I live in Houston and over the past several weeks, I have watched #earnhistory spread. I am not a baseball fan or a sports fan at all for that matter. But, the marketer in me loved the fact that I, the non-baseball fan began using the hashtag. That’s really the true test of a successful hashtag campaign. Hashtags are a great way to engage and connect audiences.
They can be used to determine engagement and further your own cause/messaging. They can also serve as a pulse on how your audience feels about your brand, a product or a service - all things that a professional marketer wants to know. When done well, hashtags are great!
#EarnHistory has been one of the most used hashtags on social media since the Astros began their World Series run. The hashtag caught on for fans across the globe. It was a success because it was timely, and it told a story. The history that would be made with a World Series Championship win is conveyed in the hashtag selection. You cannot discount the importance of hashtag selection. And, let’s face it, for a city that has just suffered from major flooding brought by Hurricane and then, Tropical Storm Harvey, a community-building effort via social media couldn’t have come at a better time.
I also came across a new CNN hashtag campaign - a counter to #fakenews. The #factsfirst campaign and the accompanying video advertisement are ingenious. No matter your political beliefs, CNN is taking steps to change the narrative and for that, I give them high marks. The jury is still out on if the campaign will be a success. It does, however, have many of the elements of the successful Houston Astros campaign of being timely, well selected and, telling a story.
My mind is working overtime thinking about developing a hashtag campaign that I can use to promote the municipality I work for. I am inspired!
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