You're not alone if you've ever felt lost at sea while trying to get your content noticed on Twitter. Even if you create great posts, knowing how to get them noticed takes time. That's especially true because, when you post on Twitter, your content doesn't just go to your followers; it gets tossed into the ocean of tweets for everyone to see. Using hashtags on Twitter can help you sort through this chaotic environment and get your tweets noticed by the right people. But how do hashtags work, and should I use hashtags on Twitter? This guide will answer that question to enhance social media engagement and how to go viral on Twitter.
One way to boost your engagement on Twitter is to use Megaphone's viral on-demand platform. This tool can help you create great Twitter posts that get noticed and go viral, so you don't have to stress about what to tweet.
How Effective Are Hashtags On Twitter
Hashtags serve many purposes on Twitter. They can add humor to a post, put more information into the tweet in fewer characters, or create an emotional connection.
However, hashtags on Twitter are not just there to add humor or inspire comedians. They also serve a purpose by connecting threads of conversation. Every hashtag on Twitter is a clickable link that allows you to see other people's posts using that tag. It can help you be found in Twitter searches. The hashtag can also work collectively to help specific topics trend on Twitter. Trending hashtags bring even more attention to the topic (great for groups, conference organizers, and thought leaders).
If you are hosting an event, doing a fundraiser, or trying to coordinate any other effort, discussing your hashtag strategy should be part of your overall planning. Hashtags should also be part of your agency's social media policy. Decide which hashtags to use, how to include them, and when to add your voice to a trending hashtag.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use on Twitter?
Twitter has a sweet spot, unlike Instagram, where more hashtags are usually better. Research shows that tweets with hashtags get twice as much engagement, but tweets with three or more hashtags get 21% less engagement.
I'm reading a whole string of things, but hashtags are complicated.
Should I Use Hashtags On Twitter
The Potential of Hashtags on Twitter
Hashtags are a valuable way of grouping and categorizing tweets, and they help people follow topics in which they're interested. Anyone searching for a specific topic can find relevant tweets immediately rather than scroll through their Twitter feed. Tweets with hashtags can spark lifts across the marketing funnel, such as +18% message association, +8% brand awareness, and +3% purchase intent. You should use hashtags to help people discover and engage with your content.
Hashtag Do's
Use one or more hashtags anywhere in your tweet. Twitter recommends using no more than two hashtags per Tweet, but you can use as many as you wish. Use hashtags to explore trending topics. You can type them in the search bar or click on a hashtagged keyword under the trending post. Create a hashtag strategy to ensure consistency. Hashtags will help your client's brand connect with trending Twitter topics and the target audience.
Come up with easy-to-remember branded hashtags. You'll want your followers to use the unique hashtag you created, so making them easy to spell and remember are the prerequisites you'll need to tick off. Use a good mix of relevant and trending hashtags. Start experimenting by combining one niche hashtag with one popular hashtag.
Hashtag Don'ts
Don't use hashtags in your adverts if you're trying to drive traffic to your website. Twitter found that adverts without a #hashtag or @mention generate 23% more clicks. Steer clear of over-hashtagging. Using as many keywords as possible may be tempting, but this must be clarified for the algorithm. Remember that tweets should communicate one idea only. Don't make it weird. Hashtags should fit in naturally with the rest of your post.
So, if your brand's slogan and name need to be clarified in that post, use them. Don't use spaces in a hashtag. For example, '#Social Media' would reference the topic of 'Social' instead of ‘#SocialMedia’, which references ‘Social Media.’ Don't use punctuation in a hashtag. For example, although grammatically correct, #It'sComingHome won't work. Use #ItsComingHome instead.
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Diverse creator partnerships for sponsored posts, X spaces, and newsletter ads (coming soon).
Megaphone caters to startup founders, marketers, emerging creators, and ghostwriting agencies seeking to amplify their digital footprint and social proof. Our complex matching algorithm ensures you partner with your field's most suitable and valuable creators. Go viral today with our viral on-demand platform.
How To Use Twitter Hashtags For Marketing In 7 Ways
1. Join Popular Events and Conferences on Twitter
Stand out on Twitter by using hashtags to join conversations around popular events like the Oscars or industry conferences like Social Media Week. If your brand is making an appearance or has a relevant contribution to an event, use these hashtags to share news about your participation. See how Billboard uses the Grammys hashtag in the following Tweet to create a discussion around the event.
2. Celebrate Holidays and Notable Days On Twitter
Use Twitter hashtags when celebrating a national (#Thanksgiving) or global holiday (#EarthDay) with your community. In addition to significant holidays, you could join the fun with lesser-known celebrations such as National Pancake Day or National Emoji Day. Be sure to make the most of highly relevant celebrations to your product. For example, take the popular burger chain Five Guys posting about #NationalBurgerDay.
3. Promote Brand Campaigns
The best time to use Twitter hashtags is when you’re promoting your brand and its products. This could be through a hashtag for a specific marketing campaign or even a hashtag for the product itself. You could also create a branded hashtag campaign to collect user-generated content and increase your brand's visibility. For example, Social Media Examiner uses the #SMEchat hashtag to promote its Twitter chat.
4. Connect With Pop Culture Trends
Twitter is a conversation hub, especially on pop culture topics. If you join those conversations, using a relevant hashtag for the topic will help your Tweet get some visibility. For example, the official Wendy’s Twitter uses the Animal Crossing: New Horizons hashtag #ACNH in the following tweet.
5. Join a Weekly Trend or Challenge
Many prominent Twitter hashtags involve weekly challenges and trends, such as #ThrowbackThursday, #MondayMotivation, etc. So if you ever decide to join in on these challenges, don’t forget to use the relevant hashtags. Check out Subaru retweeting something for #FeelGoodFriday.
6. Support a Cause
In an era of socially conscious consumers, it’s become crucial for brands to stand up for a cause. According to the Sprout Social Brands Get Real survey, 70% of consumers feel that brands should take a stand on public issues.
7. Join the Discussion on Relevant Topics
Even when you post about general interest topics (#nature, #marketing, etc.), including a relevant hashtag will help you gain more visibility among an interested audience. See hashtags like #ethicalfashion and #sustainablefashion in the following Tweet from the UK brand Pretty Polly, for instance. They’ve expanded their audience beyond their local market using those general interest topics.
How To Find Relevant Hashtags On Twitter For Your Brand
1. Use a Megaphone to Expand Your Reach Organically
Megaphone is a viral on-demand platform designed to boost your online presence authentically and organically. Our software connects you with influential creators in your niche, helping you grow impressions, followers, and leads without relying on paid ads. Key features include:
Diverse creator partnerships for sponsored posts, X spaces, and newsletter ads (coming soon).
Megaphone caters to startup founders, marketers, emerging creators, and ghostwriting agencies seeking to amplify their digital footprint and social proof. Our complex matching algorithm ensures you partner with your field's most suitable and valuable creators. Go viral today with our viral on-demand platform.
2. Check the “Trends for You” Section to Discover Relevant Hashtags
Twitter has the most advanced trending hashtag-detecting system compared to other social media apps. The Trends for You section presents trending topics and hashtags that should match your account.
3. Use Social Listening Tools to Find Accurate Twitter Hashtags
Try a social listening tool (like Megaphone) to find more accurate Twitter trending hashtags. Here’s how it works. Social listening tools generally monitor mentions of predefined keywords across the internet. First, you need to set up a monitoring project. Then, based on gathered mentions, the tool will present the trending hashtags related to a monitored keyword. They are much more accurate than the hashtags from Twitter’s Trends for You section. Adding them to tweets seems right.
4. Take a Look at the Explore Tab to Find Viral Content
Twitter’s Explore tab is quite interesting. No doubt, it is a source of Twitter trends. In the Explore tab, you will find Trends for you: What’s happening, Popular videos, Popular images, Viral tweets, and Funny tweets. If you want to go viral with your tweets, you should pay attention to viral tweets. You can choose topics that interest you the most.
Tracking viral tweets and issues related to your business can be a massive source of inspiration. You can observe what is trending and which hashtags are added to the most popular posts. Unfortunately, there is no way to filter out the data. The feature returns many posts, which can generate chaos and make it difficult to find valuable content.
5. Follow Relevant Twitter Profiles to Discover Their Hashtag Strategies
People willingly use hashtags on Twitter. You can follow several profiles to observe what hashtags they add to tweets. Of course, it’s essential to pick the right ones. Luckily, Twitter prompts you about this. Look at the section on who to follow on your profile or check the Connect feature.
6. Try a Hashtag Generator to Find Popular Hashtags
While searching for trending Twitter hashtags, you can try online generators like All Hashtag or Inflact. How do they work? It is similar to the mobile apps I described above. They will help you find hashtags with a high volume of usage. I couldn’t find generators dedicated to Twitter. It seems that they are dedicated to all social media platforms.
So, they don’t present accurate data on how many times a hashtag was used on Twitter. The Inflact hashtag generator seems to be quite an exciting alternative. All you need to do is type a keyword, and the tool will provide you with frequent, average, and rare hashtags that contain a similar keyword. What’s essential is that generators miss new trending hashtags that start gaining traction on Twitter.
8 Best Brands Using Hashtags Smartly For Marketing
1. Nike: Master of the Hashtag Game
Nike skillfully leverages branded hashtags to enhance its marketing efforts. The sportswear company frequently promotes user participation. For instance, their #JustDoIt and #NikePlaylists hashtags encourage user-generated content while reinforcing Nike's brand identity.
2. Coca-Cola: The King of Interaction
Coca-Cola is a prime example of a brand that uses hashtags to promote consumer interaction. Their #ShareACoke campaign encouraged users to share personalized Coke bottles and stories, amplifying its reach and engagement.
3. GoPro: Building a Hashtag Community
GoPro uses hashtags like #GoPro and #GoProHERO to build a community of users sharing their adventure photos and videos. They promote these hashtags as a way for customers to feature on their platform, leading to large-scale engagement.
4. Taco Bell: Funny and Creative Hashtags
Taco Bell creatively uses hashtags to trend on Twitter. Their #TacoTuesday campaign, for instance, combines humor and brand identity to generate engagement.
5. Oreo: Seasonal and Event-Based Hashtags
Oreo uses seasonal and event-based hashtags like #OreoHolidays and #OREOForSanta to stay relevant and promote user interaction. Their timely tweets during big events (like their famous "You can still dunk in the dark" tweet during the Super Bowl blackout) have made them a viral success.
6. Starbucks: The Pumpkin Spice Latte Phenomenon
Starbucks' #PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) campaign has become synonymous with autumn. Their use of this hashtag taps into the seasonal excitement and drives brand loyalty.
7. Adidas: Encouraging User Creativity
Adidas uses hashtags such as #HereToCreate to encourage users to share their creative side. This fosters community involvement and builds strong connections with consumers.
8. Netflix: Clever Hashtags That Spark Engagement
Netflix frequently uses clever and humorous hashtags to promote new releases or events, like #StrangerThingsDay for the show Stranger Things. This drives fans to engage by creating memes, fan art, and discussions.
Go Viral Today with Our Viral on Demand Platform
Twitter hashtags are words or phrases preceded by the pound sign (#). They help Twitter organize and categorize content. Hashtags also make it easier for users to find information on specific topics. When you add hashtags to your tweets, you're boosting their visibility and helping them reach a wider audience. This is especially helpful for tweets that contain newsworthy information. When you add hashtags to your tweets, you're boosting their visibility and helping them reach a wider audience. This is especially helpful for tweets that contain newsworthy information.
Use a Megaphone to Expand Your Reach Organically
Megaphone is a viral on-demand platform designed to boost your online presence authentically and organically. Our software connects you with influential creators in your niche, helping you grow impressions, followers, and leads without relying on paid ads. Key features include:
Diverse creator partnerships for sponsored posts, X spaces, and newsletter ads (coming soon).
Megaphone caters to startup founders, marketers, emerging creators, and ghostwriting agencies seeking to amplify their digital footprint and social proof. Our complex matching algorithm ensures you partner with your field's most suitable and valuable creators. Go viral today with our viral on-demand platform.