No, that is not a typo, we did not mean hashtag. A hashflag is an image that appears after a specific hashtag when tweeted out and embedded on Twitter. These usually occur during big events such as the Super Bowl or popular holidays. Twitter hashflags, or custom Twitter emojis as they are commonly referred to, will cost you a pretty penny upward of one million dollars depending on the brand campaign, the specs or if you plan to use them for advertising a brand vs showcasing an event.
Like Snapchat pictures, Twitter hashflags only exist for a limited time during the campaign and the Twitter emoji will disappear after the time has lapsed, leaving just the hashtag. Hashflags only exist on Twitter.com or the Twitter app.
Many people are against the use of hashflags because they clog up the simplicity of a tweet. I personally think they add an extra element to the tweet. By placing within the text it will draw your eye to the tweet and get people talking about what you are tweeting about. Even as I am writing this blog in Microsoft Word there is a category under Edit>Emoji & Symbols where you can add emojis to your blog. Emojis are practically a new language so take advantage of the trend, just don’t over do it.
Hashflags are a great tool for branding. They quickly become trending hashtags and people are noticing them more than the average tweet. The key is the right hashtag to associate with the emoji as well as timing. Timing is everything. If you pair your hashflag with a big event you are sure to get some major attention to your brand.
As we mentioned in our last blog about hashtags, Coca-Cola was the first brand to purchase their own custom hashflag for usage in September of 2015, but not before Twitter launched hashflags for the World Cup in 2010. This was the first time we saw hashflags put into use. Can you guess the first celebrity to take advantage of hashflags? If you guessed Taylor Swift, you’re right. In May of 2015, she used #BadBloodMusicVideo to promote her upcoming music video release at the Billboard Music Awards.
As far as designing the the custom Twitter emoji, you pair with Twitter to design these hashflags. They can be designed for big events or customized to align with the brand inquiring a hashflag.
So, to hashflag or not to hashflag? If your brand has the funds to create a custom Twitter hashflag, I say go for it! It’s custom to your campaign and is sure to get you great reach and engagement.
See our thoughts on Hashtags and how they became trendy in the first place!
Check out our blog post about it here!