14
Aug 2014
#AnyoneListening? Measuring Your Hashtag Success
Because online marketing promotions are becoming more sophisticated, there is an increasing need to track campaign success and to justify ROI. Last week, I shared an article about “Social Media Metrics Made Simple.” I will now share information about creating and tracking a branded hashtag.
It is no secret that hashtags have finally matured and are now center stage in the social media arena. This coming of age has affected the way we look at and measure media messages. Marketers are using them to track conversations and engagement for their campaigns and promotions.
Originally created by Twitter users as a way to categorize and follow messages, a hashtag is the # symbol placed in front of a keyword or a topic in a Tweet. When you create a campaign for an event or a promotion a branded hashtag will help you track engagement and success.
A branded hashtag is essential to your company.
A branded hashtag is as important as a company logo. You will be using it at trade shows, events and promotional pieces. This will help seed and propagate your brand throughout the Internet. Let’s say that you are exhibiting at a trade show and visitors come by your booth to look at your products. You should display your branded hashtag next to the trade show’s hashtag. Your followers on Twitter and Instagram will be able to locate you and share information about your company. It makes a huge difference in booth traffic. There are many examples of hashtag use that I have shared in the past on our blog.
What are you measuring?
Measurement is important to watch campaign success and also to track the value of your hashtag. Initially you won’t see much traction when you launch. As you continue to mention and share you will see increasing results. Now, you are ready to examine the where and how. Your measurement is based on conversations and engagement generated by your hashtag. You will look at the following:
- Influencer Mentions: See who is talking and sharing your brand.
- Hashtag Statistics: Examine who is actually using and following your hashtag.
- Conversation Opportunities: To keep your branded hashtag in front of potential users.
- Create Influencer Lists: To follow users for future outreach campaigns.
Best Analytics Platforms
There are many platforms that measure hashtag influence, but I personally like Hashtracking. This software gathers information and analytics on a particular hashtag you are tracking. It creates beautiful transcripts that are searchable and sharable with the following:
- Buzzwords
- Platforms used
- Participation and engagement
- Top sources and other hashtag use
Hashtracking pricing is very reasonable and support is always on hand. I have attached an image for the #IPADay which is all about beer. This international hashtag created quite a stir.
The above platform gives us a clearer picture of social activity and helps us make further decisions.
Being statistically informed will help craft future social strategies, put you in a position to be more successful with your campaigns and increase ROI. Knowledge is power to make the right marketing decisions.