Branded Hashtag Campaigns: How to Increase Engagement Across Social Media

In a world where social media is bustling with content, branded hashtag campaigns are a powerful way to make your brand stand out, increase engagement, and build a loyal community. A branded hashtag is more than just a catchy phrase—it’s a unique tool that brings users together, encourages content sharing, and allows you to track and measure the campaign’s success. In this post, we’ll dive into what branded hashtag campaigns are, why they’re effective, and how to create one that resonates with your audience and drives results.

A branded hashtag campaign is a social media strategy centred around a unique, memorable hashtag created specifically for a business or a marketing initiative. By using this hashtag, brands can encourage their followers to share content related to a product, service, event, or social cause. This type of campaign builds brand awareness, fosters community, and increases engagement by encouraging user participation.

Examples of successful branded hashtag campaigns include:

• #ShareACoke by Coca-Cola, where users shared photos of personalised Coke bottles.
• #MyCalvins by Calvin Klein, encouraging users to share photos of themselves in CK clothing.
• #DoUsAFlavour by Lay’s, asking users to submit ideas for new chip flavours.

Each of these campaigns not only increased engagement but also fostered a sense of community and involvement among customers.

Branded hashtags can benefit your brand in several ways:

1. Increases Brand Visibility: When users post content with your branded hashtag, their followers see it, amplifying your brand’s reach.
2. Encourages User-Generated Content (UGC): Hashtag campaigns encourage your audience to create and share content, which increases authenticity and engagement.
3. Builds Community: A well-crafted hashtag can bring people together around shared interests, turning followers into a community.
4. Improves Tracking and Analytics: Hashtags are easily trackable, so you can monitor the success of your campaign and gather insights on engagement.
5. Boosts Credibility and Trust: User-generated content shared under your branded hashtag shows genuine user interest, building trust with potential customers.

Step 1: Define Your Campaign Goals

The first step is to define the purpose of your campaign. Are you aiming to:

• Increase brand awareness?
• Boost user-generated content?
• Drive sales of a new product?
• Promote an event?
• Support a social cause?

Clear goals will shape your hashtag’s tone, message, and call to action. For instance, if your goal is to build community, you might encourage users to share their personal stories. If your goal is to increase product visibility, you might incentivise users to share product photos.

Your hashtag should be simple, unique, and relevant to your brand or campaign. A memorable hashtag is key to encouraging user adoption and making it easy for followers to remember.

Tips for creating a hashtag:

• Keep it Short: A long hashtag is harder to remember and less likely to be used.
• Make it Relevant: Use words that align with your brand, product, or campaign theme.
• Avoid Special Characters: Stick to letters and numbers; symbols make hashtags harder to search.
• Check for Uniqueness: Search the hashtag to ensure it’s not already widely used or associated with another brand or irrelevant content.

For example, Nike’s hashtag #JustDoIt is short, iconic, and instantly recognisable. It reflects their brand’s motivational tone and encourages users to share moments of accomplishment.

To encourage participation, provide clear instructions on how followers should use the hashtag and what content to share. Consider offering incentives, like a prize or feature on your brand’s page, to motivate more people to join.

Examples of effective campaign guidelines:

• Submission Ideas: Suggest what type of photos, videos, or stories users should post. For instance, “Share a photo of your favourite workout spot with #GetActiveToday.”
• Contest Details: If it’s a contest, outline entry requirements, deadlines, and prizes.
• Engagement Incentives: Offer incentives, like a repost or feature, to users who post the best or most creative content.

Once you have your hashtag, it’s time to spread the word! A strong launch will increase awareness and encourage participation. Here are some ways to promote your hashtag:

• Post on All Social Channels: Share the campaign on your main social platforms, and tailor posts for each channel to maximise engagement.
• Partner with Influencers: Collaborate with influencers who align with your brand to help spread the word and encourage followers to use the hashtag.
• Utilise Paid Ads: Consider running social media ads to boost the campaign’s visibility and reach a wider audience.
• Leverage Email Marketing: Include the hashtag campaign details in your email newsletters and invite subscribers to participate.

Make sure to highlight the benefits of participating in the campaign, such as getting featured on your social media or a chance to win a prize.

Engagement is crucial to building momentum. Show appreciation for participants by liking, commenting, and sharing posts that use your hashtag. Reposting user-generated content not only shows you value your audience but also inspires others to join.

When you engage with user content:

• Acknowledge Every Post: Whether it’s a comment, like, or shoutout, acknowledgment encourages more participation.
• Feature Standout Entries: Highlight especially creative or inspiring posts in your Stories, on your page, or even in your main feed.
• Respond to Comments and Messages: Being responsive makes users feel valued and more likely to participate in future campaigns.

To gauge your campaign’s success, track key metrics that align with your campaign goals. Social media platforms offer analytics tools to monitor hashtags and engagement, allowing you to see how many people used your hashtag, the reach, and how the campaign performed.

Metrics to monitor:

• Total Engagement: Likes, shares, and comments on posts with the hashtag.
• Reach and Impressions: How many unique users saw the hashtag and content.
• User-Generated Content Volume: The total number of posts created using the hashtag.
• Follower Growth: New followers gained during the campaign.

Based on these insights, adjust your campaign if needed. If engagement drops, try amplifying the campaign through Stories or engaging influencers. If it’s performing well, consider extending the campaign or adding new incentives to keep interest high.

At the end of your campaign, celebrate your audience’s participation. Create a post highlighting the best submissions or share a “thank you” message to show appreciation. Consider featuring a campaign recap video or blog post to extend the campaign’s impact.

A well-done campaign celebration:

• Closes the campaign on a positive note
• Builds goodwill with your followers
• Reinforces your brand community

Branded hashtag campaigns are a dynamic way to increase social media engagement, build community, and elevate your brand’s presence. By defining clear goals, creating a memorable hashtag, promoting effectively, and engaging with your audience, you’ll have a campaign that resonates with your followers and drives meaningful engagement.

Start planning your branded hashtag campaign today, and watch as your followers help build and share your brand’s story across social media!