How To Start A Hashtag Campaign

Successfully running a hashtag campaign requires clear direction. Rather than adding in as many hashtags as possible, it's important to have your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and data direct you along the way.

It all starts with research

No campaign can be successful without conducting proper research before. When it comes to launching an effective Twitter hashtag campaign you want to research:

What hashtags is your brand is currently associated with?
What hashtags are your competitors are using?
What hashtags are most popular with your target audience?

This data will give you insight into which hashtags you should consider for your campaign. You can find this data and more on Twitter analytics.

Set focused goals

Clearly identifying the KPIs you want to improve will give you the direction you need to successfully launch your campaign. Goals can range from creating brand buzz to encouraging user-generated content.

For example, if the KPI you're attempting to improve is promoting awareness, you'll want to focus on metrics such as volume, reach, exposure, and amplification. These will give you an idea of how far your message is spreading.

Design your hashtag around your goals

@bumble_app's goal was to promote their latest feature, photo verification for their dating app used to combat users who create fake profiles (aka catfishing).

They even set up a food truck event with the hashtag #TheGreatCatch where followers could attend and eat actual catfish. As Krystle Loyland, CEO of the agency that handled the campaign for Bumble, said, "Let's take these catfish out of the dating pool, put them on the menu, fry them up for all our users — and make it tasty."

Not only was their choice of hashtag clever and funny, it was also in line with their goals and directly related to their target audience, leading their campaign to be extremely effective.

Measure your results and adapt as needed

It's not often that a hashtag campaign reaches its full potential from the moment it's first launched. Measuring your results and adapting your campaign as needed is the best way to make sure you stay on track and deliver on the KPIs you set out to improve.

Continuously monitor your campaign to determine how it is performing in relation to your original goals. If you originally set out to improve your engagement rates, but are receiving more website clicks than Retweets or likes, you may want to rethink your hashtag and whether or not it sparks the kind of conversation you're looking for.