Bridget Willard | SaaS Marketing Agency

Tag: Hashtags

  • How many hashtags should you use on Instagram?

    How many hashtags should you use on Instagram? Answer: a lot. But the number changes. Keep up to date with the trends by participating.

    Hashtags. I know. I have a bad reputation for my love-hate relationship with hashtag use.

    So many people get it wrong (wrong being the wrong word because there are no rights or wrongs, right?).

    Maybe ineffective use is a better way to describe many people’s Instagram accounts.

    I know a lot of Facebookers (who cross-post their Instagram photos) just don’t realize that when they post a hashtag on a private (friends-only) post, they’re defeating the purpose of the hashtag (to be found in search). But I surrender.

    Really.

    I promise.

    No, I’m serious this time.

    My personal strategy on Instagram is to post more landscapes, arty shots, and selfies. People bore easily of selfies on Facebook. But on Instagram, it’s almost expected.

    Bears in Grants Pass, Oregon

    On my first visit to Grants Pass, Oregon, I noticed bear sculptures all around town. So of course, I decided to take photos, put them on Instagram, and use the hashtag #BearsOfGrantsPass.

    Two things:

    1. I was surprised I was the only one using this hashtag. These bears aren’t new.

    2. I realized you can now click on a hashtag from your desktop.

    Boom. This is when I realized the power of hashtags on Instagram has left the boundaries of mobile.

     

    Try it on this post. Click on one of the hashtags.

    Translating to Business

    Will this change how much you use Instagram?

    Will this change what hashtags you use?

    When I was working for Riggins Construction & Management, Inc., I started an experiment.  I used 13 hashtags and started doing a weekly project. We got a lot of traction and results.

    We had a project in Irvine and since Irvine won’t allow signs during construction, I thought a geo-location series of photos on Instagram with a boat-load of hashtags would be a fun substitute.

    How many hashtags should you use on Instagram?

    How many hashtags should your business use on Instagram? The answer varies. Culture evolves. Culture on social media evolves quickly. Personal accounts can have long, drawn-out hashtags that involve sarcasm. Instagram should be more generic (think SEO keywords).

    “Interactions are highest on Instagram posts with 11+ hashtags.” Buffer 2014

    Which Hashtags Should You Use?

    With all things in Marketing, you should test and see what works for you. Remember that hashtags on Instagram, just like on Twitter, are used for filtering (search) and discovery. If you hashtag your name and no one knows who you are, this will be only effective for internal reasons.

    When it comes to hashtags, think keywords. When I say that don’t just stuff your post with the same 12 hashtags. Use hashtags that reinforce the copy in the photo’s caption/description. Otherwise, you’re at risk for shadow banning.

    “Instagram is inundated with millions of hashtags. But not all hashtags will help you in increasing engagement with your manifold photos on Instagram. The popularity of hashtag is inversely proportional to your photo’s chances of getting discovered.” Gurpreet Singh [emphasis added]

    Do your own research. Experiment yourself.

    Trust your gut. What do you click on?

    Instagram for Business

    Here’s an interview video with Amy Dononhue from March of 2015. (This post was written originally posted June 25, 2015).

     

     

  • Live Tweeting At Events

    Live tweeting at events is quite fun and has a lot of benefits. Most recently I tweeted during the classes I took at Orange County’s WordCamp (#wcoc), June 1, 2013.

    Personally, I love it. I type fast, it’s a fun way to sort of force myself to pay attention, too.

    Live tweeting a great way to pickup followers, promote an event, and engage with other attendees.

    These tips are applicable whether it’s a live webcast, a class, a press event, or a class. Anytime there is a public speech, you can live tweet.

    Why Tweet quotes?

    Quotes grab us. It’s a great way to tweet out the same content without having the same tweet.

    You can tweet from live radio interviews, tweet from archived videos, tweet from debates, etc.

    How is this done?

    It helps if you can type 60 wpm or more and have an actual keyboard. But you can do it on a mobile device, too.

    Use the power of hashtags.

    Name the Hashtag:

    If there is an official hashtag for the event use it. If you’re hosting the event, make the hashtag known. If there isn’t a hashtag, make one up; use your best judgement. Short and to the point is good.

    For example, I was part of the Digital Influence panel in April. There was no hashtag. We went with #DigitalInfluence.

    If there is a class within a conference, use the an appropriate hashtag.  For example for the class “WordPress 101” I used #WP101.

    Form:

    Use quotation marks. Use proper grammar.  Use the speaker’s Twitter handle. Use the hashtag.

    If you feel uneasy about tweeting straightaway, type the quote into a text file for later.

    I like to open a text file and put the speaker’s twitter handle and hashtag (eg. @WebTW #WP101 #WCOC) there for cut/paste. I simply copy it. After I type the quote, I paste. It helps if you know the keyboard shortcuts, too (CTRL+C / CTRL+V). This makes it quite fast and efficient to live tweet.

    Disclaimer:  If you type (or find) the wrong handle, for example, like I did (twice this weekend), all of your tweets will be wrong with the cut and paste method. And all of your retweets will be wrong.  Proofread.  I could kick myself for getting a bunch of them wrong.

    Examples from WordCamp (#WCOC):

    You can even use the hashtag for other event-related tweets such as a photo of yourself and a new friend, etc.

    Follow the Hashtag:

    My favorite tool for this is TweetChat.com.  With Twitter’s API changes, you never know how long services like this will be available. If all else fails, setup a column in Hootsuite or Tweetdeck to see the other tweets.

    If you don’t have time to respond to others’ tweets, favorite them to respond later. Remember, one of the goals is to meet new people and form new bonds. Follow people back and maybe even put them on a list.

    Respond to Others:

    Find other people tweeting and retweet them. I recommend old-school retweets, but if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that.

    Thank people who retweet you.  Reply to others.

    Twitter only allows you to tweet 1,000 times a day which works out to 40 times an hour. Thanking and retweeting will take up some of your tweets, so be cautious.

    WPBlab Episode 3-9-17

    Have you ever tweeted during an event?

    What are your tips?