Using too many hashtags can lead to less brand exposure, not more
We all know what a hashtag is. That little blue link that brings you to a page full of comments on a topic. More and more hashtags being created each every day, so it can be scary deciding which tags to use!
Hashtag overload is when a tweet has way too many hashtags getting in the way of the message. Surely you've seen tweets that fit the bill; those walls of blue links that could've been funny or clever if there weren't twenty hashtags in the way.
Hashtags are a great tool for businesses. They're raise brand awareness and help push new products and services. Creating a new hashtag has become a necessity for any marketing campaign. But how do you know when you have too many tags?
Once a person sees a tweet with too many hashtags, they're usually going to scroll right past it. Our brains have quickly learned how to filter out social media noise. Tweets with silly bitmojis, tw33t$ wr!tt3n l!k3 th!$, and tweets with too many hashtags are going to be glossed over by most readers. And being ignored by the public is the last thing that you want!
Of course the more popular a hashtag is, the greater chance a tweet using that hashtag will be seen. Then comes the challenge of finding hashtags that fit into your tweet. Finding just the right hashtags is easily one of the hardest parts of writing social media copy!
Random hashtags like #Beyonce or #StarWarsDay shouldn't be used just because they get lots of traffic - yes, people have done this! This is the worst mistake an inexperienced marketer can make. Putting out a tweet soaked with random hashtags looks unprofessional and reflects badly on the company. Potential customers will think you're confused about your brand image, and will trust you less.
So how does a marketer know just how many hashtags they should use in a post to maximize views without scaring readers away?
The trick is hashtag weaving! Your hashtags must weave seamlessly into your tweet, amplifying your message. Substitute key words in your tweet for hashtags.
If you run a local salon, and you want to promote a sale you're having on all highlights, you might write a tweet like this:
Come in today through Tuesday for highlights and get 30% off! #highlights #hairdressing #salon #NameOfSalon #hairsalon #salon
That's a good tweet, but you have all your hashtags crammed at the end. The message and the hashtags looking they're competing for attention in the same tweet, and you don't want that. You'd be able to make the hashtags fit more naturally into the tweet by incorporating them into the text itself.
Here's a better example of that salon tweet:
Come in to #NameOfSalon, we're offering 30% off all #highlights until Tuesday! #hairdressing #salon
This tweet uses less hashtags that the first example uses, but the message still comes across clearly! The hashtags being woven into the text make the tweet easier to read and communicate the message more easily. Now more readers will know the name of your salon and know what your sale is for, compared to the other tweet.
And that's all there really is to it! Just making sure you don't overdo the hashtags and weave them right into the tweet itself.
If you'd like some more help with social media copywriting, you can schedule a copywriting consultation here.
Good luck, and happy marketing!
