Despite recent controversies, Twitter remains a very active and unique social media platform in 2023.
While TikTok has taken much of the social media limelight recently, Twitter continues to add new users and has actually risen in popularity with Gen Z—one of the largest pools of consumers. That means it should very much a part of your marketing playbook.
One of the keys to unlocking Twitter is total hashtag mastery. That has always been true and it is still true today, even with the array of changes brought on since going private in 2022.
So what does a good hashtag strategy look like on Twitter in 2023? Let’s dive in.
Building an effective Twitter hashtag strategy in 2023
Hashtags are important because they allow users to group topics and conversations. Hashtags help searchers find your content and increase your following.
Here are some best practices when using hashtags:
Don’t overload on hashtags
While you can add many hashtags within the character limit, Twitter recommends using just one or two. Choose your hashtags carefully for each post, and make sure to vary hashtags from post to post. Research the hashtags that are popular with your niche. There are different hashtag types you can use. You can work with a variety of hashtags from brand hashtags, topic hashtags, niche hashtags, daily trends, and current trends.
- Brand hashtags: Unique to your brand.
- Topic hashtags: About the topics that you are creating content around.
- Niche hashtags: Specific to your field of work.
- Daily trends: Topics that are popular on certain days of the week, such as #MotivationMonday
- Current trends: topics that are popular currently. Could be a news event or holiday.
You could use a brand hashtag and a niche hashtag on one post and a topic hashtag on another. See what combinations work best for your audience.
Get on trends when appropriate
If you click the Explore tag on Twitter you can see what is trending. Look for hashtags that are in line with your brand and content so you can take advantage of trending topics. Remember to add value to the conversation. You can adjust your trends settings and even see local trends.
An easy way to see trends is to visit Twitter on the mobile app. You will see the top 5 trending topics listed first. Different days will have different trending topics like #TuesdayThoughts or #WisdomWednesday so check often. Do not add popular hashtags to your content if they have no relevance.
Research Your Hashtags
Use a service like RiteTag or Hashtagify to find the right hashtags for you based on real-time engagement. Once you have your hashtag strategy in place, it’s time to post.
Create your own hashtag
To help followers find your content you can create a hashtag for your brand or campaign. Your hashtag needs to be easy to spell and easy to remember. Use the explore tab to see if your hashtag idea is already being used.
Retweet your hashtag
When someone does use your branded hashtag, retweet them. Encourage and incentivize followers to use your hashtags.
Participate in Twitter Chats
Twitter chats are a great way to utilize hashtags and build your Twitter community. Schedule these little online events to engage with your target audience on a regular basis. Host a chat for your brand and create a special hashtag for that event. You could make the event a weekly or monthly occurrence. Find other chats to participate in. Just type “Twitter chats for” into Google and then whatever your topic or niche is.
Pay attention to holidays
Using hashtags for special holidays and occasions is a great way to gain attention, but make sure your tweets are relevant. A good behind-the-scenes post could also be a great choice. Take the opportunity to create a new compelling offer or promotion and use a catchy seasonal hashtag to go along with it.
What is the best time to post on Twitter in 2023?
Many people use Twitter during their work day. Wednesday and Friday are great posting days on Twitter, as those tend to be more relaxed work days.
The best times of day are in the morning when many people are getting started with their work between 9 am and noon. After lunch from 1 pm -3 pm is also a good time. After that, it’s between 3 pm and 4 pm. Not as many people are active on Twitter in the evenings unless it’s the weekend.
Your audience may be different so test for yourself.
How to grow on Twitter in 2023
Short, quality content and an effective hashtag strategy will go a long way in building up your Twitter community. A few more ways to grow:
- Optimize your profile with a clear bio- what you do and why. Also have a clear profile picture and banner.
- Build a strategy of 3-5 tweets a day. Think story, transformation, tips, and inspiration.
- Comment and engage with your followers. Remember to be sociable and respond to DMs too.
Look at accounts in your field that are smaller than yours and bigger than yours for inspiration. Track what seems to be working for them and what could be better. Are there any gaps that you could fill with your content?
When you share content from others, tag them as mentioned but also add something valuable- why you liked the content or how you plan to implement the tips.
Some bonus tips
For more success with hashtags on Twitter in 2023, employ these bonus tips:
- Complete an audit: If you have not checked your Twitter followers lately, do an audit. Write down who you are reaching, who you want to reach, and the strategic content ideas that will help you get to that audience.
- Give engagement and be social: On Twitter to get engagement you need to give engagement. Find profiles that are supportive of the type of content you put out. Look for accounts that go well with your content but are not direct competitors and engage with those. One way to find them is by looking at content that share the same hashtags you use.
- Use Twitter lists: Use the Twitter list feature to keep track of the profiles that you find. When you share valuable content from others with your audience, tag the author and let your audience know where the content came from. It’s a way to support other profiles and get your brand out there also.
Use the right strategy and grow
When you put a consistent publishing strategy in place with well-written text and engaging graphics then your hashtag strategy will be more effective too. When creating content for Twitter remember to be authentic and purposeful. Look at successful accounts in your field not to copy, but for inspiration. Figure out how you can add value to the conversations that are happening.
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