Hashtags are now used and recognised by billions and billions of people around the globe, and theyโre part of everyoneโs social media strategy, but this wasnโt always the case.
They are Chris Messinaโs invention back in 2007 because it wanted to line up similar content to be easily found by others. He actually pitched the idea to Twitter at the time, ย but it wasnโt until 2009 when Twitter decided the idea wasnโt that โnerdyโ.
Today, hashtags are already a subculture of their own and have proven to be effective in driving excellent engagement when launching a campaign, releasing or promoting a product or a service.
The good news is that you donโt have to sail into unknown waters when using them on Twitter.
Letโs see how you can efficiently blend in this marketing tool in your Twitter marketing strategy.
Improving Your Twitter Marketing with Hashtags
- How to use hashtags on Twitter?
- Why use hashtags on Twitter?
- How many hashtags should you use on Twitter?
- What hashtags are popular on Twitter and how can you benefit from using them?
- How to track your Twitter hashtags and improve your hashtag strategy?
1. How to use hashtags on Twitter?
The uniqueness of Twitter - its microblogging sphere that unites celebrities, top politicians, institutions, influencers, and brands - have conquered the entire globe under the same umbrella. Anyone can post up to 280 characters, but in the past, it used to be only 140 characters.
This particularity also influences your hashtag strategy because you are limited to your character count.
You can create hashtags by adding the pound sign (#) at the beginning of an unbroken word or a phrase. You can tap on the hashtagged word and this will lead you to a thread with all the messages that contain that tweet.
When added at the beginning at the tweet, they work in a similar way to a hyperlink because they redirect you to another link - a search result of that tag.
Marketers are guiding their decisions by using and analyzing data๐๐, which makes modern marketing driven and defined by metrics.
— Socialinsider (@socialinsiderio) November 1, 2019
When used properly, these #InstagramMetrics can promote your business to new heights๐https://t.co/F65WEsbP96#analytics
There are a few things you should know before starting to encompass them:
- Make them easy to write and spell.
- Use hashtags only when they blend in naturally. Donโt mismatch the content of your writing and the hashtag or hashtags you are using.
- Insert your hashtags in the text or add them at the end;
- If you have a public account and youโre using a hashtag, anyone who is searching or tapping on it will be able to see your content as well;
- Type readable and eye-catching hashtag, maybe play with words. This will attract peopleโs attention;
- Make sure your tweets wonโt look spammy. Stay away from over-tagging a tweet or adding them to almost every word;
- Give people reasons to use your hashtags. Either itโs a prize or attention given on Twitter, your followers will be more enthusiastic to use them when they benefit from it;
- Donโt use caps lock for all letters - it will seem that youโre yelling and itโs not the case.
2. Why use hashtags on Twitter?
Easy to use, hashtags can make your tweet easier to relate to. In a way, they are kind of buzz words that attract people interested in the topic discussed.
As soon as you start typing in your hashtag, Twitter gives you suggestions that have a lot of followers. You can use hashtags for your post that have a better engagement.
Check out why you should really consider using them regularly in your tweets.
People who have an interest in a particular topic can develop an interest in your brand if you reach this audience through hashtags.
You can create a discussion around your brand and the products and services you offer, encouraging followers to learn more as you promote them.
Many brands are promoting themselves using hashtags to grow their engagement from their followers.
You can do it too. This is a good way for the brand to get involved in online conversations, in different topics, which allows it to associate with shareable moments of your audience.
A great example of hashtags done right is one of Coca Colaโs campaigns.
One gift youโre allowed to open early. #ShareACoke #ChristmasEve pic.twitter.com/UBVSgGkiVm
— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) December 24, 2017
On Christmas Eve Coca-Cola decided itโs time to tweet about a โgift youโre allowed to open earlierโ. It was of course about a bottle of Coke. The hashtags the company used was #ShareACoke and #ChristmasEve.
Known for its positioning towards family and quality time spent with family or with a friend, the tweet was aligned with the company overall strategy, but also with the occasion.
It was posted on time because people started to retweet it. It was aligned with the Christmas spirit and was just perfect to be shared and be seen by friends and family.
By sharing the content through a trendy hashtag, it will be viewed by a larger group than the users who usually follow you.
So, with this tool, the audience you are targeting can grow substantially because anyone who clicks on the trending topic can see your post. And if this post is original and informative, the actions it generates will further increase impressions and comments.
People want to talk about the topics they are attracted to, so you can get involved in Twitter chats through certain hashtags, by targeting the right audience for you.
With a popular hashtag, you can access a receptive audience that is already established and waiting to be engaged.
3. How many hashtags should you use on Twitter?
Letโs just say that Twitter is less welcoming to a hashtag cluttering. Use hashtags only on tweets relevant to the topic.
If you try to get users' attention by using a mismatch between the content of the tweet and the hashtag it shows a lack of professionalism and this will be punished by most readers who are looking for real information on this topic.
Try to keep the number of hashtags in a tweet to less than three. Most of the time it is enough to use just one, especially if itโs a brand hashtag that is part of a campaign.
According to Twitter itself, itโs recommended not to use more than two hashtags, even though nobody stops you from using more.
Tweets that have a single brand tag and a popular tag are very well received and have a high engagement.
Find out how to use hashtags on Instagram!
4. What hashtags are popular on Twitter and how can you benefit from using them?
Every successful marketing campaign relies on research done right.
To seize what might work for your company, you need to find out what are the trending topics and to create relevant content for that hashtag.
The native Twitter app lets you find whatโs hot right now and what are the most discussed topics on the internet. Nonetheless, Twitter has its limits because it only shows snapshots of the top trending topics and not related ones.
No matter the niche youโre in, there is a list of hashtags that can work to better engage with your audience.
According to a Hubspot study recently conducted, the following hashtags get the most likes on a tweet:
- ico
- ethereum
- crypto
- crowdfunding
- medicaid
- blackhistorymonth
- womenshistorymonth
- photography
- iwd2019
- cryptocurrency
And if youโve wondered what are the ones who spark conversations and attract people, they are the following:
- merrychristmas
- giveaway
- contest
- win
- competition
- medicaid
- aca
- ethereum
- blackhistorymonth
- photography
๐๐๐๐๐โญ๏ธ๐๐๐๐๐
— Santa Tweets (@TweetsSanta) November 3, 2019
๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ โญ๏ธ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐โญ๏ธ๐๐๐๐ ๐
Only 52 Days
Left Until Christmas!!!
๐๐ ๐๐๐โญ๏ธ๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ โญ๏ธ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐โญ๏ธ๐๐๐๐๐
#HoHoHo #MerryChristmasโ โ
Some of them might overlap with the ones from the previous list, but there are many new ones. If you want to get creative, you can add some questions in your tweets like: โWhat are your favourite #StephenKingBooks ?โ
Note! The hashtags from the lists above might be changing in time as new ones appear, but as a general rule, they tend to give you good results when added in your tweets. Make sure you use the one that fit your purpose.
The trick is to pay attention to the popular hashtags from your industry. For example, here are some of the best travel hashtags.
When setting up your marketing strategy on Twitter, creating your own branded hashtag might seem like a great idea.
Donโt worry if the engagement driven by this hashtag wonโt be very encouraging at first. It will have to take some time for people to start using the hashtag.
Branded hashtags can be built communities, differentiate your products from others and add a twist and personality to your posts.
Introducing...wait...can't read the name. Whatever. Just call it "Cinnamon Dolce caramel cup of joy." โ๏ธโค๏ธ#IcedCinnamonAlmondmilkMacchiato pic.twitter.com/4Bq6hlwfnB
— Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) February 28, 2017
There are two types of hashtags you can create for your brand:
- Always-on hashtags - they are used in all tweets and are mostly associated with a brand mini slogan or even the slogan. They are mainly added to all the tweets. It helps brands to keep tabs of their posts;
- Campaign specific hashtags - ย have a brief lifespan and are used only for a campaign or promotions.
Take a look at how the top sports apparel brands are using hashtags to create micro-communities!
Before setting up your branded hashtag, make sure nobody else is using it. Look for it in the Twitter search bar.
If anybody else itโs already added it in its campaign, youโll have trouble explaining your followers which one is actually your message.
5. How to track your Twitter hashtags and improve your hashtag strategy?
Posting tweets and adding relevant hashtags is only the first step. For a slang presence on Twitter, start monitoring your hashtags.
With Socialinsider, you can discover what hashtags are the most engaging on Twitter and which are trending topics you can approach.
When it comes to detangling hashtags engagement, you can track your top hashtags. This is a great opportunity because youโll know what to use in the future and what works for the brand.
Also, you can measure your hashtag reach on Twitter by getting the number of social media accounts that use your hashtags on Twitter.
Here are a few scenarios on what hashtags to start analyze on Twitter:
- Launching a hashtag campaign:
Weโve been friends since the 60s. #VWxNike #BlueRibbonSports
— Volkswagen USA (@VW) October 28, 2019
To celebrate the return of Blue Ribbon Sports, we gave Nike the ID. BUZZ CARGO concept to serve runners coast to coast with fresh gear. To learn more about the collaboration, click here: https://t.co/cPY2rERDn0 pic.twitter.com/BWxU7YMfDD
- Tracking an event on Twitter:
There are seven Web Summit signs located around #Lisbon ๐
— Web Summit (@WebSummit) November 3, 2019
Can you find them all? ๐ค #WebSummit pic.twitter.com/pfMz02pDKn
- Measure your brand awareness:
From the training grounds in Kenya to the streets of Germany. Tomorrow Gladys Cherono could become the first person ever to win four Berlin Marathons.โ
— adidas (@adidas) September 28, 2019
Imagination can take you anywhere. #HereToCreate pic.twitter.com/e80jEfiimr
Final thoughts
Hashtags are an important marketing tool and their success wonโt fade away anytime soon. Use them wisely, and they can propel your Twitter account to new heights.
Make sure youโre using relevant hashtags to get the best results for your brand. Be creative and use hashtags youโve created, but donโt forget to include some of the trending hashtags as well.
Got any hashtag tricks we havenโt mentioned? Share them with us in the comment section.
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