Last year, according to the Interbrand 100 list that reveals the world’s top 100 brands and their activity on Twitter, 97 percent of the brands posted at least one tweet that included a hashtag. It seems that nowadays, we can’t think of social media without the usage of them. Whether it’s highlighting a significant event (#WrigleyField100) or a type of conversation (#tbt), the hashtag is a great social media marketing tool.
However, have you ever read a post with too many hashtags? Or ones that just don’t have any relevance? Here are some examples of good and bad hashtag strategies in branding your social media messaging.
Bad practice: #Hashtag #Every #Single #Word #In #Post. Hashtag over-usage is a common error in social messaging, sending some readers to skip over the post entirely. Studies show that brands that post two or more hashtags in one post miss the mark on connecting with their audience.
Good practice: Use targeted hashtags. When posting, think about your brand and use a handful of targeted hashtags that align with your brand’s identity. You should receive more interaction as a result.
Bad practice: #DontMakeOneThatIsTooLongAndConfusing. This just looks bad. Keep your hashtags short and sweet, easy to spell and easy for consumers to remember and retype.
Good practice: Do your research. Think big picture. What will your consumers see in their feeds if they click on your hashtag? Do your posts work in conjunction with the message you’re trying to convey?