An integral aspect of any social media campaign is the use of Twitter in all its glory, including a strategic approach to hashtags.

Hashtags, the sexy little # signs that accompany keywords, are an excellent way to categorize content, but can also be overdone. While performing social media audits for new clients, I often see hashtags being used though the problem is: Some went absolutely buck wild and used far too many, which exudes a “spammy” vibe. Twitter users see this coming from a mile away and will run for the hills — away from the digital goons.

How many hashtags per Tweet is kosher?

I took it upon myself to ask around the social media community, including a few fellow speakers at the CBS social media event, Social: The New Media, that took place last week in Hollywood, CA. After questioning a few of our employees, other speakers at the event, and ringing 7 associates from around the country, I’ve come to a conclusion.

The consensus is that 2 hashtags is fine, and 3 is really pushing it. It gets to a point where the increased amount of hashtags dilutes the value of the original message, thus diminishing the power of the Tweet. Keep that in mind the next time you’re wandering through Twitterspace.

Aaron Schoenberger
@TheSchoenberger
The Brainchild Group

Aaron Schoenberger is Founder of The Brainchild Group — a world-renowned Internet marketing agency that specializes in Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He’s known for his work with celebrities, top restaurants, automotive manufacturers, professional athletes, educational institutions, luxury brands and Fortune 500 companies.