Just like Taylor Swift, Twitter doesn’t have the best reputation. Yet despite its bad publicity (Thanks, Kanye), we have a soft spot for this problematic platform at WideFoc.us. After all, the benefits outweigh the bad: With an average of 336 million active users, think of the interactions you could create for your brand.
Widefoc.us coaches many clients through the perils of Twitter, and we manage their accounts in order to hone in on their target audiences, build thought leadership, and promote products. With our B2B brands, Twitter can be a powerful way to develop relationships — with distributors, resellers, potential strategic partners, influencers, and the media.
Revelatory! If you can navigate through Twitter’s sometimes turbulent seas, you can have direct conversations with potential customers and access to a massive audience on one platform.
Not to mention, the entertainment value that Twitter provides is unparalleled.
Studies show that Twitter acolytes are more likely to respond to hashtags rather than to other users. The simple explanation is that they want to interact with certain concepts or discussions that hashtags identify. Hashtags should promote interaction and prompt users to spread positive word-of-mouth.
Let’s consider the top five hashtags that swept Twitter lately, created by brands to the delight of users.
I find very few films more perfect than “Black Panther.” T’Challa’s incredible journey of identity and leadership swept the box office and made over a billion dollars in the process. Not only did it gross a ridiculous amount of money, the film was the most-tweeted about movie ever, thanks to its branded hashtag, #WakandaForever. Disney leveraged this simple, yet poignant movie line into its online content to help accrue mass popularity. Not only is the hashtag memorable, but it struck a chord with black audiences. What is special about #WakandaForever isn’t its marketing capabilities, but its human spirit and authentic connection to the film.
Public awareness campaigns are powerful. Adidas partnered with the Lean In Foundation to promote equal rights on Equal Pay Day. They launched #20PercentCounts in order to illuminate how much more money men are likely to make than women in the same roles. Not only did they deliver the hashtag with video content, but promotional content in real life, including using the hashtags on bags and in stores, prompted consumers to take to Twitter in order to support the cause and the brand at the same time.
Samsung really knows how to speak to its consumers, who care about innovation and forward-thinking technology. Samsung also believes in its product, particularly the Galaxy Note8, which they promote as the “Fastest Phone Ever.” Not only did Samsung use this hashtag to promote at the Paralympics, and make the campaign inclusive to those with disabilities, but they integrated the hashtag into VR experiences created by the Galaxy Note8 and the Galaxy S9, like “The Mission to Space VR: A Moon for All Mankind.” Their VR experiences are exceptionally popular with museums and schools, which partner with Samsung for continued tech and space education. It’s heartwarming af.
It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Lexus has long been a sponsor of New York City Fashion Week, as a brand that wants to align itself with high fashion and a hyper cool aesthetic. For the last three years, this crazy-popular hashtag has been an event-only one for those interested in taking photos of Lexus vehicles at New York Fashion Week. This year, they teamed up with “Black Panther” to take on the event, creating a custom Lexus LC 500 to commemorate their partnership with the Marvel movie and #NYFW at the same time. Lexus also partnered with reputable fashion bloggers on Instagram for more exposure. We’re feeling inspiration for our car-centric clients already.
We’re stealing this one from our SproutSocial pals. In the world of brews, Heineken stood out with this heartfelt campaign about breaking down barriers for beer. Video content to accompany this hashtag featured people with varied political beliefs and identities participating in good-natured activities like building furniture. The pairs then popped open a cold one, having settled their differences during the team-building exercise. The video content and the accompanying hashtag prompted 500,000+ shares, plus Twitter interaction between people from all walks of life. Heineken proved that uniting audiences can be achievable, no matter how different, with a brave hashtag.
These five campaigns give us all the Twitter #feels. Not only can it be profitable for brands to be on Twitter, but it allows for so much positive interaction with your customers. There’s good in the Twitter world, non-tweeters; you just have to know the right hashtag to find it (and follow the right accounts, be consistent, share quality content, engage engage engage…).
Too much for your company to do on its own? Drop us a line — we #gotyourback.
KT Heins is a Community Manager at Widefoc.us who specializes in technical writing. When she isn’t at the office, she is most likely hanging out with her Chiweenies, “working” on a novel, or participating in bar trivia alone. Follow her on Instagram @ktotheheins for mountain views, cold brews, and fancy food.
