Some hashtags really feel like quaint relics of an web previous. However there’s one throwback hashtag that can by no means exit of favor: #TBT.
Perhaps it’s as a result of this hashtag comes with nostalgia constructed proper in, however the #TBT (or #ThrowbackThursday) hashtag someway by no means will get previous. It appeals to folks’s deep want to share their favourite moments from the previous.
In different phrases, #TBT is right here to remain. Right here’s how you can use it in 2023.
What does TBT imply?
TBT stands for “Throwback Thursday.” Social media customers use this hashtag on posts that “throwback” to an older model of themselves. Whereas the hashtag is most typical on Twitter and Instagram, you could find it used all around the web.
TBT or Throwback Thursday posts will be selfies, audio or video recordings, and even textual content describing a reminiscence or a previous occasion. It’s a helpful excuse to dredge up a reminiscence from the previous. (In actual fact, it won’t even be an excellent reminiscence — a Throwback Thursday put up may additionally play properly because the “earlier than” to a “earlier than and after” put up.)
When did TBT begin?
The historical past of this social media pattern truly goes again fairly far. Vox says that blogger Mark Halfhill was one of many first to make use of the phrase on his sneaker weblog in 2006, whereas Time stories {that a} man named Bobby first introduced the #ThrowbackThursday hashtag to life on Instagram with this picture of Sizzling Wheels in 2011:
Folks now love throwing it again a lot that they’ve developed a sequence of competing hashtags for various days of the week, together with #MondayMemories, #TakeMeBackTuesday, #WaybackWednesday and #FlashbackFriday.
In fact, you don’t need to maintain your followers hostage when you present them each web page of a household picture album (metaphorically talking), so it’s finest to stay with simply one in every of these throwback days. You’ll possible get essentially the most traction when you use the preferred.
Why do you have to use #TBT?
Okay, so we’ve established what it’s, however why on earth do you have to put up your individual Throwback Thursday? Properly, it usually makes for excellent content material to your model. Right here’s why.
It’s enjoyable.
Until it actually doesn’t align along with your social media technique, sharing the occasional TBT put up is an easy approach to have just a little enjoyable. Whether or not you’re laughing about your early model flubs or posting pics of your very first workplace in your dad and mom’ storage, wanting again on the previous is a good way to maintain it gentle and playful.
It boosts engagement.
Folks love something that seems like a peek behind the scenes or insider entry, so #TBT posts usually see robust engagement. You possibly can even construct a call-to-action proper into the throwback. Submit the primary draft of your marketing strategy and ask folks to share their early concepts within the feedback, or encourage readers to tag you in a throwback of their promenade picture.
It expands your attain.
In case you’re getting robust engagement, the algorithm will share your put up extra broadly (yup, that is true on mainly each social platform). And when you’re increasing your attain, you’re introducing potential new followers to your model. In case you’ve received enjoyable, fascinating or distinctive TBT content material, you’ll construct model consciousness and acquire new followers very quickly.
It occurs each week.
We get it — it’s laborious to give you recent angles or new methods to current your content material. And whereas TBT shouldn’t be the one factor you put up, it’s a wonderful approach to supply common, participating content material. In any case, Thursday rolls round as soon as every week.
7 concepts to encourage your subsequent TBT put up
Now that the ins and outs of Throwback Thursday, it’s time to begin placing it into observe. Listed here are some nice examples that may assist encourage you to succeed in TBT greatness.
1. Location, location, location
TBT is all about nostalgia, and few issues tug on the heartstrings fairly like remembering the locations from our pasts. Posting up a spot from your individual historical past will be a good way to rake within the TBT likes.
The MLB tapped into nostalgia whereas opening up the remark part by asking their followers to touch upon which previous ballpark they liked most:
You don’t want the legacy of America’s favourite pastime to get into the spirit, although.
Manufacturers of any measurement can get in on the enjoyable by displaying the evolution of their workplace through the years. This firm has been in the identical workplace because the Seventies, which makes for some nice earlier than and after pictures:
2. Go retro
In actual fact, when you’ve received any type of old-school pictures or movies kicking round from you, your life or your model, it’s all the time an amazing thought to dig them out for TBT. Not solely do they make for fascinating captions, however they normally look aesthetically pleasing, so that they break up the monotony of somebody’s timeline.
The Particular Olympics Minnesota is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this yr, so that they’ve been wanting again on the previous with every Throwback Thursday. Some 19 years later, these pictures from 2004 appear like a blast from the previous:
MMA fighter John Maguire had these pics of his Ninja Turtles assortment in 1990 and managed to recreate it for a satisfying before-and-after TBT in 2023:
On a classier degree, the BBC Symphony Orchestra hopped on the hashtag to boast about their double bassoon recreation approach again in 1942:
📸Double bassoon in 1942, with principal Archie Camden. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/w1K50kklQq
— BBC Symphony Orchestra & Refrain (@BBCSO) January 12, 2023
3. Awkward enjoyable
Humor is without doubt one of the most infectious traits you possibly can have on-line, and Throwback Thursday is an ideal time to show you’re recreation for fun. When all else fails, use the hashtag as an excuse to get foolish.
Well being influencer Dr. Shriram Nene proved he’s an excellent sport and in on the joke when he shared this hilarious promenade pic from his “awkward teenage years” for TBT:
Nothing like our awkward teenage years, proper? #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/YIgFQbIW34
— Dr. Shriram Nene (@DoctorNene) December 8, 2022
Different radio DJ St. Pete Sam pulled off a double whammy by incorporating the #NationalBaconDay hashtag into her TBT put up with this slow-motion video of herself munching on some bacon:
in honor of it being #nationalbaconday, right here’s a brilliant awkward #tbt video of me consuming bacon with @budlight at #kegsandeggs in 2019. 😂🥓 @stpetesam #bacon #budlight #brandambassador pic.twitter.com/6RdCx3INAd
— 97X (@97xonair) December 30, 2021
Creator Patricia Cornwell upped the ante with some ’90s cheese, posting a TBT pic straight out of 90210:
Right here’s a tacky pic taken in California once I was studying how you can scuba dive (mid-nineties).💕🤿#TBT pic.twitter.com/mVGpSc9E35
— Patricia Cornwell (@1pcornwell) December 8, 2022
4. Mark a milestone
Whether or not it’s an anniversary, a birthday or any previous event value remembering, TBT is a superb time to put up one thing from the previous. Use previous ephemera — suppose posters, ticket stubs or different enjoyable objects — to spotlight a novel milestone out of your model’s historical past.
The official Twitter for the Black Sabbath web page recurrently marks time with TBT posts, posting ticket stubs for concert events that occurred on that day up to now:
January 12, 1999
Seattle, Washington#tbt #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/sCOAkBZ7jO— BlackSabbath (@BlackSabbath) January 12, 2023
The Broadway model of Beetlejuice celebrated its closing present in NYC with a TBT put up highlighting the ups and downs of its run:
Hey guys? Love you guys. 🥺 As our present about demise involves a detailed, we’re dedicating this #TBT to a few of our favourite #BeetlejuiceBway moments. pic.twitter.com/lEtr7TqBDi
— Beetlejuice on Broadway (@BeetlejuiceBway) January 5, 2023
The Home of Blues took it a step additional and paid tribute to the late rapper DMX, sharing a clip from his closing present at their venue to mark what would have been his 52nd birthday:
In honor of DMX’s birthday on Sunday, we received a BIG #tbt when he performed his final Chicago present at Home of Blues on Could 4, 2019! ❤️ 🖤
RIP a rap icon, hip-hop legend and Ruff Ryder, @DMX 🙏🐕🦺 pic.twitter.com/VVhCogsyrY
— Home of Blues Chicago (@HOBChicago) December 15, 2022
5. Share an previous product
Throwback Thursday can be nice to indicate how far you’ve come as a model by sharing your unique merchandise. Simply ensure your put up is clearly labeled as being from the previous, so that you don’t confuse your viewers!
The London-based recumbent bicycle model Brompton demonstrated simply how lengthy they’ve been within the recreation with this put up of their 1977 mannequin, The Fold:
#TBT to our awkward pre teenage years! The Fold from 1977! #MyBrompton #MadeForCities pic.twitter.com/NRAU9DKqJ6
— Brompton Bicycle (@BromptonBicycle) June 29, 2021
Archie Comics went much more retro, utilizing Throwback Thursday as a possibility to showcase an previous comedian ebook from the late Nineteen Fifties:
Because it’s #ThrowbackThursday, let’s journey again to the Nineteen Fifties for some #KatyKeene style enjoyable! pic.twitter.com/YCStUBaWSO
— Archie Comics (@ArchieComics) January 12, 2023
BMW makes use of its BMW Traditional account to spotlight its historical past of lovely vehicles. Right here’s a put up that makes use of the #ThrowbackThursday hashtag properly:
6. …or share a brand new product
TBT can even straight drive gross sales, significantly when you specialise in classic, vintage or in any other case old-timey objects. Listed here are some examples of the way folks use the hashtag to promote.
Nothing ages fairly like wine, so Ranchero Cellars cleverly makes use of the hashtag to promote this classic vino from 2010 — a product they nonetheless have on the market.
Shout! Manufacturing facility, an organization that reissues basic TV on Blu-ray and DVD, equally used the hashtag to advertise their new Little Rascals field set:
7. Name to motion
As a result of they’re so participating, Throwback Thursday posts are highly effective methods to determine authority in your trade, make a degree, or drive site visitors to an article or name to motion on a product.
Boeing is discontinuing its 747 jets, however they’ve used that as a robust launch pad for a complete narrative that establishes them as an trade chief. This 1974 pic of a Boeing over Mount Rainier factors readers to a listicle about how the jet modified the flight trade:
#TBT The unique 747 soars excessive above Mount Rainier in Washington state in 1974. 🛫 Although manufacturing is ending on the 747, the primary jumbo jet’s legacy will endure for many years.
Discover seven 747 improvements that modified the trade: https://t.co/bKHKETd9Nq pic.twitter.com/WRV4LWxZ9h
— The Boeing Firm (@Boeing) January 5, 2023
Shark Tank host Daymond John doesn’t must hyperlink out wherever. As an alternative, he makes use of his TBT to make a degree about bodily promoting with a photograph of a FUBU billboard from again within the day:
As of late loads of manufacturers are fixated on their digital presence. For good purpose, however research are additionally displaying that, post-covid, individuals are extremely receptive to bodily adverts. That is to not say you want a billboard, however bear in mind to suppose exterior the cellphone!#TBT #FUBU pic.twitter.com/2D0ftmf9VT
— Daymond John (@TheSharkDaymond) August 11, 2022
Arnold Schwarzenegger leans into his standing as a strolling meme with these comical previous pics of his former health pamphlets. Nevertheless it’s a part of an even bigger marketing campaign as a result of it factors to a brand new health e book out there in his bio:
Throwback Thursday finest practices
Prepared to begin creating your individual TBT posts? Simply preserve the following pointers in thoughts.
Submit on a Thursday
It goes with out saying that you need to do the Thursday hashtag on, properly, the precise day in its title. In case your viewers spans a number of time zones, attempt posting early within the morning to make sure you’re not displaying up too late to the social gathering. It varies from app to app, however we advise you put up on Instagram between 9 a.m. and midday.
Use the hashtags
In case you’re going to take part within the hashtag, you must use the hashtag! Whereas it’s true that social media websites have tailored to make use of context clues and captions in searches, you continue to need your put up to indicate up on the clickable tag. Don’t be shy! Use each #TBT and #ThrowbackThursday.
Share previous content material
Once more, it might sound apparent, nevertheless it bears repeating. The entire level of Throwback Thursday is to throw it again to one thing from the previous. Ensure that your posts embrace previous content material. And ensure it’s clear that the content material is previous — you don’t need to confuse customers into pondering a product you not have out there has come again.
Have a plan
Some intelligent copywriting could make TBT an integral a part of your advertising plan. Perhaps you’re about to launch your newest style line — why not level to it by throwing again to your first-ever launch? These sorts of benchmarks will assist spotlight simply how far you’ve come as a model.
The quickest approach to create your individual Throwback Thursday put up
In case you’re on the lookout for a TBT shortcut, Hootsuite’s received you lined.
Our Content material Inspiration tab is a helpful useful resource that helps you create posts in document time. (We advocate bookmarking it whether or not you’re on the lookout for a put up template for Throwback Thursday or one thing else totally.)
Simply observe these steps:
1. Navigate to the Content material Inspiration tab. Ensure you’re logged into your Hootsuite account.
2. Click on into the Throwback Thursday thought. This can supply an summary of the idea.
3. (Optionally available) Click on Extra about this concept. The dropdown menu will supply loads of thought-starters to encourage your TBT.
4. Click on Use this concept. You’ll be capable to full your Throwback Thursday put up with out even leaving the Hootsuite dashboard.
5. Replace your imagery. You possibly can add a number of pics, or use our cool cassette graphic.
6. Customise your caption. Use the prompts as a place to begin to make it your individual. Along with #ThrowbackThursday and #TBT, add a few hashtags that relate to your subject.
7. Publish your put up. Hootsuite saves your entire social accounts when you’ve related them, so you possibly can simply select from the dropdown menu.
With Hootsuite you possibly can arrange streams to observe hashtags—together with #TBT—and see how successfully you’re utilizing them. Strive it free as we speak.
Do it higher with Hootsuite, the all-in-one social media device. Keep up to the mark, develop, and beat the competitors.
