How can brands create a branded hashtag?

hotsiagoodman
November 30, 2024

Get FREE Training Workshop from John Crestani

John Crestani has been recognized by Forbes, Business Insider, Entepreneur.com, and dozens of other publications for his success online. More importantly, he’s helped thousands of everyday people from around the world create success for themselves as well.

How can brands create a branded hashtag?

Creating a branded hashtag on TikTok is a great way for brands to increase visibility, promote campaigns, and engage with their audience. A well-crafted branded hashtag can help establish a unique identity for your brand and encourage user-generated content (UGC) that amplifies your message. Here’s how brands can create an effective branded hashtag:

1. Make It Short, Simple, and Memorable

  • Why it’s important: The best branded hashtags are easy to remember, type, and share. Keep your hashtag concise and relevant to your brand or campaign.
  • Example: Nike’s #JustDoIt or Wendy’s #NationalRoastDay are short, catchy, and easy for users to adopt and share.

2. Ensure It’s Unique and Unmistakably Yours

  • Why it’s important: The goal is to create a hashtag that is closely tied to your brand, making it instantly recognizable and associated with your products, services, or values.
  • How to do it: Check to make sure the hashtag you create isn’t widely used by others. If it is, modify it slightly to make it unique and ensure it stands out.
  • Example: Coca-Cola’s #ShareACoke is unique to their brand and clearly associated with their product.

3. Tie It to a Campaign, Event, or Goal

  • Why it’s important: A branded hashtag should support a specific goal or campaign. Whether you’re launching a new product, hosting a challenge, or running a promotion, a focused hashtag can help amplify your message.
  • How to do it: Make sure the hashtag is aligned with your campaign’s message or goal. For example, if you’re promoting a new product, you could use a hashtag like #NewFlavorLaunch or #BrandXNewLook.
  • Example: Adidas’s #HereToCreate supports their brand’s message of creativity and empowerment.

4. Incorporate a Call-to-Action (CTA)

  • Why it’s important: A branded hashtag with a clear CTA encourages users to participate, share, or create content related to your brand.
  • How to do it: Use action verbs like “join,” “create,” “share,” or “show” to encourage audience involvement.
  • Example: The #InMyDenim challenge by American Eagle encouraged users to post videos showing off their new denim outfits, creating a fun and interactive experience.

5. Make It Fun and Engaging

  • Why it’s important: TikTok is a platform known for its creativity, so your branded hashtag should be fun, interactive, and something users want to engage with.
  • How to do it: Incorporate humor, creativity, or something catchy into the hashtag to encourage users to participate in a fun way. For example, hosting a challenge with a branded hashtag makes it more likely that people will want to join.
  • Example: The #IceBucketChallenge was a viral success because it was fun, engaging, and easy to participate in while raising awareness for a cause.

6. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

  • Why it’s important: A successful branded hashtag can encourage users to create and share their own content, which helps your brand expand its reach organically.
  • How to do it: Clearly invite users to join the conversation by posting videos under your branded hashtag. You could even run contests, giveaways, or challenges that require people to use your hashtag.
  • Example: The #TikTokTaughtMe hashtag saw users sharing various life hacks, beauty tips, and DIY projects, encouraging UGC that helped spread the hashtag’s popularity.

7. Promote the Hashtag Across Multiple Channels

  • Why it’s important: While TikTok is the main platform for your branded hashtag, promoting it across your other social media channels will help raise awareness and drive engagement.
  • How to do it: Share the hashtag on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, your website, and in emails to ensure your audience knows about it. Use other platforms to direct traffic to TikTok where the hashtag challenge or campaign is happening.
  • Example: A brand may promote their TikTok hashtag challenge across Instagram Stories or Twitter to encourage followers to join in.

8. Leverage Influencers or TikTok Creators

  • Why it’s important: Partnering with influencers can help amplify the reach of your branded hashtag, especially when they have a large and engaged following.
  • How to do it: Work with influencers or popular TikTok creators who align with your brand to promote your branded hashtag. They can help spread the word and kickstart user participation.
  • Example: Chipotle’s #GuacDance challenge partnered with TikTok creators to promote their branded hashtag, leading to massive engagement and viral success.

9. Track and Measure Performance

  • Why it’s important: Once you launch your branded hashtag, it’s crucial to monitor its performance and engagement to see how well it’s resonating with your audience.
  • How to do it: Use TikTok analytics to track how many users are engaging with your hashtag, how many videos are being created with it, and how much reach it’s generating. This will allow you to adjust your strategy if needed and assess the success of the campaign.
  • Example: If your branded hashtag challenge isn’t getting as much traction as expected, you might tweak your messaging or offer an incentive (like a giveaway) to boost participation.

10. Incorporate the Hashtag into Your TikTok Videos

  • Why it’s important: Your audience is more likely to engage with your branded hashtag if it’s visibly featured in your videos.
  • How to do it: Include the hashtag in your video captions, text overlays, or even as part of the video itself. It reinforces the campaign’s visibility and encourages users to participate.
  • Example: In a campaign for a new product, a brand might show the product in use with the hashtag in the caption and video.

Best Practices for Branded Hashtags:

  • Keep it relevant to your brand: Your hashtag should reflect your brand values, personality, or campaign.
  • Make it easy to spell: Avoid complicated words or phrases that might confuse users.
  • Check for trademark issues: Before using a branded hashtag, make sure it’s not already trademarked by another company or brand.
  • Encourage creativity: Allow your audience to put their spin on the hashtag or challenge, making the experience more personal and fun.

Example Branded Hashtags in Action:

  1. #ShareACoke (Coca-Cola): Coca-Cola encouraged people to share a Coke with their name on it, creating a personal connection with the brand.
  2. #JustDoIt (Nike): Nike’s iconic campaign motivates people to take action and pursue their goals, creating a timeless and powerful hashtag.
  3. #InMyDenim (American Eagle): This campaign encouraged TikTok users to share their outfits and denim looks, creating engagement through fashion and style.
  4. #Unstoppable (Gatorade): Gatorade used this hashtag to empower athletes, making it memorable and easy to tie back to their brand’s athletic performance focus.

Conclusion:

Creating a branded hashtag on TikTok is an effective way for brands to connect with their audience, promote campaigns, and drive engagement. By focusing on simplicity, creativity, and relevance, and encouraging user participation, you can build a hashtag that resonates with your target market and boosts your brand’s visibility on the platform.

Free Webinar Training Reveals From John Thornhill