Twitter Hastags: Do’s & Don’ts Straight from the “Birdies Mouth”

Hashtags can be an great way to grow your reach, encourage engagement, and get discovered on Twitter.   Here are 10 Do’s and Don’ts (straight from the birdies mouth)!

• Make it easy to remember AND easy to spell.  Typos will leave your hashtag undiscovered.
• Be realistic. Don’t expect people to start using your hashtag in their Tweets if it doesn’t fit naturally and there is no incentive for them to do so.
• Do your research. This is big.  Check and see if  people are already using the hashtag and make sure it is being used in a manner you want your brand associated with.
• Give people a reason to use your hashtag.  You can offer a prize, recognition in the form of a Retweet, (your audience will respond better when it’s a mutually beneficial relationship), or something others would want to share from an educational perspective.
• Partner with influencers.  Influencers are usually fast to engage and you can gain exposure and visibility for your hashtag if they start using it.

• Over hashtag. One to two relevant hashtags per Tweet is the sweet spot. Remember, this isn’t Instagram: character count matters.
• Expect your brand slogan to translate to a hashtag. A hashtag is meant to be inclusive, shareable, and easy to discover. If it doesn’t organically fit within a Tweet, it’ll feel forced and lose its intended purpose.
• Expect people to use your hashtag without a reason or incentive. The best hashtags have the ability to draw people in and invoke curiosity to explore and join in on the conversation.
• Neglect to educate on what it is and how to use it. Make sure you’re clearly communicating the hashtag and more importantly, why someone would want to include it in their own Tweet.
• Use all CAPS LOCK. Unless it’s an acronym, this feels like shouting and also adds unnecessary work.