It’s happened before, and it happened again; a hashtag campaign backfired on a company that didn’t think through the ramifications of what they were asking for. This week, the New York Police Department (NYPD) asked users to Tweet in pictures of themselves with members of the force using the hashtag #MyNYPD. In theory, it was a great idea, positioning the NYPD as a valued member of the community.

What they didn’t think through was the reputation the NYPD has had in the past: one of police brutality and unneccesary force. It wasn’t long before protesters were Tweeting pictures of bloody picketers and excessively restrained activists. And, of course, the institution was reminded many times of the instance where they bloodied an elderly man for jaywalking.

Of course, the backfiring hashtag is not a new phenomenon. Back in January, McDonald’s attempted to spread the love with a hashtag campaign using #McDStories. The company must have forgotten about all the food complaints they had received on social media, though, and the tales of bugs and fingernails in burgers started pouring in. Look up #WaitroseReasons and #QantasLuxury for even more hashtag disaster stories.

So, what did the NYPD do wrong?

The main fault of the NYPD was to not assess the possible ramifications of the hashtag before they used it. So that you can avoid the same scenario, here are 3 things you should do before creating a hashtag campaign:

1. Clearly define your goals.

Why do you want to run a hashtag campaign? Is it because it’s the “hip” thing to do? Or are you hoping to infuse some positive sentiment into the conversation about your brand? If so, that’s a hashtag disaster waiting to happen. Here are some good reasons to run a hashtag campaign:

  • You have a new product or service and want to better perceive honestly how customers are interacting with it.
  • You have an upcoming event that has positive or neutral PR surrounding it.
  • You’re running a promotion that allows users to vote or enter by Tweeting a particular hashtag.

2. Assess customer sentiment.

If your brand already has some negative sentiment swirling around it, maybe now is not the ideal time to try out a hashtag campaign. Branded hashtags are not a PR band-aid. In that situation, they’re closer to being the equivalent of pouring salt on the PR wound.

To figure out how people currently feel about your brand on social media, there are two approaches you can take. The first is to simply look at the Tweets and Facebook posts/messages your company’s accounts get. Are people mad? Or are they excited? This will give you an idea of what the most vocal consumers are saying.

But remember, creating a hashtag is inviting people to express brand sentiment, both good and bad. To see what less confrontational users are saying, use a tool like Webfluenz to see what the sentiment is surrounding certain keywords. If you have an overwhelmingly positive brand sentiment in addition to a good reason for a hashtag, move on to number 3…

3. Check for possible twists.

Earlier this year, British singer Susan Boyles released an album, and the label threw a party. However, they chose a terrible hashtag: #Susanalbumparty (we’ll let you figure that one out for yourself). The mistake was quickly corrected, but not before Twitter could run with it, ridiculing both the singer and the PR campaign in general with perverted versions of the hashtag. What can you learn from Susan’s party? Before you create a hashtag, make sure it cannot be easily twisted to be profane, offensive, or sexual.

Remember, hashtag campaigns can be great tools for success. They can open the lines of communication between a brand and its consumers like nothing else, and they can get people excited about a new product or service (or even an old one). But tread carefully; the NYPD, McDonald’s, and Susan Boyles all meant well. Make sure you follow these tips to avoid your own hashtag disaster.

About the Author: Samantha Gale is a social media and content marketing specialist working for 60 Second Communications, a full-service marketing agency working with brands around the globe.