WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2013
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Why Do Hashtags Fail?

Hashtags are one of the most useful tools on Twitter that will help users gain more followers or boost their online business. Here are some tips on how to prevent the common pitfalls and mistakes that cause hashtags to fail.

The hashtag is described as the keyword or keyphrase that comes after the “#” sign on Twitter or any other popular social media site, like Pinterest and Instagram. This approach was actually originated by Twitter users themselves with some gaining a very huge following because these were properly created.

You have to determine when and how to make the best hashtags to prevent the usual drawbacks that only render little results or even regard you as a spammer.

Knowing the Functions of Hashtags

A lot of online users do not fully know what hashtags are for and use these for every tweet. This is why sometimes a tweet looks like a series of hashtags all in under 140 characters. If you’re one of those doing this, stop. You’re doing it all wrong. This should not be the case since there is a proper time and situation that will require or will not require one.

Hashtags generally help arrange or categorize content. Tweets can be placed properly within the social media network to help online users locate these easily. You will benefit by having followers who are actually interested in the topics.

Hashtags are great for different kinds of conversations. Some people introduce a hashtag to casually discuss relevant events, others use these for political or business campaigns while the rest present these to gain more followers on Twitter.

Hashtags are very effective in creating a buzz. Social media is widely used by broadcasters, agencies and other branches of business and government to provide quick news about political agendas, calamities and world events. Choosing the proper terms and words for your hashtag will lead people better.

Hashtags allow you to interact with your target audience without the risk of unnecessary intrusions, like comments from trolls or people who have no interest in your topic. This is also one of the reasons why celebrities prefer using Twitter. They get the opportunity of building relationships with their fans without having to disclose personal information or being harassed.

Reasons for Failing

A lot of people do not use the right words or pick terms that are hard to understand. It’s better to choose simple and short words. For example, #ilovejelly is easier to relate with and understand compared to #iamlovingjelly. Keep it short and basic.

The presentation should also be readable. Use numbers as needed and capitalize the first letter when using two or more words for the hashtag, as with #ThingsILike. Also, avoid using too many words. One or two words are recommended. Note how #USElection is more effective as a crowd-drawer than, say, #USNationalElection.

Keep it simple and check Twitter if there are other existing hashtags that share the same name. The hashtag should also be specific and relevant to the topic. For example, if you’re talking about the November 6, 2012 US national election, the better hashtag would be #2012USElection over #Election (which can refer to any election in any other time and country).

Many online users might come up with the right hashtag but fail to share it properly. Promote the hashtag and tag people if you feel that they are important to its success. Update the information and keep the discussions open-ended, fun and interactive.

Categorize the tweets properly and determine your reasons for putting it in the first place. Whenever you add a post that includes the hashtag, be sure that it relates with the main topic. Keep followers updated and also gain more information to share. Have others place their own tweets and encourage interaction for successful trending.

Overall, why hashtags work or fail depends on how you create it and how you promote it. Remember, the objective of Twitter is to pack information in under 140 characters per tweet, so you’ll only be defeating the purpose by presenting hashtags that are not only non-relatable but also cryptic. Twitter conversations are direct to the point, so your hashtag should be, too.

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