like on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc., the software automatically gives it a hyperlink. This way people can not just follow it but also can tag themselves using the hashtag if they are relatable.
#3. Chip into multiple channels
I say this because these days, people engage themselves in multiple social media channels.
The mentality of the people to follow the trend is actually what plays a role here.
Upon finding the use of the same hashtag campaign running over multiple social media apps, they get pleased to use them.
This is also the way they choose to support. So it is a good idea to run a hashtag campaign on multiple social platforms.
#4. Be genuine
We all have the power to mobilize the crowd. We can influence people more easily these days with the advent of such platforms.
But we are equally responsible for creating content that is ethical right!
Content that hurts the sentiments of other people or is inappropriate is inhuman right.
We have the power to change the thinking of the people. So why not do things that will help everyone.
#5. Use it as marketing opportunities
As we are talking about how beneficial and trendy it is these days, it can actually be used for marketing strategies.
Moreover, people are actually using them. People set a trend and sell their products by creating social media awareness.
Not just it create awareness but also you can increase your customers on this platform. Do your best to indulge the people and channel their attention towards your goal.
#6. Increase mentions
To increase the number of people visiting your page or using your hashtag, mention them in your posts, stories, or repost their posts.
As you keep doing, it increases the range of people knowing about it. It further opens up another dimension of people following you.
#7. Keep participation scheme simple
There are two main reasons behind failing a hashtag campaign.
One is the participation of fewer people and another is the hashtag gets hijacked by the wrong people.
The first experience can be the worst one. So it is important when you have created your campaign then make sure that people are interacting with your hashtag and connecting with it.
As much as people will participate in your campaign, the more engagement you will receive. So keep your participation scheme simple and smooth for people.
#8. Showcase user-generated content in real-time
Show the user-generated conversation in real-time to your audience to gain more outreach for your campaign.
Collect your posts from multiple social media channels. You may use social media aggregator tools like Onstipe to collect UGC from multiple social media channels.
Create a social wall or hashtag wall from these collected social media posts. Display this social wall at your events on a digital signage/TV screen or you can embed these collected social media feeds on your business website as well.
User-generated content will encourage more people to join your campaign. By displaying UGC, you can generate more conversation around hashtags.
#9. Track your hashtag campaign
After setting up all the things, tracking your hashtag campaign is an important task.
You have to track your hashtag campaign and analyze the entire performance. You may try some hashtag tracking tools such as RiteTag, Sprout Social, Onstipe, etc.
Monitor the performance of your hashtag campaign deeply and analyze the results. Track the number of posts, likes, shares, clicks, impressions, and comments.
Lastly…
These are some of the most useful tips to create a successful hashtag campaign for your social media marketing. Now, what are you still waiting for?
Go and create a hashtag campaign for your brand and maximize your brand’s reach.
We see with modernization the techniques to connect with people are also getting modern. I hope my tips are going to be useful. Happy surfing!
