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How to Create a Successful
#Hashtag Marketing Campaign

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Know the Basics
What is a hashtag?
§ Twitter, the micro-blogging social network that revolutionized
the utility of the #hashtag defines it as:
“used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created
organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.”
§ As we all know, the hashtag has been integrated into other social
networks including: Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.

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Know the Basics
How to use a hashtag:
§ Hashtags are meant to be placed in front of a keyword that is
relevant to a tweet, post, or image. For example:
“Jack Dorsey is a genius for inventing Twitter! #iloveTwitter.”
§ When users click on a hashtagged word, it shows them other
posts or images that have been marked with the same keyword.
§ Hashtags can help followers and other users search for
products, events, related topics, your company, etc.
§ Hashtags can also help track and follow social conversations
about your brand.

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Know the Basics
When a hashtag becomes very popular on Twitter,
for example, it appears in Trending Topics.

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Do Your Research
Before implementing a hashtag campaign, be sure to do your research:
§ What are you promoting?
§ Who is your target audience?
§ What does your audience care about?
§ Is your audience willing to share, retweet, mention, purchase, click, etc.?
Check to see if your hashtag has been used already or is unique:
§ This will help reduce the chance of people outside of your target audience
diluting the conversation with unrelated messages.

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Develop a Strategy
Hashtags only work if people know about them
§ Incorporate the hashtag into other marketing channels like email, TV, and
other social media platforms for maximum exposure
Hashtags are meant to start a conversation or discussion while
promoting a brand, product, cause, etc.
§ Think about the kind of conversation you want to start with your followers
Create a hashtag that is short, shareable and easy to remember
§ Keep in mind, it should still encompass your overall brand strategy

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Successful Hashtags Campaigns
Nike: #MakeItCount
§ To promote the Nike FuelBand, Nike created a hashtag campaign that spanned
over Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.
§ The campaign asked fans to share how they planned to ‘Make it Count’ in 2012.
§ This campaign incorporated a number of the UK’s top athletes who shared their
stories of how they will make 2012 count, alluding to the 2012 London Olympics.

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Successful Hashtags Campaigns
Pepsi: “Live for Now”
§ Pepsi’s first global campaign
incorporated the tagline “Live for
Now” across all digital and social
platforms.
§ The campaign reflected how Pepsi
fans from around world have the
desire to capture the excitement of
now – a mind-set that aligned with
the core of the brand.
§ Pepsi used pop-culture platforms
and its relationships with music and
entertainment brand
evangelists, like Nicki Minaj, to
accelerate the campaign.

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Successful Hashtags Campaigns
Florida Blue: #Floridaproud
§ In 2012, Florida Blue, formerly Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Florida, sought to transition their
brand, grow their online community and amplify
their social media presence.
§ To establish its reputation as a resource to
Florida residents, Florida Blue used
#floridaproud in an integrated campaign that
included TV, radio and digital.
§ The campaign encouraged Floridians to tweet
about what makes them proud of their home
state and local community.
§ The conversation that unfolded around
#floridaproud helped develop deeper
interactions between the staff and consumers by
providing relevant information that resulted in
personalized experiences with existing and
potential members.

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Unsuccessful Hashtags Campaigns
McDonald’s: #McDStories
§ McDonald’s wanted to
promote the farmers who
supply the fast food chain with
quality ingredients.
§ While the sentiment behind
#McDStories was to encourage
positive memories of the fast
food restaurant, it was also
vague enough for followers to
tell their own negative stories
about their experiences at
McDonalds.

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Unsuccessful Hashtags Campaigns
Kenneth Cole: #Cairo
§ In 2011, clothing mogul Kenneth Cole sparked a PR firestorm
with a single insensitive tweet featuring the #Cairo:
“Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring
collection is now available online”
§ At the time of the tweet, Egypt was in the midst of a violent
uprising where protestors demanded the overthrow of
President Hosni Mubarak and his regime.
§ The Twitterverse was not amused by Cole’s use of current
events to push his brand, and he later deleted the tweet with
the following apology on Facebook:
“I apologize to everyone who was offended by my insensitive tweet
about the situation in Egypt. I've dedicated my life to raising awareness
about serious social issues, and in hindsight my attempt at humor
regarding a nation liberating themselves against oppression was poorly
timed and absolutely inappropriate.”

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Tips to Keep in Mind
§ #Don’t #overuse #hashtags
§ Keep hashtags short, sweet and conversational
§ Avoid talking about yourself, your brand, or your company directly
§ Try to control open-ended hashtags by strategizing responses to
negative feedback
§ Don’t use controversial events or sensitive issues to promote a
hashtag - #duh!
§ Use hashtags to promote contests or events, share news, spread
advocacy efforts, educate your audience or to simply generate
buzz around a topic

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Key Performance Indicators
To track the success of your hashtag campaign, look at these four KPIs:
§ Hashtag Volume: How many times did this hashtag occur throughout your
campaign?
§ Reposts: How many people (followers and non-followers) reposted your
post or others’ posts using that hashtag?
§ Link Visits: If your post had a link, how many times did people click that link?
§ Replies: How many people added to the conversation you created?

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Is a Hashtag Campaign Right For You?
Any industry can take advantage of a hashtag campaign:
§ Retail, non-profit, politics, financial services, entertainment, food, service, etc.
Some important points to remember are:
§ Launch at the right time to the right audience
§ Run a campaign if you already have a solid social presence and want to grow it further
§ Keep participation easy and engaging
§ Use a hashtag campaign if you truly want to make an impact that goes beyond social

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