Social media has become integral to branding and web marketing, but one site in particular has caused a number of notable scandals in terms of serious brand fails that might have been avoided with more careful tracking of trending topics. Twitter has rapidly become one of the most effective ways for businesses to communicate with clients, but it can be misused when companies jump on board with the wrong hashtags. To save your company an embarrassing apology after a misplaced tweet, remember to think about these important aspects of trending topics.
Hashtag meaning
Some hashtags are easy to misinterpret, so it is essential to get some cultural insight on the trending terms. A quick search of a given hashtag will give you a reference point that will help minimize unintentionally offensive tweets that could cause a public uproar. Even trending topics started by your own organization can be problematic if they are poorly timed in their release. For example, Qantas Airlines encountered trouble after launching the hashtag #QantasLuxury immediately following labor disputes that grounded the airline’s entire fleet.
Brand relevance
Even if a trending term is not likely to get your company into trouble for political incorrectness, there may be some problems if the term is completely unrelated to your business. It is also important to see how others are using trending hashtags, since there may already be a negative association with a given term that could go against your branding and public image.
Associated organizations or individuals
Along the same lines as brand relevance, it is important to consider who is associated with a trending term before using it. Any term associated with controversial figures or organizations is probably best left unused on your company’s Twitter feed.
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