5 Must-Have Elements of Event Hashtags

Today, it is highly necessary to invest in event hashtags if you want your event to truly reach its target market and acquire a vast readership online. Event hashtags are great for luring in more people, especially those who will mean much to the success of your business. People rely heavily on the internet, particularly social networks, to get quick information about upcoming events and activities. In fact, some media observers even say that getting information online is sometimes faster and more reliable than traditional media channels because everyone who is anyone now has at least one social media account he or she regularly updates. An event hashtag will promote your company by keeping your target audience interested and updated on the recent developments, as well as blow-by-blow accounts of proceedings as the event unfolds. It will also be a great way for you to make the final adjustments and blast out last-minute announcements, while guaranteeing that your preferred audience will see them. Here are the must-have elements any event hashtag should have.

1. Be specific.

The event hashtag should include the right keywords or keyphrase that will immediately describe the upcoming event. Creating the right hashtag will bring in more people to the conversation and increase the level of engagement on the topic. It will also guarantee that the individuals joining the trending topic will be helpful in sharing the information to other potential customers. You can include the year to make it more descriptive and specific. Some events are held each year so it will be effective to single out the event from others in the past. For example, users took more to the hashtag #USElections2012 than simply #Elections because the latter pertains to a specific group of users interested in the subject. #Elections can refer to different kinds of elections in other countries. #USElections2012 ensures that no confusion occurs and that irrelevant tweets are filtered out.

2. Use clear images.

Event hashtags will be more interesting to the target audience if you include photos, videos and other types of media content related to the event itself. You can post a teaser photo, the event's official poster, or images of people in action at the actual event. Many companies successfully make event hashtags by updating the information and showing the audience what's going on before, during and after. Share photos of celebrities getting ready for the event or making announcements. Sharing behind-the-scenes videos on the preparations or share images of people using related products.

3. Update regularly.

A successful event hashtag should constantly remind people by providing tweets a few times each day. This is a task that should be delegated to a specific individual on your team, to make sure all important parts of your event are documented and shared in real-time. Invite others to join the conversation. Relevant clients will most likely retweet the information and invite others to join the hashtag. You can create a vast network by providing constant reminders prior to the event and letting people know about the things that they should expect or get while it's ongoing. Ask your most loyal customers to share their own research and updates as long as these are relevant to the main topic. Read more about Finding Your Company's Top Evangelists on Twitter.

4. Monitor the hashtag.

There are social media tools and management processes that will give you accurate and complete information on how well the event hashtag is doing. Using analytics tools, you can find out how many tweets are being sent on your hashtag, how many impressions it is making, who the top posters are and what related hashtags are being used. Let's take a look at the hashtag #TwitterFiction, which was celebrated in late 2012. Always have an idea about the things that are going on in the event. Answer concerns and questions immediately. Also guide the people accordingly when it comes to their tweets. Be sure that their statements are well within the limits of the topic. Eliminate posts or individuals who share random tweets to stay on topic at all times. Read more about Best Practices for Twitter-led Promotions.

5. Promote your hashtag.

To guarantee the success of the event hashtag, it should be forwarded to the right people within a reasonable amount of time. Use various Twitter tools and features that will provide specific content including your hashtag. Examples are widgets, email campaigns, tags and free online advertisements not just on Twitter but other social media platforms, as well. Spark the interest of the target audience and have them constantly discussing about the upcoming event. Use cross-promotion strategies. You can share the hashtag in other existing websites that also incorporate these to gain more popularity. Using these approaches in your event hashtag will lead to more participants, as well as permanent followers. We live in a world where a strong social media presence is necessary for a business to thrive and survive. While going through traditional TV, print and radio media remains effective to get news about your event out, the effects will be magnified once you include a social media and hashtag strategy to the campaign.