Though you may not know it, hashtags actually originated from programming code back in the 70s to denote a phrase or keyword that needed to be processed first. Nowadays, hashtags have taken on an entirely new meaning.
Whether it is to promote an event, campaign or your company in general, hashtags have become the go-to strategy, particularly when it comes to Twitter.
However, coming up with a hashtag that will actually be effective is another thing altogether. There have been plenty of hashtag campaigns that have fallen on their face, or even worse – caused damage to brands. It is important to put serious effort into strategizing your hashtag campaign.
Here are 5 characteristics of an effective hashtag campaign:
1. Size Does Matter
There is an old adage: Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS). This is something all marketers must keep in mind, and it is perfectly applicable when deciding on a hashtag for your campaign.
No one will remember a hashtag that is an entire sentence long, and it will most likely die a quick death.
Humans have a very short attention span and are, by and large, incredibly lazy. If you want to pique someone’s interest and ensure that they will share your hashtag, make sure it is succinct. However, you must also walk the fine line between keeping it short and making sure it’s something that makes sense; keeping a hashtag short shouldn’t come at the expense of all-else.
Finding the right balance is key. Think “Goldilocks” – not too big, not too small – just right.
2. Keep it Relevant
You can come up with the catchiest hashtag in the world, but if it has nothing to do with what you are promoting it will bring you zero benefit. Being creative means you must not only come up with a unique hashtag, but must also take into account the ultimate goal of your campaign.
If, for example, you are trying to promote an event, you should try to create a hashtag that relates to the topic and will immediately let people know what they can expect.
Here’s a personal example. Recently, I helped plan a webinar that was titled “The Psychology of LinkedIn.” While not an incredibly long for a title, as a hashtag it was far too long and would never have captured the average person’s interest.
Today is the day! Join us at 12PM EST for a fantastic #webinar: The Psychology of LinkedIn! #LinkedInPsych http://t.co/zPPqwYAqIA
— Oktopost (@oktopost) February 24, 2014
We had to come up with a hashtag that, while still keeping the essence of the topic, was something that would be shared. After an internal marketing team discussion, we decided on “LinkedInPsych.” The hashtag was relevant to the topic of the webinar, but still kept to the Goldilocks Rule.
3. Plan for The Best
So you’ve created a catchy hashtag campaign – now what? In order to make it successful you need to have a game plan. The first step in planning is to define your goal or goals. If you are trying to get people to attend an event, you will obviously need to begin your campaign well before the event takes place. A best practice would be to start promoting it two weeks in advance. Once your goals are defined, what’s next?
4. Monitor and Engage
Having a solid team of marketers following mentions of your hashtag is the best way to keep the campaign going, or else you risk it fizzling. When people mention your hashtag, make sure you have a team member immediately engage with them and begin a conversation. Make sure that in every subsequent tweet, you continue to use your chosen hashtag.
5. Prepare for The Worst
One of the biggest risks of a social media campaign, particularly on Twitter, is that once it is out there you no longer have control of it. Even the most well intentioned marketers have inadvertently created hashtag campaigns that had the opposite effect of what they intended. Back in early 2013, after what I assumed was meticulous research and planning, McDonalds decided to create a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #McDStories. The goal of this campaign was to get people to talk about “positive” stories they had about eating at McDonalds. While it must have seemed like a great idea initially, McDonalds clearly did not think it through.
17-year-old collapses after eating only McD’s chicken nuggets. http://t.co/w7GX0TmJ @McDonalds, cornerstone of a healthy diet! #McDstories — Brian Norton (@nortonbrian) January 28, 2012
McNuggets was the last meat my wife ever ate. Said it was enough motivation to become a vegetarian. Still veggie after 10+ yrs. #McDStories — David Cook (@Skizzlizzit) January 24, 2012
#McDStories I supersized it and then I had to go to the hospital for a simultaneous stroke, heart attack, food poisoning. I almost died.
— Elliot Sutter (@supersutter90) January 18, 2012
Much to what I assume was the marketing team at McDonalds’ chagrin, the campaign turned into a debacle. Instead of generating discussions on nostalgic experiences at McDonalds, people started using to share terrible stories and comments about the company. I am not sure how McDonalds didn’t realize this type of reaction was a real possibility, but I am certain they learned their lesson, and in the end I doubt McDonalds’ bottom line was affected.
Hashtags remain one of the best ways to tap the potential of social media as a marketing tool. If done correctly, hashtags can get you that highly sought-after outcome – virality. “Going Viral” only happens if you motivate members of social networks to share it, and crafting a fantastic hashtag campaign will do just that.
Photo Credit: Flickr @mikecogh
*This is a guest article by Mark Lerner*
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